Q:

Hi Dr Joel,
I wanted to know if you could help me with generating some tough, specific 
guidelines/questions to look for in an IC position.

I have an opportunity to go on board with a successful DC, as an IC, with a 50/50 split (he 
covers overhead out of his share). I'll need to find my own patient base, and will work 
opposite his hours 3 days a week. He supplies the space, staff, and his estabilshed network 
of contacts with MDs, attorneys, hopstial affiliations.

I'm trying to determine whether this situation is worth forgoing 50% of my gross earnings 
in return for what the other DC is offering, so a need some concrete questions to through 
out to see if this is the best situation for me at this period in my carreer.

A:

Thanks for the e-mail and sorry for the delay replying. 

If you crunch the numbers and determine the cost of outright overhead to maintain a 
practice as well as have an active base from which to gather new patients the 50/50 is not 
too bad. Usually a 60/40 is common with the 60 going either way. Therefore, 50/50 across 
the board may not be too bad.

You can play a bit with the % and ask them to create a base number of new patients or 
collections from you and after that amount be given a bonus either in dollars or a higher %. 

But after crunching the numbers, it may not be a situation to walk away from. The only 
problem is .. you need to hustle the new patients because 50% of nothing is nothing. 
Therefore, I recommend you place a time limit to this relationship and after a year or so 
move on or stay on

Have a Great Day

Dr. M

PS. If you have time check my webpage under Cyberconsulting and scrool around for 
some Q&A concerning this topic. There may be something there