Wisdom. Applied.

A diamond and a rock, sitting side by side. Both discovered near the bottom of the Udachny diamond mine in the Sakha Republic region of Russia, one of the world’s ten deepest open-pit diamond mines. But are they of the same value?

"I can't put it in the agreement, but trust me on this. You have my word." Those are famous words from a hospital CEO. And, maybe you can trust him. But can you trust his successor?

The right question regarding the uncertain future, is to ask is what underlies your profession, your specialty, or its role. What’s the motivating desire or overriding function?

Sure, unlike immigration love, less than heartfelt medical group merger isn't a federal crime.

There was a time warp in the box from the garage.

In a personal services business, from medical groups to acute care hospitals, what's more important, your people or your tangible assets?

Growth. There's lots of talk about it.

Listen in as we discuss a recent settlement of an actual HIPAA violation. And even more troubling, learn about another HIPAA breach settlement that didn’t even involve am actual HIPAA breach . . . only a potential one.

Ah, the shiny object, the more or less instant gratification.

Knowing how to develop emotion-based strategies and how to implement them are simply among the "combined arms" tools that medical groups must develop in order to thrive.

A magic show is about misdirection: that which is seen and that which isn’t seen.

In the U.S., it seems that lots of people expect a tip, from the person who simply hands you your coffee at Starbucks to, I’d expect, hospital administrators (but only at for-profit facilities). Okay, just kidding, but you get the idea.

Anita Roddick, the late founder of the highly successful natural cosmetics chain, The Body Shop, which she sold to the cosmetic giant L'Oréal for $1.1 billion, was a tremendously driven entrepreneur and an extreme social and political activist.

If you were going to sell your house, you’d make sure that it’s put into decent or even prime shape before listing it, right?

Let other physicians worry about surviving the down economy:  Take these steps now in order to thrive.

Let other physicians worry about surviving the down economy:  Take these steps now in order to thrive.

I see a tremendous amount of tension, especially when it comes to the relationship between administration and hospital based groups.

In many medical specialties, both hospital and office based, national groups have become significant competitors.

Did you think the goal of negotiation is to be liked? Try galvanizing respect.

Let’s say you are the leader of a medical group. It could be a small group of a handful of physicians. Or, you could be the President and CEO of a 600 or 6,000 provider group. It does not make any difference.

Be honest: Do you own your practice or does it own you?

Hospitals are employing more physicians.  So why don't they want them to become really successful?

Strategic advantage is gained by being able to process information and take action faster than one's opponent.

Hospitals are focusing their hard and few-earned dollars exactly where it counts, spending big bucks on the physician executives who will surely rescue them from nosocomial existential syndrome: chief officers of this or that trendy trend.

If you're selling medical services but collecting only peanuts (or even hot dogs) let me know. You need a better agent.