Why We Partnered

Within the current healthcare environment, it is difficult for an independent practice to grow. Our vision was to bring together top-tier practices under one company umbrella. There are 2 necessities for this type of growth: cash and M&A expertise. We knew we needed a partner to help us achieve our goals.

QualDerm understood who we are and what we wanted to be. We wanted a partnership, not to give up complete control. We wanted to have decision making ability. We wanted a partner that was interested in our opinions and gave us the ability to lead our growth.

The whole company represents high-quality dermatology in a partnership model. It’s not just about selling out and making a buck. It’s about working together and addressing future challenges in a quality way. QualDerm’s management team is very strong and gave us a great deal of confidence that they would do what they said. And they have universally delivered.

There are a million things I don’t have to worry about now. QualDerm handles things like employee benefits, financial reporting, regulatory compliance, and staff issues. They also greatly improved our IT infrastructure. The QualDerm partnership helped our practice reach its higher potential.

The biggest reason was that I saw the future of medicine changing. Reimbursement was declining and competition was increasing in our area due to the purchase of my own referral base by private equity firms, a university and another healthcare organization. They were bringing in more dermatologists and Mohs surgeons. I felt even though we had the best name in area, we would likely get fewer referrals. Also, I wanted relief from the administrative burdens of running a practice.

We spoke with 2-3 PE firms that contacted us, we didn’t contact them. Their model was to basically take over. We wouldn’t maintain autonomy. The other models were not ones of quality, but ones of profit. QualDerm’s model is physician autonomy and quality over profit. The culture of quality and physician leadership was central to our decision to partner with QualDerm. We’re passionate about the care we provide and QualDerm’s commitment to patient-centric care perfectly aligned with our practice’s mission.

We wanted to make sure our employees were taken care of; that no one went backwards with compensation or benefits. The people on board have been pleased and happy. Staff satisfaction is a high priority with QualDerm.

As our practice grew, more and more time was required to manage the business operations. We wanted to invest our time caring for patients rather than dealing with practice management issues. We also wanted help expanding services and to better position our practice to navigate changes within the healthcare industry.

At Cumberland Skin Surgery and Dermatology, our patients come first. Affiliating with QualDerm allows us to focus on patient care while their team handles the details of practice management. I have confidence in QualDerm’s business leadership and appreciate that they leave the clinical decisions to me.

Partnering with QualDerm gives me the opportunity to collaborate with other like-minded dermatologists. It’s exciting to work together to build a broader network that increases patients’ access to quality dermatological care.

At first, we had no desire to partner. Then, I had conversations with two friends who had practices similar to ours. Both had recently chosen to partner with larger organizations and urged me to consider doing the same. This, coupled with the fact that the dermatology industry was rapidly changing, prompted me to investigate the various options. My partners and I didn’t make the decision to partner lightly and did much due diligence before unanimously agreeing to affiliate with QualDerm.

We wanted to keep control over our careers and our practices as the business aspects of dermatology continued to change. For years, we had envisioned building a strong network of reputable dermatologists across the state. QualDerm has had remarkable success helping its affiliated practices meet that goal.

Yes. QualDerm has provided all that was promised and even more. They have respect for us as healthcare providers and keep quality as the core focus of everything they do. Under QualDerm’s model, we are true partners, not just employed physicians. We retain our clinical autonomy as well as control over how much medicine we practice. QualDerm relies on physician leadership to help guide corporate policies and growth to ensure patients’ care comes first.

In the current medical environment, it is difficult for a small practice to negotiate with insurance providers. I wanted to grow the practice and needed assistance and guidance to do that. Plus, the timing was right with the valuation of practices.

QualDerm gave us a unique opportunity to grow the practice without changing the practice culture. I knew about QualDerm’s success in other markets and was impressed with the quality and accessibility of its leadership. They don’t come in and tell you what you’re doing wrong; they give guidance on how to make things better. We still put patients first and profits second. QualDerm gives me the best of both worlds. I can grow the practice and maintain equity while still being involved in the higher-level decision making.

As part of a larger organization, you have an advocate for your practice – whether for negotiating payor contracts or pushing back against government regulations.

Yes. The partnership with QualDerm has allowed us to grow as a practice. QualDerm has provided ethical leadership with like-minded goals of focusing on patients and providing them with the best care. By investing in and supporting the providers and staff at all of the practice locations, QualDerm has helped us achieve best practices in each and every office.

There are many benefits of partnership. These include: strong leadership, both from QualDerm corporate and from our Chief Medical Officer; the Quality Council and compliance committee; and the JOC and open communication between corporate and the providers/practices. The partnership also allows us to collaborate with other practices and thought leaders to reach the highest level of patient care.

The guidance in navigating the Covid challenge was invaluable – the clear and consistent communication from the CMO, based on clinical evidence from a variety of sources, allowed us to safely and thoughtfully weather the pandemic. QualDerm supported us in providing needed patient care while keeping everyone safe.

Yes. QualDerm has always prioritized patient care. I have never felt pressure from QualDerm to change the way that I practice, the number of patients that I see, or the care that is provided. 

QualDerm has demonstrated continued efforts to recruit staff to provide an optimal patient experience for every individual who walks through our door. When we need equipment, such as computers or instruments, they obtain the necessary items and have worked with suppliers to obtain superior quality products.

QualDerm has also been supportive of research projects that contribute to the furthering of our specialty and of physician involvement in public education, consulting, and teaching related to our specialty.

I always appreciated working with physicians within our practice. However, since partnering, I recognize the power of working collaboratively with physicians in other practices across the region. The QualDerm Quality Council allows us to maintain the high standards of practice that we value. I also appreciate the leadership opportunities provided within QualDerm.

The support of QualDerm allows us all to pursue the areas of our specialties where we will thrive and create the biggest impact; whether that’s research, clinical care, education and awareness, or teaching. QualDerm has taken the administrative burden away, allowing us as physicians to focus our talents on the aspects of our specialty to which we are drawn.

Yes, I would choose to partner with QualDerm again. The transition was smooth due to QualDerm’s communication, the training was effective, and all the corporate employees were enthusiastic and excited to meet their new practice. Every encounter was professional. They were eager to assist and assertive to perform the smoothest transition for the practice as a whole. QualDerm also met the needs of employees on a personal level, through enhanced employee benefits, as well as on a business level.

The most beneficial aspect of the partnership is less strain on management in terms of running the practice. The benefits of 401K, Medical/Dental/Vision insurance, PTO, Helping Hands and other various benefits are a great aspect for the employees. Lastly, it is a huge help to have an IT team, billing team and HR department of qualified individuals to reach out to for any questions, concerns or problems.

I would have to agree that QualDerm is dedicated to patient-centric, high quality care. The way they manage overall operations shows their commitment to patient satisfaction. One example that stands out is how they handled the pandemic. QualDerm kept us up-to-date with how the practice should be operating while ensuring patients, as well as staff, were safe. Not only do they keep patient safety in mind, but they also keep their staff as a priority. The staff has received regular, reliable communications from the CMO on up-to-date information regarding the pandemic, vaccines, statistics and research.

Overall, the partnership really has not changed much in terms of how we provide clinical care. QualDerm was very flexible on how we performed our daily routine and did not want to interfere. If anything, they ensured safety in the workplace such as an eye wash station and clean up-spill kits. We had a patient-focused business before the transition and that is what it still is currently, if not even stronger!

Yes, I would partner with QualDerm again. QualDerm is transparent, honest and trustworthy, and I respect the other physicians and practices that are affiliated with the organization.

The most beneficial aspects of the QualDerm partnership include their management of key administrative issues like payroll, HR and overhead. They also provide the high-level staffing for excellent care and strategies to keep a busy schedule.

My clinical autonomy has remained essentially the same. I have less stress now. I don’t have to worry about things like payroll, retaining and finding good employees, dealing with overhead expenses, and all the other federal requirements that take away from patient care and my level of peace.

I have less worry, stress and anxiety since partnering with QualDerm. Now, I have more energy, contentment, fulfillment and happiness.

Yes, I would absolutely choose to affiliate with QualDerm. This organization has provided me a platform for living my professional dream as a Mohs surgeon while conferring a reliable income all under the umbrella of outstanding administrative support and communication.

The most beneficial aspects are associated with the desirable work-life balance that the caseload at my primary office in Martinsville lends itself toward, while also providing a network of additional fully functional Mohs facilities to which I can travel to supplement the quantity of cases available. My affiliation with QualDerm also provides the benefit of an internal, highly accessible network of experienced Mohs surgeons that promotes and allows for meaningful collaboration on difficult cases.

I strongly feel that QualDerm is committed to patient-centric, high quality care. QualDerm amplifies, as opposed to jeopardizes, my ability to provide outstanding patient care. As an example, they allow me to decide which surgical supplies and materials to use in my practice. Without this type of flexibility, I do not believe I would be able to offer the same degree of patient care.

My affiliation with QualDerm has promoted a desirable work-life balance that lends itself towards a healthy, sustainable lifestyle, both professionally and personally, while providing financial security for my family’s future.

Yes. Affiliating with QualDerm was a seamless transition into practice after my training. Rather than having to worry about the multitude of various elements associated with managing a practice at the beginning of my career, I was able to strictly focus on patient care.

The most beneficial aspect has been my ability to maintain the way I want to practice. At no point during my 3 years with QualDerm have I ever been pressured to practice any other way than how I want to deliver quality patient care. In addition, I am proud to be part of a group with very accomplished Mohs surgeons and dermatologists, many of whom are leaders in our field.

Being part of a larger network is beneficial in that it creates an environment that fosters collaboration. This is exceptionally true for QualDerm, as our organization has many leaders in the fields of dermatology and Mohs surgery.

The QualDerm team has been instrumental in building my practice since my arrival. From the day I started, the team has marketed me and helped get my name out to various referring medical practices in the area. Further, anything that I have thought would improve patient care and make my practice more efficient has been met without pushback.

I would choose QualDerm again. The clinic structure allows me to focus on the medical aspect of dermatology, and not the business side.

Being part of a larger network is beneficial because it makes us a lot more accessible to patients. It’s helpful when one provider is not available for an urgent case that another provider can step in. It’s also very helpful to have resources in the group to be able to ask for advice.

QualDerm is my first position, so working here has shaped my practice. I’ve learned to be more efficient and how to best work with support staff.

QualDerm provided great leadership during the pandemic. The CMO sent regular communications highlighting evidence-based information to keep us all informed. Additionally, QualDerm quickly instituted a telehealth platform in the early stages of the pandemic so we could continue caring for patients.

With this practice model, my role has become very simplified. I can just focus on patient care.