Private practice resources

AMA creates tools and resources so physicians can focus on their patients and keep their practices open. Resources on topics ranging from workflow and payment to telemedicine and team-based care, among others, are available to help physicians run their private practices successfully in the current health care climate.

Understand the ins and outs of what makes a private practice with these resources. 

• AMA Navigating Practice Learning Series
• Private Practice: Attending to Business 
• Private Practice Playbook 
• Supporting and Promoting High-Performing Physician-Owned Private Practices: Voices from the Front Lines
• What makes a high performing practice?
• What to Look for in Your First or Next Practice 

Use these resources to get a running start operating in the private practice model. 

• 5 keys for physicians unwinding contractual arrangements 
• Accountable Care Organizations: How to Perform Due Diligence and Evaluate Contractual Agreements (PDF)
• AMA EdHub: Patient care resources 
• How to Evaluate Contractual Agreements: Unwinding Existing Arrangements (PDF)
• Insurance
• Key issues to consider when forming an ACO with hospitals
• Licensure
• Medication management   
• Payor Audit Checklist (PDF) 
• Pre-visit labs
• Pre-visit planning 
• Should your practice join a hospital ACO? What to consider
• STEPS Forward® E/M Documentation Burden Reduction Toolkit 
• STEPS Forward: Expanded rooming and discharge protocols 
• STEPS Forward: Optimizing space
• STEPS Forward: Panel management
• STEPS Forward: Patient-Physician Experience  
• STEPS Forward: Team Documentation 
• Team documentation
• Trends in Payor Audits and Disputes, Part 1 (Webinar) 
• Trends in Payor Audits and Disputes, Part 2 (Webinar) 

As your practice grows, use these resources to sustain your success.  

• A physician guide to keeping your practice open 
• AMA Private Practice Simple Solutions
• Behavioral Health Integration (BHI) Collaborative 
• Compendium of behavioral health integration resources for physician practices 
• Cutting Edge Trends in Physician Compensation (Webinar) 
• Cybersecurity 
• Digital Health Implementation Playbook
• Developing Clinically Integrated Networks and other Innovative Contracting Models (Webinar) 
• Evaluating bundled or episode-based contracts (PDF) 
• Evaluating Medicare Advantage Value-Based Contracts (PDF) 
• Evaluating Medicaid Value-Based Care Models (PDF)
• Getting rid of stupid stuff  
• Guide to Implementing a Work-From-Home Program (PDF)  
• Marketing and branding for private practices 
• Medicare Basics 
• Managed Care Legal database 
• Overdose educational resource collection for physicians: End the Epidemic 
• Patient records access playbook
• Pay-for-performance contracts (PDF)
• Physician-employer engagement: Direct-to-Employer arrangements 
• Physician payment & delivery models 
• Physician payment resource center 
• Physician Only ACOs: An Opportunity to Consider (PDF) 
• Practice management system  
• Private Practice Checklist: Behavioral Health Integration for Adult Populations (PDF) 
• Private Practice Checklist: Behavioral Health Integration for Pediatric Populations (PDF) 
• Recruiting to Your Private Practice guide (PDF) 
• Related resource: Clinically Integrated Network (CIN) checklist (PDF) 
• Related resource: Ancillary Services checklist (PDF)
• STEPS Forward: Change management & organizational effectiveness 
• STEPS Forward: EHR and technology
• STEPS Forward: Lean healthcare 
• STEPS Forward: Medical Assistant Professional Development 
• STEPS Forward: Produce meaningful sustainable change
• STEPS Forward: Team-Based Care 
• Technology and finances resources
• Telehealth Adoption: Telehealth quick guide
• Workforce 

While private practice has many benefits, it is not without challenges, and these resources will support your journey through them. 

• AMA EdHub: Electronic Prior Authorization: A Better Way
• AMA EdHub: Workflow and process resources 
• Debunking regulatory myths 
• Electronic transaction toolkits
• HIPAA audit resources 
• HIPAA compliance toolkit 
• Overpayment recovery and appeals resources 
• How to engage physicians in the claims cycle
• Payor Contracting 101 (Webinar) 
• Payor Contracting 201 (Webinar)
• Practice management system selection toolkit 
• Prior authorization practice resources
• Private Practice Toolkit: Examples of Significant Payor Unilateral Policy Changes (PDF) 
• Private Practice Toolkit: Payor Contract Review Checklist (PDF) 
• Private Practice Toolkit: Payor Contract–Sample Contract Language (PDF)
• Private Practice Toolkit: Payor Contracting 101 (PDF) 

Learn how to get started in private practice and how the AMA can help.

Getting started in private practice

Growing and sustaining your private practice

Addressing business challenges