In the last couple of years, the issue of unemployment and underemployment among doctors has been a growing concern. It’s no longer uncommon to meet jobless medical officers, pharmacists, or dentists in Kenya, something that was unheard of a few years ago.
This is a disturbing issue, especially considering the country's high demand for healthcare services. According to the WHO recommendation of 1 doctor to 1000 patients, Kenya is still lagging at a ratio of 1:17000.
Be as it may, there is a solution that doctors can adopt to address this issue. And this is embracing the concept of joint private practice immediately after their internship.
Setting up a joint private practice can be an excellent way of self-employment. Also, it can be a channel for creating opportunities for other healthcare professionals.
To achieve this, doctors need to pool their resources and set up joint ventures. They can set up a well-equipped healthcare facility that offers quality and affordable healthcare services from their saved internship allowances.
Here are a few benefits of setting up joint private practice:
Leverage on Skills
The joint private practice allows doctors to leverage their skills and knowledge. This goes a long way in providing a comprehensive range of healthcare services.
Medical officers can offer primary healthcare services such as diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases. On the other hand, pharmacists can provide medication management services. Additionally, dentists can offer dental care services.
Together, they can create a one-stop shop for healthcare services. This is likely to attract more patients and generate more revenue.
Opportunity to Cost-share
Additionally, joint private practice can help doctors share the operational costs, such as rent, utilities, and salaries. This will help reduce the financial burden of setting up a private practice, a significant challenge for most junior doctors.
Creates Strong Referral Network
Another advantage of joint private practice is that doctors can create a strong referral network. This means that when a patient requires specialized care beyond the scope of the joint practice, doctors can refer them to other healthcare professionals within the network. This can create a robust and efficient healthcare system that can provide quality healthcare services to patients.
Room for Innovation
Moreover, joint private practice can offer doctors a platform to innovate and introduce new healthcare services. This can help them keep up with the latest trends in healthcare. At the same time, it will offer them an opportunity to offer cutting-edge services not available in the public health sector.
As a wrap-up, joint private practice is a viable solution for junior doctors to beat unemployment and underemployment. By can pool together their resources and setting up a well-equipped healthcare facility. This can create job opportunities, reduce the financial burden of setting up a private practice, and offer a strong referral network for patients.
As an unemployed or underemployed doctor, consider embracing the joint private practice. Work towards creating a robust healthcare system that can provide quality healthcare services to all Kenyans.
