member profile
Rhoda Rizkalla (Dr. Couvaras’ wife), sharing a laugh with the construction crew at IVF Phoenix’s new office location. continuity for their physician, but instead are creating exit strategies that move physicians through an administrative plan that does not benefit the patient or the physician.
“There are practices out there that will hire young doctors and then work them to death, and then take them and drop their salary down,” he said.
“Right now medicine has figured out that we are a commodity and you just plug us in and that’s it,” he said. But this model can’t last.
“I’m telling you, we are going to reach an end point. I think docs just need to wake up one day and recognize that together with a unified voice we have a markedly big voice and a big say in what goes on.” A Voice For Change
Couvaras is a definite believer in the power and voice of the physicians in Maricopa County, and getting them all together is one of his biggest goals. “Doctors should consider the power of numbers and aligning together to create change and foster business. Net-
working has been of tremendous value for me with the Society. I encourage members to become involved,” he said.
In addition to social media impacting the business of medicine, Couvaras also sees networking with other physicians through the Society as well. Couvaras said networking was not something he took advantage of when he was first starting out, and this is something he regrets.
“I think I could learn plenty from other people,” he said. “It’s not an advantage to practice in a vacuum. I’ve learned that over the years.”
“I used to say I didn’t play well with others, and I really didn’t because I had my own ideas. But as I’ve honed my ideas and they’ve proved themselves is that I have to learn to get out of the vacuum so that other people can see what I’m doing and they can get that perspective and curiosity that brings them in.”
Couvaras said that many physicians can get caught up in the rush between training and setting up practice without a lot of thought to socialization and involvement.
24 • Round-up •May 2015 • A monthly publication of the MCMS