Interested in hanging your own virtual shingle and starting your own private practice?
I'm still working on sorting the technology and regulatory jungle but first thing you will need is a HIPAA compliant EMR with telemedicine capability. After much research I settled on SimplePractice.com. The biggest downside is no lab integration. Biggest upsides are simple interface, lots of users, and lower cost than most. Electronic prescribing can be added on, telemedicine and secure messaging is built in, you can add a merchant account or bill insurance if you wish. For simple non traditional part time practice with basic functionality SimplePractice was a good fit for me. It's about $100/month with the add ons I chose, your cost may be more or less depending on what options you choose.
Sign up using this referral link and we both get a bonus: https://share.simplepractice.com/mikegraymd!1780c16bce!a
You will also need medical malpractice insurance. I used Tim Williams, CSR-Cunningham Group:
https://www.cunninghamgroupins.com/malpractice-insurance-for-doctors/
After shopping it around, in 2025 it cost about $13k/year or thereabout for 50 state coverage plus DC, claims made. Depending on your tolerance of risk, how many licenses you have, and whether you want tail insurance etc your cost may be drastically different.
Any licensed and insured MD or DO is welcome to post a link to their practice on SelfPayMD.com. It is encourged that you be transparent with your pricing for the benefit of all patients who are increasingly cost conscious in this day and age. What doctors cannot do is compare pricing with each other or conspire to charge a set amount. That is against the law. You are welcome to undercut the fees I charge and the patient is also free to choose their doctor based on whatever criteria is important to them.
SelfPayMD is not HIPAA compliant and patients are discouraged from posting any personally identifiable information. Doctors, of course, are prohibited from posting protected health information on a public social media platform. For your medical practice you may post a link to your brick and mortor or telemedicine practice and seek new patients, just like a phone book but this is interactive with prospective patients and is free of cost to you.
Once a patient reaches out and makes contact to have a visit your practice must treat the patient just as any other patient with no discrimination or violation of any law, rule or regulation. As you know, your practice MUST be HIPAA compliant and it is your responsibility to ensure it is.
I believe we can all be happier and healther directly serving our patients without insurance company paperwork and hassles.
If there is any regulatory concern regarding how SelfPayMD works please ask here and cite the law or regulation you believe is being violated so I can research it.
Best Regards,
Michael Gray MD JD
