When it comes to her specialty, Dr. Lydia Sims has pretty much done it all.
Fresh out of residency, she developed a much-needed prenatal program – which is still in operation today – at a public health clinic in San Antonio. She worked as a contract OB/GYN for the U.S. military, joined private group practices in Kentucky and Louisiana, and was employed by a large healthcare corporation. She also founded a successful solo practice which she operated for 13 years.
Dr. Sims notes that the industry has gone through a lot of changes in the past decade, and that many OBs are faced with numerous, draining tasks that can take precious time and energy away from patient care.
“In private practice you’re doing more than just providing medical care to your patient, because you’re so busy with who’s working today, who’s going to show up tomorrow, co-pays, insurance companies, filling out piles of forms, and government requirements,” she says. “It was taking the fun out of medicine.”
Photo: Dr. Lydia Sims (bottom right) with her husband, a hand surgeon, and their two children.