Anthony S. Bianchi, M.D. was born in Denver, Colorado where he spent the majority of his youth. After graduating from Cherry Creek High School, Tony Bianchi attended UC Santa Barbara, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biopsychology, where he was a member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society. He then attended medical school at the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston and was named Best Medical Student.
Dr. Bianchi completed a combined internship and surgical specialty residency program at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Houston, where he was awarded the Chief Resident Teaching Award and the Top Resident Award by the American Association of Laparoscopists. After completing residency, Dr. Bianchi relocated to Southern California and built a busy and successful Board-Certified private practice providing primary care to his patients.
Dr. Bianchi also served as a director of services for the local community health clinic. He was an appointed member of the Board of Trustees, Chairman of the Peer Review Committee, and also served as Chief of Staff for two years. He has been honored with Patient’s Choice Awards and Compassionate Doctor Recognitions. In 2013, Dr. Bianchi was awarded the Fallbrook Healthcare District Recognition and Appreciation Award for seven years of committed service. Eventually, Dr. Bianchi began to seek a better work-life balance and sold his private practice.
In 2014, Dr. Bianchi relocated to Fresno, California and joined a successful occupational medicine practice as a Physician and Clinical Director. He now practices occupational medicine and is passionate about providing the most accurate, efficient and effective patient care within his current practice setting.
Dr. Bianchi is fluent in Spanish. Dr. Bianchi is married and has two adult daughters. His interests include travel, soccer, hiking, mountain biking, and reading. He is also a musician; playing the piano and guitar (and even the violin in his youth).
How did you get started in this business? What inspired you to start this business?
Growing up I watched myr practice medicine, first as a U.S. Army doctor and eventually as an internal medicine physician working for Kaiser Permanente in Colorado. My sister also became a physician. As a result, from a young age, I knew I wanted to be a physician and have continued to be inspired by my family members and their dedication throughout the years. I have always had a desire to care and serve others. It was an added bonus that the practice of medicine, in general, is an industry that is somewhat protected from fluctuations of financial boom and bust, since everyone continues to be in need of good healthcare.
How do you make money?
I see and treat patients who have suffered work-related injuries. I also conduct employment-related physicals and performs DOT certification exams. Specifically, I receive payment for the services I perform as a physician by billing both privately and through a mix of insurance providers.
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
I currently serve as a physician for highly successful occupational medicine practice. This specialty provides me with the opportunity to provide exceptional health care to his local community.
Prior to this, however, I started and grew a very successful private practice as specialty surgeon. Thankfully, due to my training and expertise, I was able to become profitable in approximately 6 months, which is fairly rapid and very rare in business today. However, the ultimate start-up cost included many years of education and training which were procured at significant expense. However, my original specialty practice required a significant amount of call and weekend duty and it did not offer a suitable work-life balance. Because of this, after more than thirteen years, I sold my practice and began focusing on occupational medicine which offered significant improvement in work-life balance, while still offering exciting challenges and variety within the practice of medicine.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
Immediately after I graduated from residency, I moved from Texas to California and joined an older surgical specialty office. Within the first 60 days, I realized that this dated “mom and pop” medical office with an antiquated way of practicing medicine would be a difficult fit in the long run. As a result, I created my own practice by purchasing the private practice of another retiring physician and opened two office locations. This new venture required significant effort, 7-day workweeks and extremely long work hours.
Most of my doubts along the way were overcome by my intense faith, a stick-to-itiveness, patience, and continuing to do what was good and right. My commitment to being cost conscious, comfortable with funding capital expenses, and minimizing recurrent costs, were also extremely beneficial to overcoming doubts and facilitating a flourishing business.
How did you get your first customer?
I was fortunate to be brought into the Southern California practice setting by a national company that had specific training in medical marketing, billing, and practice management. Prior to even starting his medical practice, I was fortunate to have the know-how of a successful healthcare company providing backing and multifaceted support. I was diligent in completing all perfunctory paperwork, credentialing, and networked well with the local providers and other businesses too, in essence, advertising his skills and abilities to an existing patient base.
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you’re using that works really well to generate new business?
I still believe that using direct face-to-face interaction and good communication has been the cornerstone of current marketing and success, particularly within the practice of medicine. In addition, partnering with existing company contracts to co-market services has further increased volume and success.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
I am currently blessed with tremendous recent and current success. The most difficult recent decisions have been how to personally, professionally, and philanthropically share my successes with others in a manner that will offer lasting benefit and impact.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
I am blessed to be able to name a number of successes, including: transitioning to a new specialty of medical practice, becoming a previously board-certified specialty surgeon, achieving now healthy and thriving work-life balance, starting and growing a successful private and then group practice, parenting two beautiful and now successful adult daughters, and even “making the cut” to join a competitive club soccer league as a youngster. I feel that so many of these successes were created and achieved, in part, by determination, determination, determination, and a vigorous dose of hard work.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Being nominated as the Chief of Staff of the hospital where I worked, and thereafter being nominated for and serving on that hospital’s board were very satisfying and definitely professional pinnacles for me.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
I am most excited about the growth opportunities in my current field. I am involved in the genomics of medicine and is excited to see how personalized medicine, including diagnostics and treatment options related to the science of genomics, will maximize health while minimizing risk and error.
What business books have inspired you?
Interestingly, I remember reading The Art of the Deal written by Donald Trump as a young man. This book really excited and motivated me to work hard in pursuit of desired success. Also, more recently I have been inspired by authors Andy Andrews and Jon Gordon. Some of the self-explanatory titles he mentions include: The Noticer, The Little Things, The No Complaining Rule, Training Camp, The Carpenter, The Positive Dog, The Seed, The Shark and the Goldfish, and The Power of Positive Leadership. These have all been fast and poignant reads with inspiring perspectives.
What is a recent purchase you have made that’s helped with your business?
I recently purchased an Ibanez acoustic guitar which he is very proud of. I purchased it used for $100 off the retail price. How does that translate to my strength and success in business, you ask? It allows me to breathe out worry, stresses, and concerns, and breathe in the creative forces and clarity that allow me to catapult my business deals to new levels of success. Furthermore, as the medical practice and business has grown, the investment in recruiting, training, and retaining excellent staff has proved to be critically important to effectively and efficiently grow the practice.
What would you tell new graduates of medicine embarking on their careers?
I would impart to them the truth he has known all along, which is; that if you go into the business of medicine to be successful to the shareholders and pocketbooks in general (including your own), you will miss the bigger picture of what it means to truly positively affect someone’s health. He goes on to state that positively affecting someone’s health, can also positively affect their life and their future.
What is your definition of success?
In my early years as a businessman, he felt that success was defined by the number of sports cars I had, the number of properties I owned, and the type of Italian travertine I had in my beach condo. Today, while those tangible things still have value in today’s society, they do not define who I am or whether or not I am successful. When asked recently by a patient, how I defined success, I said, “My parents love me and I love them. My children love me and I love them. My wife and I know everything about each other and she loves me, and I love her. I have a roof over my head and food to nourish me. I have hope and joy. Therefore, I am truly a successful man!”