Dr. Alddo Molinar is an anesthesiologist practicing medicine at East Ohio Regional Hospital and Ohio Valley Medical Center. He is licensed to practice medicine in both the state of Ohio and the state of West Virginia. He also holds a primary certification with the American Board of Anesthesiology and a subspecialty certification in Critical Care Medicine.
After showing a natural aptitude at a young age for academic pursuits, the future doctor turned his aspirations to the field of medicine following a tragic illness in his family. Seeing the toll the illness took on his family members, he vowed to direct his life’s pursuits towards the elimination of suffering wherever possible. This goal was further cemented following an early experience shadowing medical professionals at the Rio Grande Health Clinic in El Paso, Texas.
The doctor went on to attend Trinity University to obtain his Bachelor of Science in Biology and later The University of Texas Southwestern at Dallas for medical school. Following medical school, he was accepted into the competitive anesthesiology residency program at the Cleveland Clinic. There, he undertook trainings in anesthesiology as well as subspecialty trainings in critical care medicine. The doctor also went on to a fellowship program at the Cleveland Clinic where he served as Chief Fellow and underwent additional trainings in neurological and cardiovascular intensive care.
In the years since his formal education, Dr. Alddo Molinar has become known for his ability to connect with patients while delivering a high level of care. His ability to multitask inside and outside of the operating room and manage large teams of professionals has also earned him praise amongst his peers.
How did you get started in this business?
There was never really a question that I was going to care for people. Having grown up in a small business, I witnessed the selfless dedication of my parents in providing a high quality service. They owned an insurance company where I would help out every day after school. I did everything from answer the phones to setup the computer network and even helped build and paint the front desk. Aside from my parents instilling work discipline and value of the dollar, I learned the importance of advocating for the customer to get them the best result. I often heard my dad reassure his customers that they were going to be alright and I watched as he personally invested himself to follow them from the beginning of a traumatic experience until it was completely resolved.
Twenty five years later, patients are my primary customers and I find myself applying the lessons I learned from my father and reassuring them through traumatic experiences. But, in addition to patients, I have a customer base in surgeons, nurses, and administrators. The most important outcome is always making sure that each and every patient does well, each and every time.
How do you make money?
As a physician, I am in the service industry. I provide a service to hospitals who then provide a high quality service to patients. The actual reimbursement typically comes from insurance companies or it is billed directly to the patient. While fiduciary responsibility is important in medicine, the most important thing is that patients get the best outcome.
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
Becoming a doctor can be a long and grueling process, and a medical education can be an expensive endeavor. Thankfully, I had various grants and scholarships that made the cost of education manageable. I first started to turn a profit after I became licensed in the state of Ohio in 2011, but it does take several years to level off. Since then, I have done over 17,000 anesthesia cases and I am also licensed in the state of West Virginia. I have experience with everything from lung and liver transplants surgery to heart surgery to plastic surgery and endoscopies.
In 2016, I became an independent practitioner and started practice for myself. I took all the training that I had developed to that point to create a tremendous position which allowed me to leverage my professional skills and clinical abilities and combine them with my interpersonal skills in developing a consulting business.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
Medicine is the type of career that requires 100% dedication. There was a time in my career when I worked so intensely that I felt my life got a little out of balance. I have now gained perspective regarding the importance of taking care of myself. I accomplish this through exercise as well as meditation. I also learned the importance of being an effective leader as well as teaching the next generation. I can make more of an impact on patients now, by recruiting, motivating, and leading a high quality team. With a cohesive vision, we can stay within our individual limits yet be incredibly productive as a team.
How did you get your first customer?
In the consulting business, it was about just pounding the pavement, and I found a group that needed help.
My company specializes in anesthesia and critical care in underserved areas and my first customers were in Martins Ferry, OH and Wheeling, WV. It provided an excellent opportunity to showcase my skills while working with a team in delivering a very high level of medical care. We were even recognized by the CEO and the president for a job well done.
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you’re using that works really well to generate new business?
Medicine really is a results-oriented business. If you can deliver the results while also being personable and empathetic, business generally will thrive. The exciting part about small communities is that word of mouth spreads quickly. For example, you can take care of somebody’s grandfather or grandmother and the following weekend they will have coffee with their neighbors, friends, and family and say good things about your care. This generally results in an excellent marketing strategy, but it also underscores the need to do the best job possible. Part of being successful is being a quick study of your environment and being honest with patients about both the best services you can provide as well as any possible limitations.
Also, there’s a very important part of medicine that involves support from your friends and family. It is so much harder to engage this support system if you have to travel for several hours to obtain care. I believe very strongly that you can provide a very high level of care at some of our regional hospitals. Granted, there are definitely some situations where it is best to go to a tertiary care center, but knowing how to differentiate between the two maintains your integrity in the eyes of a patient.
In this day and age of widespread social media, it is important to maintain a positive social media presence that supports your personal and professional mission statement. This is essentially like accelerating the model of taking good care of patients and having them go to talk about their care over coffee with friends and family.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
In the wake of the decrease of surgical cases due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I’ve had more free time. One of the toughest decisions I had to make was deciding to volunteer to help New York City because this would involve leaving my family.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
It is the sheer determination to try as hard you can to succeed. Even when I was in college, I would find a study room on Friday and Saturday nights to get ahead. While I do not in any way feel this makes me different from others who are willing to devote the effort it takes to succeed, it is important to know how to set yourself apart and stay focused. One of my favorite sayings is, “If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” That’s not to say you shouldn’t go after the things you want, but rather it underscores the importance of finding a competitive advantage to get whatever you want done. Sometimes you have to work harder than anyone else, and by doing this, you make yourself competitive. We live in the best country in the world. Just about everything is possible, so set you sights high and get it done.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
The independence and flexibility of helping at many different levels and with a variety patients. I also recognize the importance of staying up to date and working at my own pace. While launching my own business was a pivotal moment, I am also so fulfilled at this point in my career to have the confidence in my abilities enough to be able to guide and mentor others.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
One of the things that I am most excited about, has actually been revealed through the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of technology to help bridge the care gap that often exists in underserved communities has been driven to the forefront. In many states, the medical boards have relaxed requirements to see patients in person in order to provide care. While this was initially to triage who needs further care, it is a step in the right direction for those areas that are yet underserved or under-represented by specialists.
What business books have inspired you?
Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else by Geoff Colvin.
This book emphasizes that the source of great performance is hard work and the constant desire to excel at what you do. It speaks to me because it shows that you do not always have to be the best or the smartest at something as long as you are fully invested in it and care about putting in the hard work to achieve your outcome.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Be highly adaptive. It’s easy to be complacent in life, but it is important to set goals and truly go after what you seek. To get it, you always want to be thankful for what you are and where you are, but you also need to take time to wake up each morning refreshed and invigorated to go out and do it with just as much energy and excitement as the first time. For me, this involves reflection and keeping my mind healthy with meditation.
Are you willing to be a mentor? If so, how should someone contact you?
Absolutely! For anyone looking for advice about medicine or starting out in your own practice, especially as an anesthesiologist or critical care physician, please contact me through my socials.