Rule No. 9: Never let a day pass without seeing every one of your patients in the hospital.

I talked about this one in an earlier chapter in the book. I again feel a need to apologize because I was one of the offending doctors who did not compulsively swing by to see every patient, every day. It was only when, as patient, waiting desperately in the hospital to see my own doctor, I realized how neglectful I had been to some of the patients under my own care.

I want to add: if you're going out of town, tell your patients in the hospital well in advance. Give them time to get prepared. Notify the family. Make the time to bring your physician partner down and introduce him or her personally to the patient. Last but not least, make sure your partner visits every single one of your patients every day while you're out of town (and jots a note in the medical chart too).