Milford Family Physicians Joins IU Health Goshen
The announcement came with little fanfare, just a banner on the front of the building announcing Milford Family Physicians has joined IU Health Goshen. The sale of the practice was finalized Sept. 1.
Laurie Busby, BSN, MS, vice president for IU Health Goshen Physicians, described Milford Family Physicians as a mature practice that has a good reputation with both the community and the hospital. Dr. John Dick started practicing in 1983 and Dr. S. Douglas Strycker came to the practice in 1984. Both have privileges at IU Health Goshen Hospital.
Busby explained by joining the IU Health System, the practice can focus more on patient care while the system handles the administration side, such as billing.
“We can let the doctors be doctors and we can be the administrators,” Busby said. “The doctors want to be doctors.” Strycker and Dick said over time the paperwork of running a practice, such as patient billing, has become more complex and time consuming with various government programs and insurance programs.
“It’s mainly the business side of medical care that drove us to seek some help,” said Strycker. “It’s hard to keep up in these areas. You need a full time business manager.”
For the most part, patients of Milford Family Physicians will not notice much change. Everyone involved in the practice has joined IU Health Goshen. Busby said the only major changes may be a new sign outside and some changes in a bill or a communication. “They have long-time colleagues (employees) and they have come on board,” Busby said. “I think they’re excited to come on board.”
IU Health Goshen has primary and specialty care clinics in Goshen as well as primary care clinics in Dunlap, Elkhart, Middlebury, Shipshewana, Ligoner, Nappanee, New Paris, Syracuse and now Milford.
Dick and Strycker said they haven’t seen much of a reaction from patients since they were informed of the change.
“It’s been nice to have relationships, to get to know the people. And I think they appreciate the consistency,” Dick said of the practice. Both doctors “hope this is a win win for the patients, office staff and hospital staff. We anticipate that,” Strycker said.