Company Information

History Of SCLLC

SCLLC was formed in 1999 by a small group of dedicated surgeons who wanted to develop a specialist network for managed care contracting and practice management services. SCLLC was founded with the specialties of General Surgery, Orthopedics, Ob/Gyn, Cardiothoracic, Gastroenterology, and Urology.  ENT, Neurosurgery and Plastic Surgery were added later, in 2001, 2004 and 2005 respectively.

The formation of SCLLC provided these independent groups of specialists with a legal vehicle to negotiate risk-based managed care contracts. At the same time, it provided the physicians with economies of scale and some special expertise with which to develop practice management services. Today, the focus of effort is on the management services.

The geographic development of SCLLC started in southeastern Massachusetts and has since progressed to both north and west of Boston. A total of 90 specialists joined SCLLC in its first two years of formation. The number of physicians grew to 150 by 2006 and currently stands at approximately 200 in 2011 .

Mode of Operation

SCLLC provides programs and services to its physicians that help manage their offices and their practices’ expenses. Examples of these programs include the SCLLC malpractice and risk management programs, the SCLLC information systems program, the SCLLC supply purchasing program, and the SCLLC human resource management program. SCLLC also assists its member practices to attain additional revenue offered by insurers for quality improvement efforts (clinical process and outcome improvement, electronic medical record deployment, etc.)

Governing Body and Officers

SCLLC is a limited liability company with the following officers:

• President: Christopher Cua, MD, Boston, Cardiothoracic Surgery
• Vice President: Stephen Johnson, MD, So. Weymouth, Neurosurgery
• Treasurer: Edward Rao, MD, Quincy, Obstetrics/Gynecology
• Clerk: Keshaudas Pahuja, MD, Stoughton, Cardiothoracic Surgery

SCLLC is guided by a governing body (the Board of Managers) and an operating agreement. There are nine subspecialties represented by the Board of Managers:

General/Vascular Surgery Cardiothoracic Surgery E.N.T. Plastic Surgery Gastroenterology Orthopedic Surgery OB/GYN Urology Neurosurgery

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors/Managers has two representatives for each major subspecialty.

Subspecialty	Representative 1	Representative 2
General/Vascular Surgery:	Thomas Fitzgerald, MD Quincy Surgical Associates Quincy, MA	Kevin McCarthy, MD Norwood, MA
Cardiothoracic Surgery	Keshaudas Pahuja, MD Thoracic Associates Stoughton, MA	Christopher Cua, MD Boston, MA
E.N.T. and Plastic Surgery	Richard Hill, MD So. Sub. ENT Weymouth, MA	Seema Byahatti, MD ENT Specialists, Inc Norwood, etc., MA
Gastroenterology	Thomas Kenney, Jr., MD Dorchester, MA	Gregory Buldoc, MD So. Sub. Gastroenterologists Weymouth, MA
Orthopedic Surgery	George Whitelaw, MD Milton, MA	Peter Dewire, MD Quincy, MA
Obstetrics &Gynecology:	Edward Rao, MD Crown Ob/Gyn Quincy, MA	Christine Hirsemann, MD South Shore Women’s Health Weymouth, MA
Urology	Adnan Kaleli, MD Quincy, MA	Michael Curran, MD Associates in Urology Norwood, MA
Neurosurgery	Stephen Johnson, MD South Shore NeuroSpine Group Weymouth, MA	Marc Friedberg, MD Neurosurgical Consultants Norwood, MA

Membership Profile

Approximately 200 physicians in 80 groups participate in SCLLC. The physicians are either solo practitioners or are part of a practice group that may range in size from two to nine physicians. SCLLC has approximately 155 physicians who practice in groups and 45 solo practitioners. Over a dozen of the groups have four or more physicians. More than 500 non-physician support staff work in the physician offices.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. GENERAL: THINKING ABOUT JOINING

1A. How do I know if SCLLC is good for me or my practice?

SCLLC will conduct an analysis, with your help, of the affect of its programs on your practice. This involves a financial assessment of potential expense savings or reimbursement increases. The results of this analysis are guaranteed when you join SCLLC.

2. MEMBERSHIP AND CREDENTIALING

2A. Are there several ways to get involved in SCLLC, for example, as a member versus as an owner?

After a credentialing process and after signing agreements, physicians become members and are automatically owners. They have an equity share and receive K1’s for tax purposes at the end of the year.

2B. What is the credentialing process?

SCLLC insures that each physician accepts the appropriate third party medical insurance carriers (HMOs, Medicare, Medicaid), has an acceptable professional liability history, is professionally recognized in his/her subspecialty, and signs all SCLLC ownership/membership agreements.

3. PROGRAM SPECIFIC

3A. Does a member need to take part in every one of SCLLC’s programs?

No. Generally, members pick which programs they wish to be involved in. Members commit to a minimal number of programs when joining SCLLC, based on the financial assessment of their benefits. Other programs may be evaluated or re-evaluated later. SCLLC reserves the right to remove a member from any of its programs if the member is no longer appropriate for that program.

3B. Do most members participate in every program?

The professional liability program and supply purchasing programs have very high participation rates. The programs for information technology and human resources have lower participation rates due to the more selective need for the services.  Revenue enhancing programs, such as for the Medicare eRx/PQRS bonus and the HITECH electronic medical record user funding, have growing participation rates due to their ages.

4. FINANCIAL

4A. What are the costs or charges for SCLLC?

There is a one-time capital contribution plus an annual program fee.  The financial assessment will clearly show the costs as well as the brief time period that it takes to recoup these costs. This assessment is guaranteed.

4B. What is the effect of my equity share of SCLLC on my personal finances?
SCLLC’s administrative expenses and revenues are balanced so that there no substantial effect of its net income, or your investment in SCLLC, on your personal finances. The financial benefits of SCLLC always accrue directly in your medical practice.