Dr. Jatin Patel is a practicing physician certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, as well as the founder of Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, PC in Roswell, Georgia.

When Jatin was young, his parents, both doctors, demonstrated how healing and caring for others led to a purpose-driven and fulfilling life. Sometimes, his father would make house calls to his patients and bring a young Jatin along to observe. These experiences impacted him greatly, and guided his later decision to enter the medical field in his own right.

Jatin Patel earned his medical degree from C.U.Shah Medical College in Western India, after which he moved to the United States to further his training. He finished his residency in Internal Medicine at Jersey Shore University Hospital in New Jersey, before completing his fellowship in Rheumatology with Drexel University in conjunction with Hahnemann Hospital.

Upon entering the professional world, the newly-minted Dr. Jatin Patel moved to Roswell, Georgia to found Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, PC. In the years since, he has deliberately cultivated a compassionate practice centered around providing the best possible care for his patients. Ever vigilant about learning the latest medical developments and improving his services, Dr. Patel continually strives to make the Arthritis & Rheumatology Center, PC the top private medical facility in the state. He is an active member of the American College of Physicians, the American College of Rheumatology, the National Arthritis Foundation, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry, and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

When not practicing medicine, Dr. Patel loves spending time with his family and friends. He enjoys date nights with his wife, family trips with his children and parents, running, and trying new foods.

Where did the idea for your career come from?

I knew creating my own practice would enable me to provide the best possible care for patients. It was extremely important to me to develop a whole patient approach to caring for those who enter my office. There are so many levels of patient care that Rheumatologists often overlook. I endeavor to avoid overlooking things such as mental health concerns.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I wake up early to exercise at the start of my day. After breakfast and getting the kids to school, we open the office. Before seeing any patients, I first meet with my administration team. We discuss the day ahead and the patients scheduled to set the tone and establish expectations. After that, I see patients until 2:30 or 3 pm. From there, I catch up with any administrative work that needs my attention, connect with my managers, and finalize work by 5:30 pm.

How do you bring ideas to life?

When an idea presents itself, I discuss it with my peers, my administration, and my team. As we bounce ideas off each other, we walk through its potential positive and negative aspects. Among other considerations, we identify where it fails or benefits patients, the office, and our staff. We think through when the idea might be implemented, as well as all the possible outcomes. Only once we’re sure it’ll benefit our patients and office will we move forward with implementation.

What’s one trend that excites you?

Many medical practices have done the same thing we have; gone completely digital. Our electronic system allows for faster patient check-in and puts all of their relevant information at our fingertips. From our point-of-view, it’s much easier to track what medications the patients are already taking and cross-check any possible interactions with new prescriptions. More than anything else, though, it’s exciting to see how well this works for patients.

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

In my mind, I’m always an entrepreneur. Even on days off or vacation, I’m constantly thinking about how to expand the practice and improve its services in a way that will benefit everyone involved.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell my younger self the following: “Don’t let others tell you how to run your business; remember that your business is yours. There’s no need to copy what others are doing—besides, that doesn’t work. Learn your own lessons and approach your business as your own.”

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

I know there are people in my office that wouldn’t agree with this, but sometimes I’m quite lazy. I really enjoy doing absolutely nothing sometimes.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

All feedback can be valuable feedback, whether it be in-person or online. Don’t take the negative stuff personally, but rather learn what you can from it. You can take the information given in negative reviews and look at your facility, your approach, and your systems. There might be something valid included in negative reviews that you might need to correct. That being said, it’s also possible a negative review can stem from a single situation that went poorly, but it’s always better to read it, reflect on it, and determine its nature. In the same vein, if your team member quits, you should ask them why they are stepping away. If it’s something about the environment, you can make adjustments. So, just keep in mind that not all negative feedback has to remain negative. It can be an opportunity to learn.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

Our overarching strategy is essentially to be the best at what we do. Do the work ethically, honestly, and to the best of our abilities. This makes patients happy, referring doctors happier, and the doctors you refer patients to happy, as well. When everyone is happy, the practice thrives.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

A specific failure doesn’t come to mind, right now. Thankfully, we’ve thrived in our location and expanded our reach to be able to help as many people as we possibly can.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

An entrepreneur who finds a way to make it possible to transport medical records securely will benefit more than simply just in their wallet. They will make the lives of both doctors and patients much better, they will more than probably save many lives, and they will make the world a better place.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I contributed $200 to provide Thanksgiving dinner for children in need. In my opinion, there is no better way to spend money than on children’s charities.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I use Microsoft Office 365 quite a bit. It helps me organize all my administrative work and schedule meetings, amongst other things.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I would suggest Gifted Hands by Ben Carson. It’s a truly inspirational book. As a fellow physician, the author’s reflections on his professional life and experiences gave me a lot to think about.

What is your favorite quote?

“Everything happens for a cause or a good reason.”

I’ve seen this expression come true in my own life many times, and keeping it at the forefront of my mind has been a significant help to me over the years.

Key Learnings:

• Be receptive to negative feedback—it can be an invaluable opportunity to learn.
• Always strive to be the best in whatever you do.
• Ultimately, everyone has to learn their own lessons.