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If Dr. Arie Dosoretz had a life motto, it might be this: There has to be a better way.
That’s been the way he’s approached the business of medicine going back to when he was the rare physician-in-training, at the University of Pennsylvania, who earned a dual M.D./MBA degree. “There weren’t a lot of physicians in business school,” Dosoretz says, adding he wanted to be a doctor who also understood the financial side of health care.
The "better way" philosophy manifested itself in graduate school at Penn, when Dosoretz watched four of his classmates launch online eyeglasses company Warby Parker, which has since grown into a billion dollar brand. Even though Dosoretz says he “was as surprised as anyone else” Warby Parker disrupted the eyeglasses business, the success he saw firsthand cemented his belief in finding a better way. “I get really passionate about creating things,” he says.
That led Dosoretz, in late 2019, to be a founding partner in Advocate Radiation Oncology, what’s now the only locally owned and operated radiation oncology practice in Southwest Florida. There are three Advocate locations, one each in Port Charlotte, Fort Myers and Cape Coral.
Dosoretz and some of his fellow Advocate co-founders started the practice after working at Fort Myers-based 21st Century Oncology. Dosoretz’s father, Dr. Daniel Dosoretz, helped build Fort Myers-based 21st Century Oncology into one of the largest cancer services entities in Florida in the 2000s. The company, under his leadership, grew from less than $60 million in revenue in 2000 to $737 million in 2013. An Australian health care giant, GenesisCare, acquired 21st Century earlier this year.
In starting a new practice during a period of consolidation, particularly in cancer care, Dosoretz says he believes there’s a way to utilize an economy of scale model without diluting patient care. “There is real demand for high-level cancer services in Southwest Florida,” Dosoretz said in a June interview. “While that sounds simple, it’s actually quite disruptive.”
Dosoretz says the better way at Advocate is a model that could be replicated in other markets, but he’s watchful to not grow too fast, too soon. “I don’t want to dilute our culture or our quality,” he says.
He adds he would never expand at the expense of patients — the driving force behind his better way mission. “I’m inspired and motivated by our patients,” Dosoretz says, “people who are sometimes fighting through incredibly devastating circumstances.”
GAME STATS
Employer
Advocate Radiation Oncology
Title
Physician and managing partner
Birthplace
Boston
Years on the Gulf Coast
Childhood (1-17) and the past five years
Marital Status/Children
Married to Jane, with three children, Evan, Lydia and Naomi
*Alma Mater/Degree
University of Pennsylvania undergrad, B.A., and then M.D./MBA at University of Pennsylvania, then post-graduate training at Yale-New Haven Hospital
What community group or organization are you most involved with?
Center for Progress and Excellence
What's the weirdest job you've ever had?
I haven't had any super weird jobs. Working in a genetics research lab was a strange experience and not a great fit for me.
What's your top tip for being productive?
I would say get enough sleep, set deadlines, and stay physically fit.
If you could have a side hustle, what would it be?
Writing and performing music (guitar)
What's your favorite off-hours activity?
Fishing on my kayak
What's your favorite board game, game show or video game?
"Jeopardy"
What’s your go-to delivery service? (DoorDash, Uber Eats, GrubHub, Bite Squad, etc.)
UberEats
What do you use most — Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams or Google Meetings?
Zoom
What’s the best binge-worthy show you have enjoyed during the pandemic?
"The Last Dance" (Michael Jordan/Bulls docuseries)
What’s the longest virtual meeting you’ve been on since mid-March?
One hour. I don't believe in long meetings.
How many times had you used video for a work meeting prior to the pandemic?
Intermittently, a lot less
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned during the pandemic?
That sometimes less options and simplicity can be a quality of life improvement. Although the pandemic has in many ways been constraining, it's also forced me to spend more time with the people I love and care so much about. In a strange way the constraints of pandemic have been freeing and allowed for better prioritization.
What do you miss most about the world pre-pandemic?
I miss being able to travel. I also miss being able to hug people, especially my patients.
What have you been spending more time doing during the pandemic?
I have spent more time working out, reading and spending time with my kids and wife. I have also done a lot of kayak fishing.
Do you prefer working from home or working from an office?
Office
How have you kept up camaraderie with colleagues during the pandemic?
I have been lucky to work in a field that has continued during the pandemic. Cancer care does not stop. So fortunately, I've been able to continue to go to work every day and see my colleagues. I am grateful for that.
What’s the first thing you’ll do after the pandemic?
Travel somewhere fun with my wife to belatedly celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. Also go out to a nice dinner.
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