Since 2023, Dr. Shamim Shakibai, MD, has improved the pre-operative process and provided communities with access to care as head of the firm MyPreOP and the non-profit Priventa Health, respectively. After working with multiple health systems concurrently in 2010, Dr. Shamim Shakibai launched Platinum Medical Group, a hospitalist service serving four area hospitals.
While overseeing Platinum Medical Group, Dr. Shakibai served in various roles for other hospital organizations. In 2020, after growing the group to 25 physicians, he successfully sold Platinum Medical Group to Sound Physicians.
In 2023, Dr. Shakibai launched MyPreOp, a firm that simplifies pre-operative processes. Under his purview, the company introduced innovation into pre-operative care by ensuring that evaluations are structured and standardized. Presently, it also makes the pre-operative care process convenient for patients who can have their exams done at home or work.
In 2024, Dr. Shakibai started the non-profit, Priventa Health, increasing access for people in Central and South America to get primary care. Since launching the non-profit, he has led mission trips to El Salvador that have culminated in thousands of residents receiving care. As executive director, he leads mission trips and fundraising efforts and oversees the organization’s operations.
His expertise extends to diverse medical situations across primary, urgent, and acute care and post-acute care in the home health and skilled nursing and rehab facilities. Dr. Shakibai’s training and education include earning a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from California State University Long Beach, and a medical degree from the University of California Davis.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I wake up at 6 am and get ready to go to the gym by 7, where I work out by lifting weights with my personal trainer. Then I go back home and get ready to start work. Owning a telemedicine company allows me to work from home. My day is usually full of patient visits, testing visits all done over video. The other parts of my days are crammed with meetings on business development, operations, marketing, and other business-related matters. My workday ends around 5, then I try to go for a run with my dog, and then an early dinner.
How do you bring ideas to life?
When I think of a new idea for our business, I always run it by my business partner first to get his take. If it doesn’t sound too crazy to him, and we both agree it’s worth pursuing, I run it by my operations manager to discuss if the idea is operational and, if so, what would be the impacts (both positive and negative). We then all work together to execute the idea and we track its progress with metrics to evaluate if it’s doing what we want.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The realization that healthcare delivery does not always have to be an in-person visit with driving, traffic, parking, waiting room, etc. A lot of healthcare delivery can be done virtually and often with better results than in-person.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Listening to music while I’m doing work. I find the rhythm and melodies keep me focused on the task at hand and allow me to complete the task.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don’t be afraid to voice your thoughts and be bold in your assertions, because chances are they are right.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I can’t stand oysters or clams. When I tell people that, they look at me like I’m some weirdo. I don’t know what it is… they’re just slimy. Doesn’t seem like anyone else feels that way though!
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Regular escapes and outings into nature (mountains, rivers, forests). I do it on a regular basis and it serves as a reset for me. I always come back refreshed and re-invigorated with new ideas and focus. I try to do this every quarter.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I take a break from what I’m doing and focus on another, more relaxing, activity. Best thing to do is to get away. When you come back, you often have a renewed focus.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
I listen to the customers. It’s pretty simple. You need to listen and see what the needs of the customers are and try to match that need. Then keep your ear close to the ground to know how well (or not) that you’re doing, and keep adjusting, keep fine-tuning based on the customer’s needs. Always fill some gap in the system and do it better than anyone else.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Getting a low score on the MCAT, the test for admission to medical school. I was really devastated and didn’t want to speak to anyone for days. It made me ask myself how badly I wanted to be a doctor, and I thought about all the motivating factors in my past that shaped that career choice. In the end, it renewed my desire to become a doctor and pushed me to buckle down, study harder, take courses, and focus for a few months to study and re-take the test, this time with much better results.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Healthcare is entrenched in the past and often exhibits a legacy-type thinking. It’s rife for disruption. Further technology that allows physicians or healthcare providers to type and document less and spend more time with patients will always draw considerable interest.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
The AI, Scribe, has been incredible. Not only does it listen to my patient visits, but it displays everything that was discussed in medical note format, removing the need for me to type incessantly and letting me focus on the patient 100%.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s a great book that’s all about “your gut” and “instinct.” Its premise is that your gut or your instinct is actually a product of years of experience and expertise and that is precisely why you should trust it.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
The Man in the High Castle. It shows vividly how groupthink and mob mentality can quickly take hold, and that human beings are immensely susceptible to having their views changed much easier than you would think
Key learnings
- Consistently listening to clients/customers and adapting services to meet their evolving needs is a powerful driver of business growth.
- Taking regular breaks in nature can serve as a mental reset, fostering creativity and sharper focus when returning to work.
- Turning early setbacks—like a poor test score—into motivation can define long-term success and reinforce professional commitment.