I believe that we are the product of the whole of our experiences, and I would not be who I am today if not for those experiences.
Dr. Dana Sibilisky is the founder of North Georgia Psychiatry, a private practice that provides the type of personalized and compassionate psychiatric care that Dr. Sibilsky has become synonymous with throughout her many years in medicine. With over 20 years with of experience in delivering psychiatric care across a number of varied medical settings, Dr. Sibilsky is highly respected by her peers in the field and is consistently praised by patients who have benefited from her care over the years.
Before founding North Georgia Psychiatry , Dr. Sibilsky practiced psychiatry in emergency care and in private practice, and she has also served as the medical director of an emergency psychiatric clinic. Her vast experience in the field of psychiatry was preceded by extensive academic study, as Dr. Sibilsky holds an undergraduate degree in biology from the University of Michigan, a graduate degree in microbiology from Oakland University, and completed her medical residency through Wayne State University after attending American University Medical School.
North Georgia Psychiatry has quickly become a trusted source of psychiatric care, with Dr. Sibilsky assisting patients in dealing with a wide variety of psychiatric conditions. She has gone to great lengths to create an environment in which patients feel comfortable and can earnestly begin the healing process through the care of Dr. Sibilsky.
Where did the idea for North Georgia Psychiatry come from?
While I enjoyed the challenges inherent in emergency psychiatric care, I wanted to return to private practice so that I could work with patients on a continuing basis. I founded North Georgia Psychiatry in order to provide patients with access to the kind of care I am able to give while also allowing myself to begin working in private practice again.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
I get to the office very early so that I can review each patient’s history well in advance of their arrival. I know all of my patients very well, but it is still important to continually review their histories so that I can provide the best care possible. I then begin seeing patients, and I make sure that there is plenty of time between each appointment so that I can make proper notations based on my interaction with each patient following their visit.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I always make sure that I keep up with all of the latest developments in psychiatric care, and I find that many of my own ideas come from a combination of the most recent research findings and my own experiences in meeting with patients.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
I think there is a greater willingness for people to seek out psychiatric care than there had been before. People who need help are sometimes afraid because they are worried what other people will think or how their family may treat them, but it seems to me that we have done a good job as psychiatrists in expressing that these are diagnosable conditions that can be successfully treated in a medical setting.
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I have an analytical mind, so it is only natural for me to constantly revisit how we do things in order to determine if there is anything that we could be doing better.
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
Before I got to college I held a lot of jobs that I disliked, but my family’s philosophy has always been to show respect for your employer by always giving your best effort. I found that I enjoyed working simply because I was always challenging myself to put my best foot forward.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I don’t think I would change anything or do anything differently. I believe that we are the product of the whole of our experiences, and I would not be who I am today if not for those experiences.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
Entrepreneurs should always be looking to analyze where they are and where they want to go. Through this analysis, all that is necessary is to connect the dots between “Point A” and “Point B.” I always analyze how my practice is performing in delivering psychiatric care and I try to use this analysis to figure out how I can improve upon the services we provide.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
In psychiatry, growth is really dependent upon how patients feel about the care they are receiving. Some patients talk about this to others and refer new patients, and others may keep their improvements to themselves. All we can control is the level of care that we provide, and by providing the best care possible it is likely that we will continue to grow.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
I am very grateful that I have not had to endure any failure as an entrepreneur. My skills as a psychiatrist have certainly helped in opening my private practice, but my staff also deserves a great deal of credit for our success.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
I think that whatever industry you ultimately get into, it should always be one in which you are both knowledgeable and passionate.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
A member of my staff had a birthday coming up, so I gave her a paid day off from work along with a gift card to a restaurant she really likes. She said she and her husband had a really nice time together.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
We use a variety of web services. Gmail for email, we have a scheduling app, we share non-medical files via Dropbox, Google Alerts to see if we’re mentioned online, Facebook to talk with clients (again, non-medical info) and a software app called Carbon Copy Cloner to securely back up our office computers each night.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I just adored “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand.
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Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.