What GPs really think of physios

In Episode 19 of The Business of Allied Health, host Barry Nguyen sits down with Dr Todd Cameron — a highly respected General Practitioner, serial entrepreneur, and co-founder of Scale My Clinic. With 23 years of practice ownership and multiple successful exits (including a directorship at ASX-listed Zenitas), Todd provides a rare, unfiltered look into the business of healthcare from a GP's perspective.

They discuss the honest truth about what GPs think of physiotherapists, the critical mistakes allied health professionals make when trying to secure referrals, and why dropping off a free sushi lunch is no longer an effective strategy. Todd also shares his philosophy on exiting businesses, the dangers of modern telehealth startups bypassing the GP, and the financial realities of renting rooms within medical clinics.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

- The "Die With Zero" Philosophy: Why Todd believes clinic owners should exit their businesses before they actually want to.

- Building Trust: The exact communication standards GPs expect from allied health professionals to maintain a strong referral relationship.

- The Telehealth Threat: Why treating convenience over quality — and bypassing the GP for imaging — creates a dangerous diffusion of accountability in patient care.

- A Better Marketing Strategy: How creating 60-second YouTube joint examination videos for GPs is a far more effective referral tool than traditional networking.

- Room Rentals: The pros and cons of setting up a physiotherapy satellite clinic inside a GP practice.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Dr Todd Cameron is the founder of Modern Medical, GP Hero, and GP Bookkeeper. He currently serves as a business coach for general practice owners through his company, Scale My Clinic, helping them achieve time freedom and profitability.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Introduction to Dr Todd Cameron

01:45 - Todd’s journey from medical graduate to multi-clinic owner

04:35 - Exiting clinics, Zenitas, and founding Scale My Clinic

05:56 - The "Die With Zero" philosophy and knowing when to exit

07:22 - Thoughts on family businesses and intergenerational wealth

09:25 - What GPs really think of physiotherapists

11:16 - How to build (and lose) trust with referring GPs

14:38 - The dangers of telehealth startups bypassing the GP

21:56 - How to effectively market to GPs (why free lunches don't work)

25:54 - A unique referral strategy: Educating GPs with short-form video

27:54 - Do in-house physio room rentals in GP clinics actually work?

32:25 - Conclusion