Sandra Lerdal: From Burnout to Thriving in Private Practice
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What’s possible with Corner Health
45 min
20+
$180k
Why Sandra wanted to start her own practice
I started my career in 2015 as a floor nurse. It was backbreaking work, but I was always drawn to building long-term relationships with patients, which led me to becoming an NP.
My first NP role was in home care, which meant constant driving and back-to-back visits with chronically ill patients. I wished I could spend 45 minutes with each person, but I was seeing 18 patients a day and spending hours charting on top of that.
I loved primary care, but the pace was unsustainable and I was burnt out. I felt like I wasn’t showing up for my patients the way I wanted, and at the same time I didn’t have the flexibility for my family that I desired.
I knew the only way to do that would be to start my own practice.
I was really excited about starting my own practice, but was overwhelmed by all of the administrative tasks - especially dealing with insurance.
I had heard horror stories from my friends about NPs that had to wait 8+ months to get credentialed with insurance, and couldn’t get paid for 1.5 years. On the other hand, I knew many cash-only clinics often struggled to get patients because they didn’t take insurance. I knew I had to accept insurance, i just had no idea how to make it work.
I also couldn’t afford to hire a whole team: receptionist, biller, office manager, marketing help, especially while trying to start part-time.
What I needed was a partner that could handle the admin, so I could stay focused on patient care.
How Corner Health helped Sandra’s dream come true
I tell everyone who is interested in starting their own private practice about Corner Health. It’s a way to finally run your own practice, without being overwhelmed by the admin work that usually comes with it.
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- Easy credentialing: Corner Health got me credentialed with over 20 insurance plans in Arizona, fast.
- Get paid faster: Corner Health handles all billing, and I get paid way faster than I would on my own.
- It’s my practice: Even with all the support, it is still my practice. I get to decide when and how to see patients, what services to provide, and how I grow.
- No additional staff: I haven’t had to hire anyone — Corner Health manages my phone lines, lab orders, referrals, and PAs.
- Streamlined intake: They manage all patient intake, so I always know who’s in-network and who’s not.
- Supportive & responsive team: My Corner Health team is always asking my input and preferences on their technology, and constantly building new features.
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What drives Sandra’s commitment to independent practice
I truly love running Lerdal Health & Wellness. I have full control over my schedule, which means I can adjust my day to be the kind of provider I want to be, and have the flexibility for my family that I’ve always wanted.
I don’t have to ask permission to prioritize my family or rework my schedule to show up where I’m needed.
Most importantly, I finally have the time to give patients the care they deserve. I get to listen more deeply, build real relationships, and practice the kind of medicine that made me want to become an NP in the first place.
Hear what practices on our network are saying
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