Hidden Gems: Meet AJ Aguirre of Aguirre Medical Group

Nov 22

Hi AJ, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us — to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?

My journey started with a deep-rooted passion for finance, which I pursued through my undergraduate and graduate studies at St. Mary’s University and Texas A&M. After working in real estate finance and development, a pivotal conversation with my mother — who runs a bustling pediatric practice — led to the creation of Aguirre Medical Group. Her pediatric practice performed well, but she struggled to run a business and simultaneously provide patient care. I saw this as an opportunity to learn healthcare management while helping out my mom. I also realized the sustainability in growing a business like this by helping out other physicians like her. Despite facing personal challenges, including a battle with stage-four lymphoma, I’m proud of the progress I’ve made in building Aguirre Medical Group.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

Navigating the healthcare management landscape is no easy task, but add a personal battle with cancer to the mix, and you’ve got a real test of resilience. Being diagnosed with stage-four lymphoma was a life-altering moment. After an emergency visit where I was initially diagnosed, followed by two week-long hospital visits, I underwent six rounds of chemo and 20 rounds of radiation, all in the span of a six-month period. I am proud to say I have been in remission for more than two years, and I am incredibly grateful for the support I received from my girlfriend, Marianne. While these struggles initially weakened me, they ultimately made me stronger. The experience, though challenging, was an unfathomably rich journey.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?

Aguirre Medical Group is all about making life easier for healthcare providers. We take on the heavy lifting of non-clinical operations — everything from front office and referrals to finance and real estate — so medical professionals can focus on what they do best, caring for patients. Our approach is tailored to find the right balance for each practice, whether that means increasing /decreasing production (revenue) with current staff, infrastructure, and space or by simply managing expenses better. Our focus on efficiency and quality comes from a deep commitment to analyzing every performance aspect of operations. Strategy becomes easy once you look at the right numbers. We don’t do well with broad qualifications like “we’re not generating enough revenue,” we ascertain those figures. “My staff are missing lots of calls.” We find out how many and by whom. It’s key to gain a true picture, which is very easy when you use numbers. Profitability is a key driver for all the work we do. It’s our job to create/guide a sustainable business, while it’s the physician-owner’s job to ensure quality patient care. In order for the propeller to move the boat, you need a quality vessel. In other words, profitability keeps things afloat. We achieve this by using profitability analyses, by measuring performance across all staff members, and by managing every dollar coming in and going out. These three activities are essential to creating a strong, unshakable practice. What sets us apart is our empathy with physicians as business owners and our holistic approach to creating a solid business. We handle the healthcare business while physicians handle the healthcare, helping them realize their full potential as healthcare providers, as well as business owners. Our commitment to efficiency and quality sets us apart, and our story of overcoming adversity and thriving is something that I hope resonates with our clients and community.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor? 

Connecting with peers should be an exciting activity, not a chore or a means to an end. Connect with like-minded people, take interest in their interests, draw inspiration from one another. Take interest in their development and introduce them to your friends and peers. If you do it this way, the benefits you want from “networking” will multiply more than you can imagine. I’ve always naturally sought out mentors. I’d find that person who made me feel confident and capable. I naturally gravitated to them and was fairly forward with wanting to spend time with them. I suppose that would be my advice: find someone you admire and let them know you want to learn from them. You don’t need to “play it cool.” This person is beyond that; they just want to help you. I’ve found that participating in community organizations and industry groups, like Southern Methodist University’s Life After Ball program, has been invaluable. Mentorship is a two-way street — it’s about giving as much as receiving. I’ve had the privilege of mentoring college students through various programs, which has enriched both my personal and professional life.