The PACN Podcast - Dr. James Galasso (Part 1) cover art

The PACN Podcast - Dr. James Galasso (Part 1)

The PACN Podcast - Dr. James Galasso (Part 1)

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 In the first of a two-part conversation, Dr. John Pagan sits down with Dr. James Galasso of Galasso Family Practice in Schwyz, Pennsylvania — a physician who grew up in the very community he now serves, came up through emergency medicine as a paramedic, and chose to return home to build a 30-year independent family practice rather than join the large hospital systems that dominate his region. Dr. Galasso shares what drives his commitment to independent practice, what joining PACN has meant for his ability to stay viable, and why continuity of care is the defining advantage of the independent physician.Key HighlightsA Hometown Doctor in Every Sense Dr. Galasso's path to medicine started early — his father was a Pfizer pharmaceutical rep and a volunteer for the local ambulance association, and Dr. Galasso followed suit, becoming an EMT and eventually a paramedic and president of that same association. Exposure to emergency physicians during his paramedic years sparked his interest in medicine. He initially planned to become an ER doctor, but took the advice of a seasoned emergency physician who told him to go into primary care and learn emergency medicine that way. He did — and came back to practice just three blocks from where he grew up.Serving a Close-Knit Community Schwyz is a blue-collar town of roughly 2,500 people with a high Medicare population and multigenerational families. Dr. Galasso's practice spans the full range — from newborns to geriatrics — and his wife, a physician assistant, practices alongside him. He previously attended deliveries, made hospital rounds, and visited nursing homes. The community is close-knit, and so is his relationship with it.Why He Joined PACN Operating in the shadow of two large regional systems — Geisinger and Commonwealth Health (a Tennessee-based corporation) — Dr. Galasso found that independent physicians weren't truly supported by hospital-affiliated networks. When Keith Taylor, PACN's Senior Director of Business Development, approached him about the network, he signed on. He calls it one of the best decisions he's made in private practice. The tangible benefits came quickly: group malpractice insurance at lower rates, reduced supply costs, and behind-the-scenes infrastructure support from the network that costs him nothing and helps him stay viable as an independent physician.The Value of Continuity After 30 years in practice, the majority of Dr. Galasso's patients have been with him for 25 years or more. He knows grandparents, their children, and their grandchildren. He knows family histories, first names, and the full context of every patient's life. When hospitals call about an admitted patient, he can recite their history from memory. That depth of relationship is simply not replicable in a large system, where patients routinely see different providers and often feel like a number. Many patients who have transferred to his practice cite exactly that frustration — never seeing the same doctor twice.On the Importance of Independent Practice for Everyone Dr. Galasso and Dr. Pagan discussed a point that often goes unspoken: a healthy independent practice environment doesn't just benefit independent physicians — it benefits employed ones too. When there's no viable independent option, employed physicians lose their negotiating leverage entirely. Non-compete clauses that force departing physicians to leave the area also harm patients, who lose access to a physician they've trusted. Choice — for physicians and patients alike — requires a thriving independent sector.His Own Experience on Both Sides Dr. Galasso has firsthand experience with employment. After the independent physician group he helped build — Intermountain Medical Group — was acquired by Commonwealth Health, he spent five years as an employed physician. He experienced the time restrictions, the revolving door of providers, and the inability to make autonomous decisions for his patients. When his non-compete window closed, he returned to independent practice in the same office where he had started. His message to any employed physician considering the same: it's still possible, and the path back is worth it.Key TakeawaysContinuity of care — knowing patients, their families, and their histories over decades — is the defining and irreplaceable advantage of independent family practice.PACN's behind-the-scenes infrastructure, group malpractice, and supply savings make independent practice more financially sustainable in markets dominated by large health systems.The survival of independent practice matters beyond independent physicians themselves — it preserves choice for patients and negotiating leverage for employed physicians alike.Non-compete clauses are a real and documented harm to patient care, not just physician career mobility.It's not too late to return to independent practice — Dr. Galasso did it, and encourages any employed physician who feels constrained to ...
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