buildmymedicalpractice
buildmymedicalpractice
This is Deb from "15k a Day Doc" and I promise to deliver how to leverage staff for you. I know some of you have really full practices and that's the place that I was at. I had a totally full practice. I was booked out six months and patients were dropping off my calendar because they would find somebody else that they could see sooner than me.
I was at a crossroad and needed to decide, do I stay this way or do I grow my practice and bring another practitioner in? That's exactly what I did about six and a half years ago.
It was the best decision for me!
I brought in another practitioner into my practice. Not a nurse practitioner or a doctor but a very good nurse. She knew a lot about integrative medicine and costed me a fraction of the price of a nurse practitioner. She and I developed a way to see patients in an effecient manner giving them what they needed and doubled our revenue. You can do the same thing with a health coach or RN.
We provided a tag team approach where she would collect the intake and history, I would come in in the middle and receive a report from her. I would spend about 20 minutes with the patient and her and creat the plan of care. Then I would exit and she would finish up the appointment, explaining everything to that patient. In the meantime, I was able to see three -four other patients in 20 minute slots compared to that one new patient.
This creative way of scheduling took our practice from billing $350,000 the first year with just myself to $875,000 with the two of us.
Patients loved it because they received a lot of teaching and handholding, which they needed. They also didn't have to wait six months to see us because we could move them up. That way I could see more people in that timeframe.
Now you can bring on another doctor or bring on a nurse practitioner. Nurse practitioners are less expensive than doctors and they're usually a lot easier to work with as well. No offense to my doctors that are following me but we know we can be complicated.
Bringing on ancillary staff keeps your patients happy. Ancillary staff can provide services at a lower cost for your clients who cannot afford your expertise. It's a win-win the patient gets what they want and need, you see the more complicated people that require more attention and time for a higher ticket.
Ancillary staff are; chiropractors, health coaches, nutritionists, massage therapists, and lab techs for an example. The list is endless to your practice.
Your building isn't making you money when it is closed or you are not seeing clients. be creative about your space. If you see clients 3-4 days a week find someone who is looking for a flexible schedule to work when you are not seeing clients.
If you clinic isn't big enough for you to add another pracittioner when you are in the office, let them work when you are gone. This way you can provide extended service hours to your clients.
There's always someone that's looking for a flexible schedule and different hours. You might have to pay them a little bit more to work those hours, but you're making more money anyway. Your clinic wasn't making money in those hours that it was closed or you weren't there anyway. Even if you have to pay them an extra 20% your clinic is still making more money than you would have made before which was ZERO!