How to open your own doctor’s office

Going into private practice offers doctors a way to maintain control of the way that they choose to practice medicine. Rather than getting swallowed up in a large organization and following their guidelines, you can set the parameters of patient care. With proper research regarding how to open your own doctor’s office, you can be successful while enjoying autonomy.

The first step is schooling. During or after getting your medical degree, consider taking a few basic business classes, such as accounting and office management. Next, you’ll want to apply for credentials with the insurance companies. The paperwork is different depending on who the insurer is and can be laborious, so the sooner the better. Securing a prime location, one that is in a high traffic area and has good visibility, is important as it can lead to walk-ins and potential new patient inquiries.

One of the most important tasks you’ll do when you open a doctor’s office is staffing. Take care that you hire employees that have good people skills, understand the workings of a medical office, and agree with your policies. This is critical because your employees will interface with the patients, perhaps even more than you will.

A medical practice all your own

As a private practitioner, your main source of income is your patients. Making sure they leave your office feeling cared for and heard is the number one priority. When you go through the process of hiring staff, pay attention to previous experience, but don’t focus solely on that. Do your best to get a read on their philosophy regarding patient care. One of the biggest complaints physicians hear from patients is that their front or back office staff was short or abrasive with them. While this may seem unimportant in the large scheme of things, it can have an enormous effect on patient retention.

Lastly, and most obviously, you’ll need to stock your office with all the supplies required to both run an office and practice medicine.

Supplementing with supplements

For today’s practitioners, some of the most common problems they deal with are the result of the typical American diet and lifestyle. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, problems with digestion, and stressed immune systems are all frequently identified issues. When diagnosing these problems, you’ll not only be giving advice regarding healthy diet and exercise habits, but you’ll also find yourself advising about supplementation.

A downside to this is that you have no control over the quality and effectiveness of the supplement your patient buys when they leave your office. You may want to consider stocking excellent quality vegan supplements, such as those made by Green Life Sciences, that your patients can purchase right there in your office.

Check out the benefits of pure, plant-based supplements on the GLS site and learn more about how you can help your patients optimize their health.