Opening a private medical practice requires juggling a great many balls at the same time to make sure you get everything done and in place correctly. Here are some of the most important things you’ll need to do before you open your doors and start seeing patients.
Register Your Business
The first step to opening any business is getting it registered as a legal entity and complying to any regulations and licencing requirements you might need. Medical practices have some unique requirements like being able to provide certificates of registration for your medical practitioners as well as your pharmacist if you’re going to have a dispensary on site. Ensure you check the requirements in your area and gather all the required documentation. You might also need to create a business plan if you’re going to rely on financing in the initial stages of getting your business open.
Get Your Records Organised Right Away
Patient records have long since transcended past cards in a filing cabinet and entered the digital age. Medical insurance companies also usually have automated systems that require you submit requests via their online systems so having good and reliable IT infrastructure as well as a patient information management system, often called an electronic health record system. Ideally it should be able to handle billing and health records too. The more of this that can be automated, the less time it’s going to take away from your front office staff and the more efficient your human resources can be.
Purchase the Equipment You Need
One of the most important things you’re going to need to do is create a list of equipment you’re going to need for your medical practice. This is, of course, going to be dictated by the type of practice you’re opening. Other than front office equipment like computers and furniture for reception and your office, you’re going to need some specialised medical equipment. This will encompass creating a patient care facility, as well as equipment like sterilizers, scales, monitoring equipment, blood pressure cuffs and any number of other tools. These costs can quickly add up, so be aware of what you’ll be looking at spending.
Hire the Right Staff
The wage bill will depend on the size of your practice, but at the bare minimum you’re going to need an office manager and reception staff. If you’re aiming bigger you might need a nurse and pharmacist and even other medical professionals like general practitioners and dentists if your aim is to create a multi-discipline environment where patients can come for any number of ailments and medical procedures. Staff need to be friendly, trustworthy and experienced, so having the experience of a trained human resources professional assist you with the hiring process will be an advantage.
Just like opening any business, opening and equipping a private medical practice takes time to get right. Being a business owner means having a great many different skills and knowledge of all aspects of the business, so don’t be afraid to consult with people in the lead up to opening your doors to the public.