Practice Start Up

Key to New Practice Success

Posted on by Physician Practice Specialists

6 Roadblocks to Your success as a new practice

There are numerous roadblocks or challenges that you’ll face when starting a new medical practice and they seem to be increasing in size and number each year.  These are some of the most common roadblocks you could encounter on your journey towards success.

  1. Competition:

    • Competition can be intense in the healthcare industry, so it’s important to differentiate yourself from other providers and find a unique value proposition.  Understanding your competition prior to selecting a location and practice type is imperative which is why we always recommend doing a market analysis.

  2. Reimbursement:

    • Changes in insurance policies, reimbursement rates, and other financial factors can significantly impact the success of a medical practice.  Insurance reimbursements have declined substantially over the past 5 years as a percentage of costs.  This means that every new practice needs to be particularly judicious when signing their payer agreements.

  3. Regulatory Requirements:

    • Healthcare regulations are complex and constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay up-to-date and comply with all requirements.  

  4. Staffing:

    • Finding and retaining skilled and reliable staff can be challenging, especially in a competitive job market.  It is often necessary to be creative when staffing including looking at outsourcing some office functions to limit payroll expenses.

  5. Technology:

    • The healthcare industry is increasingly reliant on technology, and practices that fail to keep up may struggle to stay competitive.  It is imperative that new practices utilize technology to improve productivity and efficiency to enhance profitability.  Failure to do so will squeeze margins and increase the risk of failure.

  6. Marketing:

    • A poorly conceived or absent marketing plan will limit growth and allow competitors to gain/retain market share thus limiting your opportunities for growth.  If you’re not green then you’re dying.  If you have a poor website, no reviews, no brand awareness, etc.., think about how easy it would be for someone to come into your corner and immediately start siphoning away your market share.

 

What does success look like for a new medical practice:

  1. Patient-Centered Care: A focus on providing personalized, high-quality care that meets patients’ needs and expectations.

  2. Efficient Operations: Streamlined processes and effective use of technology to maximize productivity and reduce costs.

  3. Effective Marketing: A well-crafted marketing plan that targets the right audience and effectively communicates the practice’s unique value proposition.

  4. Positive Patient Experience: A welcoming and comfortable environment, compassionate staff, and effective communication to ensure patients feel heard, understood, and valued.

  5. Financial Management: Effective financial planning, management, and reporting to ensure profitability and stability.

  6. Staff Development: Ongoing training and support for staff to improve performance and promote staff satisfaction and retention.

Overall, the success of a medical practice requires a combination of effective management, skilled staff, excellent patient care, and a willingness to adapt to changes and overcome challenges.