The one consistent challenge that medical and dental professionals face in opening their own practice is that they have very limited skills in how to run a successful business. They may excel at providing exceptional healthcare, these are skills that they have been honing for years, but when it comes to running a successful practice, they need a completely different set of skills altogether. If you’re a medical or dental professional and you’ve decided to opt for building your own practice, here is how you can use the skills that you do have to make sure that your practice is successful.
DON’T DO IT ALONE
“Hiring the right people is key to your growth.”
Your staff at your practice may be your biggest cost but they are also your greatest asset. Although you have your skills, don’t wait until your practice is overflowing with patients to hire support staff. This will cause the patient experience to suffer. Use your skills and knowledge of the medical sector as well as your vision for your business to hire the right staff for your practice. They should have a range of skills and strengths that complement yours as well as experience so that you can delegate work to them to spend more time on the business.
SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP
If you’re asking yourself ‘do I need a business adviser for my medical or dental practice?’ the answer is probably yes. Although you may have both medical and possibly business skills to run a successful practice, hiring a business adviser could push you even further so that you become the leading healthcare provider in your area. You know the sector and your vision for your practice so all a business adviser would do is help you make that clearer, set you realistic and manageable targets, and then hold you accountable so that you execute your plans. A business adviser provides you with a subjective view of your practice, helping you to identify areas for improvement and giving you the steps to drive your business forward. You can only use them for the time that you need them too.
P.s. this is a role we regularly play for our clients.
OTHER WAYS TO USE YOUR SKILLS
Running and growing a successful practice is a major learning experience but if you remain organised, stay on top of best practices, and run it with your patients at heart, you can be sure that you’ll leave a lasting impression on your patients.
Here are a few other areas where you can utilise your skills:
Training & support – professional training and continued education are essential elements of how to run a dental practice.
Create a winning culture – be transparent and communicate often so employees feel that no matter how small their role, they are part of a greater mission.
Build your own unique brand – find your advantage over your competition and market that to your patients. The patients will then do the marketing for you.
Expand your services – if it’s time to grow your patient base, think of ways you can improve value, strengthen your competitive position, and pique the interest of prospective patients.
Improving patient experience – retaining existing patients is substantially less expensive than acquiring new ones, so look at how you can encourage patient loyalty. Perhaps this is by communicating more with them via digital marketing?
Upgrading your scheduling system and software – an efficient practice is an effective practice, so upgrade your systems to create better patient flow, maximise productivity, and to provide superior customer service.
Offer flexible financial options – providing patients with a wide range of payment options will increase the chance of them accepting treatment recommendations and returning for ongoing health care.
So there we go, by using your skills to make better decisions, hiring the right people to work with you and creating a positive environment for your patients and staff, you can run a successful medical practice.
Read: 5 Secrets to Successful Business Planning for Your Practice
5 Tips to Plan a Profitable and Enjoyable Year for Your Practice