Are You Looking For New Community To Serve?
One of the things The Health Exchange is best at, is supporting health professionals to get their business started. Since our own humble beginnings in the year 2000, we have supported over 36 health professional businesses (that is 47 individuals) find their feet and, after an average of 3 years, take their professional practice into a new community to serve. Given this statistical evidence, I am confident that I can support you to get started and after several years you have the choice to 'fly the nest' or continue to serve this community with us!
Some Questions To Consider When Starting A New Business Or Expanding Into A New Area:
1. How does HICAPS work for Private Health Insurance rebate? How many Provider Numbers do I need?
2. Is my therapy eligible for an Enhanced Primary Care referral (under Medicare) from the GP?
3. What does my (chosen) community need?
4. How do I get clients into my clinic?
5. Who will answer the phone when I am in a consultation?
6. What can I do for my loyal customers?
7. Do I need a permit to run business from this location? How many car parks must I provide?
These are just some questions to ask when you are putting together your business plan. Were these questions considered when you studied your professional practice? Would support, like a mentor, help you build your business?
2. Is my therapy eligible for an Enhanced Primary Care referral (under Medicare) from the GP?
3. What does my (chosen) community need?
4. How do I get clients into my clinic?
5. Who will answer the phone when I am in a consultation?
6. What can I do for my loyal customers?
7. Do I need a permit to run business from this location? How many car parks must I provide?
These are just some questions to ask when you are putting together your business plan. Were these questions considered when you studied your professional practice? Would support, like a mentor, help you build your business?
When Researching A Clinic To Work From
Please do undertake your research thoroughly when you start in a new area. Ask various clinics what rent they charge and especially, what is included in your rent. Some locations charge a set weekly fee for an empty room. A fixed rent is good after you have a steady clientele through the door. Until that time, a per client fee may better suit your budget.
Another question to ask is will you have choice of when you can use the room or are you working around other therapists who are also using that room? Can you share equipment and if not, is there lockable space for yours? Will you always be in the same room or will they move you depending on what else is happening in the clinic?
Remember to compare apples with apples. I had a health professional once compare her 'per client rate' based on 10 clients per week here to another location that was a 'fixed rent' for that amount. That's great when you see more than 10 clients per week but what if you don't? At least on a per client rate she would always earn more than she pays. Another health professional quite a few years ago moved to a location where she paid $15 per hour for an empty room compared to $10 per hour here for a furnished room with towels that were washed for her along with client confirmation calls and other services! You need to make a list that compares locations of a similar service fee and then make a choice based on what is right for you!
Another question to ask is will you have choice of when you can use the room or are you working around other therapists who are also using that room? Can you share equipment and if not, is there lockable space for yours? Will you always be in the same room or will they move you depending on what else is happening in the clinic?
Remember to compare apples with apples. I had a health professional once compare her 'per client rate' based on 10 clients per week here to another location that was a 'fixed rent' for that amount. That's great when you see more than 10 clients per week but what if you don't? At least on a per client rate she would always earn more than she pays. Another health professional quite a few years ago moved to a location where she paid $15 per hour for an empty room compared to $10 per hour here for a furnished room with towels that were washed for her along with client confirmation calls and other services! You need to make a list that compares locations of a similar service fee and then make a choice based on what is right for you!
What We Can Offer Here
At our Dianne Ave Consultation Rooms (Natural Medicine Centre) at 69 Dianne Avenue, you can be sure that we hold a Hume City Council granted Medical Centre Permit to run business from this location. Our permit allows for 2 consultation rooms to be run consecutively (once I build 2 more car parks in the front yard I can run 3 rooms consecutively). That gives us all a legal guarantee of continued service. This is an important aspect I think you should be sure of before starting a business anywhere! The last thing you want to do is get a good business going and then have to suddenly vacant the premises!!
At our Marathon Boulevard Consultation Rooms (currently referred to as our Sports Medicine Centre) at 225 Marathon Boulevard, Hume Council own the premises and have assured me they have met their own development criteria for the medical centre and the car parking!
The Dianne Ave Rooms, as the first clinic, is set up a bit differently to the Marathon Boulevard Rooms.
The Marathon Boulevard is like a sister clinic where the rooms are set up with either a massage table or couches, plus desk & chairs but the therapist will work independently with their own bookings, confirmations and payments. There are 3 consultation rooms available 7 days per week (depending on your needs as a service and your days, I can discuss with you which room may be more appropriate). The room rent is charged as a fixed daily rent with a minimum of two days required to start. Depending on availability at the time you expand, more days may be available. The room will be shared by at least one other therapist and you would be part of a team for that clinic.
The Dianne Avenue also has 3 rooms and open 6 days per week. I am not expanding at this clinic in 2018 as I am building my own Ayurvedic Health Centre and will look at this as an opportunity again in 2019.
For both clinics, you are considered as your own business, with business name and advertising tailored to suit your needs (mostly your design). You are encouraged to do your own advertising and some advertising included may include signage, websites, Facebook and internal notice boards/newsletters/etc. The greatest opportunity that exists is to network with health professionals from both locations, some with over 20 years experience in their fields.
There is much more to it than can be noted here, so if this has whet your appetite for further information, please do not hesitate to contact me, Sophia, on 9305-6582 to arrange a meeting. Just remember, any time of year is a great time to prepare for business but some months are better starting than others! Good luck with your future career in your chosen therapy!
At our Marathon Boulevard Consultation Rooms (currently referred to as our Sports Medicine Centre) at 225 Marathon Boulevard, Hume Council own the premises and have assured me they have met their own development criteria for the medical centre and the car parking!
The Dianne Ave Rooms, as the first clinic, is set up a bit differently to the Marathon Boulevard Rooms.
The Marathon Boulevard is like a sister clinic where the rooms are set up with either a massage table or couches, plus desk & chairs but the therapist will work independently with their own bookings, confirmations and payments. There are 3 consultation rooms available 7 days per week (depending on your needs as a service and your days, I can discuss with you which room may be more appropriate). The room rent is charged as a fixed daily rent with a minimum of two days required to start. Depending on availability at the time you expand, more days may be available. The room will be shared by at least one other therapist and you would be part of a team for that clinic.
The Dianne Avenue also has 3 rooms and open 6 days per week. I am not expanding at this clinic in 2018 as I am building my own Ayurvedic Health Centre and will look at this as an opportunity again in 2019.
For both clinics, you are considered as your own business, with business name and advertising tailored to suit your needs (mostly your design). You are encouraged to do your own advertising and some advertising included may include signage, websites, Facebook and internal notice boards/newsletters/etc. The greatest opportunity that exists is to network with health professionals from both locations, some with over 20 years experience in their fields.
There is much more to it than can be noted here, so if this has whet your appetite for further information, please do not hesitate to contact me, Sophia, on 9305-6582 to arrange a meeting. Just remember, any time of year is a great time to prepare for business but some months are better starting than others! Good luck with your future career in your chosen therapy!
