Breaking Stereotypes: What Do You Need to Run a Clinic?

Is it necessary for an airline owner to be a pilot? Not at all. With the proper skills, you can run many different types of businesses. The big “secret” is having business skills. It doesn’t matter whether it is a multidisciplinary clinic, an airline company or a restaurant, they all have similar business processes.

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A person needs to have strong entrepreneurial vision and skills to run a successful multidisciplinary clinic. Yes, you will need to hire qualified medical practitioners, but it does not mean you have to be the one with the medical credentials. Medical protocol and ethics are important, and they will help you in growing to a professional level. However, to lead a clinic you will need entrepreneurial skills.

So, what are the attributes that can make you a successful clinic owner? Spoiler alert-they are all related to your personal and entrepreneurial skills.

Persistence

Eventually, you are going to come across problems or situations which require your intelligence and knowledge. When I say knowledge, I don’t mean traditional knowledge that you get from high school or college. What I mean are the life lessons and little nuggets of knowledge that you have picked up along the way. For example, in a clinic, overall customer satisfaction is what is most important. That means that the administrator taking care of the patients by registering them is as important as the medical practitioner seeing the patient and prescribing the required treatment.

Looking at things from the patient’s eyes is going to definitely help you see the big picture and be more helpful to the people around you.

Adaptability

We live in a world that is constantly changing. In most, if not all businesses, what you start out with, morphs into something different over time. That means that in order to be successful, you and your business need to adapt to your surroundings. However, this means that you should not just go with the flow, but you should also make some structural changes and implement modern technology and ideas in your business. Often, traditional views and stereotypes can hold you back.

Adaptability also includes staffing and training your clinic to provide the finest care for your patients including hands-on therapy, having top-notch equipment to support the patient’s rehabilitation needs and ensuring you have the right exercise protocol. To enhance the overall experience of the patient your administrative procedures need to be easy to use. This includes paperwork that is easy to complete, an appointment system that is simple to use and an appointment reminder system that is intuitive.

Work Ethics

From time to time, running a business is a challenging task. That means you need to have a strong work ethic, with the ability and willingness to continue against all odds. If you don’t invest your time and energy into your clinic, you can’t expect your employees to do the same.

When you are just starting out, your work days will likely be longer than a normal eight hour day. In fact, your workweek will probably also be more than the typical 40-hour workweek that people normally enjoy. However, this doesn’t mean that you should burn yourself out. If you need a break, you should take it, and then continue to your path to success. Once again, it all depends on you adapting to the business environment.

Excellent Communicator

Being an effective entrepreneur comes with the requirement of being an able communicator. This means you should be able to express your thoughts and concerns succinctly to your employees and peers.

Most small businesses fail due to lack of communication when they cannot find partners or investors. The other major reason is also related: a communication gap where team members don’t understand each other or miss out on key facts.

You must also communicate your ethical standards. It goes without saying that running a multidisciplinary clinic requires unquestionable ethics. This includes steering clear of fraudulent claims and running the clinic with policies that are 100% honest. Fraud costs everyone money, not just insurance companies.

Clear Visions

Any goal that you have should be broken down into actionable steps. This requires you to have a clear vision of

• what you want to do,

• what you are doing right now,

• how you can achieve what you want.

This is more of a business skill than a medical one. Writing down your goals will definitely help you to achieve what you are looking for. Also, sprinkle in some self-confidence to the mixture and you will be able to achieve whatever you are aiming for.

As an owner or a manager of a clinic, you should know about the key indicators that will help give you the perfect balance between growth and stability. This includes having a strong business idea and along with new strategies, executing them properly. It also includes following up on patient satisfaction after they’ve been discharged from the clinic. Based on patient feedback, you can implement new strategies.

Problem Solver

As a multidisciplinary clinic entrepreneur, you should be able to come up with simple solutions to any problem. Being a problem solver means you are able to break down problems into small steps, which can then be checked and eradicated. This is true not only in your business but also in your personal life.

In fact, when you are a problem solver, you pay more attention to your surroundings making you a better observer. This helps you anticipate any needs that may arise in the future.

Team Player

If you want to go fast, you should go alone. However, if you are planning to go far, you need an effective team. One of the major reasons why most businesses fail is because they don’t have a proper team. While the idea of being a jack-of-all-trades might sound interesting, it is exhausting in the end. Moreover, your performance suffers when you are trying to do many different types of tasks at the same time.

A strong team helps in easing your burden and fulfilling the vision of your company. All you need to do is employ and develop the right people, and your clinic will take off.

Final Words

Contrary to popular belief, when you are trying to establish a multidisciplinary clinic, you don’t always need to be an expert in the medical field. All you need is a clear understanding of the people around you, and have a solid business plan. The person who can adapt and implement the qualities mentioned above can overcome any problems in the professional field.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.