Opening A Practice Part B

Remain Driven In All That You Do!!!!!!

This next section will deal with more information geared towards getting your ducks in a row.  This is intended to be a guide.  So please you this information accordingly.

8.  Your Build Out (continued).   The build out of your office is vital to all "First Impressions."  When patients, or more importantly, potential patients step into your office, their first impression will be based on the look and feel of your office.  Wall colors, carpet colors, Front desk color schemes mean so much....With that said, you are going to need Signage.  This can be very tricky, you must first see if the Landlord will include this in your build-out.  Some will, others won't.  If not, then you need to call around and find the best price.  Also, read through your lease agreement and make sure you are staying in accordance with what you signed in your lease.  Landlords that care about their shopping centers would want all Tenant signs to be congruent with one another.  Meaning: Same size, same shape, not necessarily same color..but you get the idea Ex.  Lets say the name of your clinic is Smith Family Chiropractic.  The person creating the sign can use "channel-individual- letters for Smith Family" and use a "modular capsule-all-in-one for Chiropractic"..The sign outside my clinic: 18 inch High Channel Letters mounted on raceway with a 10'x16'' modular unit, internally illuminated with neon..total width is about 25 feet across).  Cost: $3850.  THE SIGN I HAVE JUST DETAILED IS NOT NECESSARY IN ALL CASES, PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND. This includes permits and sales tax..  I repeat, this includes permits!!!!  You will need permits to complete your build-out.  Your landlord and his/her contractor must handle this for you.  They are responsible for this...NOT YOU!  I've spent some time on the build out...because it is very important that this goes smoothly.  If not, it can delay your opening!  How long should it take?  Not sure...depends on how much you are having done.  But if contractors work quickly, a mid-size office can be complete in 30 days.  Which brings me to another point.  PLAY HARDBALL!!!  You don't want to pay rent while the build out is taking place.  Timing is everything....

9.  X-Ray Unit Installation:  What should I do?

For those of you looking to take x-rays in your office.  And it is nothing like taking x-rays in school...Much, much, much easier...I can do a cervical and lumber series in less than 5 minutes...Your landlord should have prior knowledge of your intent to have an x-ray unit installed in your office.  State laws vary..so call your chiropractic board for that state. They may tell you that you need a physicist report taken for your space to determine where you need "lead-lined drywall".  This is so easy to do...whoever you are purchasing the x-ray unit from should give you a heads up on this.  If you need this "type" of drywall installed...it SHOULD NOT COST more than $1000 to do. Lead-Lined drywall is just that, drywall that has a thin lead sheet glued to it.  It will come with special nails and nail caps to make sure it's done right.  Especially if you are just going to do a single wall in the x-ray suite.  and for the record: an x-ray unit from www.scrip-inc.com, will run you about 16k which will include the developer as well...  how sweet is that!

10.  MARKETING ONE-O-ONE!

Your clinic is starting to come together..Walls are going up..phone lines are being installed...call your local phone company by the way...a business line is what you need....you're going to need a Main line, a roll over number, and a dedicated fax line.... and high speed Internet...there are packages out there for you..roughly : $290 a month for that type of deal. Please don't have business cards made until you have secured that business phone number!  You must have two things in line when marketing your clinic from the start...(1) Open Date is Concrete.  (2) You have business cards to hand out when talking with potential contacts.  You must join at least two civic groups....Chamber of Commerce and maybe a BNI group..(Business Network International).  Civic groups will put you in front of multiple people all at once.  You must become a walking billboard.  Meet and greet as many people as possible before you open...Talk to the people that do business next to you....Talk to the people that do business around the corner from you.  Create a list of contacts, and invite them to your open house...Create a buzz about your new chiropractic office.  Most Chambers of Commerce will have Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies..which will include the local paper putting your ribbon cutting in the local paper for FREE.  HELLO, I said FREE.  Open up the business section and there you are....Smith Family Chiropractic Now Open..123 Will Hollow Drive, Anywhere, NY 11570.

This should be enough to get you thinking about how you want to practice, and also what steps you need to take to keep things moving smoothly if you have already decided.  Part C will be coming soon.  I hope this last section, has shed light on the build out...Part C will include more marketing and some special attention to building up your business credit.  Once again, if you have any specific questions, please feel free to voice them here in the public domain..or more discretely at : nosurgery@yahoo.com

Dr. Mark

Comments

[mike]

Once again another nice article. I'll let my friends know. THanks Dr. Hewitt.

Thank you for taking the time to write these very informative articles.

Mike (NYCC)

[Pamela]

Oh, man I just landed on this site and it's a lot of great stuff in here.

I like your practice building article. It's like real world 101.

Pam (Cleveland Chiro)