Qualifying for medical integration is a very important questions that cannot be dismissed.
Even though medical integration sounds attractive you probably wonder if you will succeed in integrating your clinic. Many doctors have jumped onto the “medical integration wagon”, only to realize that they were not well prepared to handle the complexities and challenges that come with medical integration.
Here is a list of a few areas that need to be carefully examined before opening a medically integrated center:
1. Philosophy: If your practice currently treats a number of patients who believe in you and your philosophy’s approach to health care, you must ensure that you and your staff are prepared to embrace the new treatment protocols so that your patients will easily follow through with your recommendations and advice. Therefore, understanding and being well anchored in the “philosophy of your practice” is a critical point to be fully entertained.
2. Management: An integrated medical center by its very nature requires more staff and greater management skills. You need to adapt to having various health care personnel work well with each other to ensure a greater success. You will also need to learn how to clearly delineate treatment protocols so that your patients know what treatment they are receiving and from whom. A successful medical integrated center does require a well-trained and dedicated management team.
3. Budget: Medical Integration will need to be adequately funded to be successful. One of the most often complaint you hear from those who tried and did not succeed at medically integrating their clinic, is that they did not have a soundly prepared financial budget. It is highly recommended that you meet with your financial advisor or accountant and create a strategic business plan with projections of collections and purchasing of expenditures. This will not only give you a piece of mind but also ensure the successful development of your medical integration.
4. Patient Load: Your Revenue will be dictated by how many new services you offer to each patient and how much you are collecting for each service provided. If this is not a new clinic you should be typically treating about 100-125 office visits per week to be able and properly integrate your clinic successfully. The new health care practitioners will need time to build up referrals generated from their services. In the meantime, the current patient load who will need medical services based on medical necessity, will be the first patients who will be referred to keep the clinic profitable.
5. Marketing: By far one of the most important components of a truly successful medical center is advertising. Your patient’s demographics as well as your whole town need to be aware of your new medical center and its added services. Indeed, your clinic is unique and its approach to health care can be very attractive if it is marketed properly. A well designed integrated medical center offers an innovated holistic approach to health care complimented by allopathic medical services. This exclusive and particular healthcare is very attractive to many people. However, the message needs to be broadcasted by using the best extensive marketing tools available today. Undeniably, the internet, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Yelp and so many other available social media applications and platforms can be very beneficial to promote your center and increase your patients’ volume exponentially. Thus, it is critical that you work with a reputable and experienced marketing firm who has a track record with current active medical integrated centers. As a final note, it behooves you to be prepared and be aware of what you will be needing because starting an integrated medical center has shown to be rewarding and beneficial while offering a beneficial alternative to all patients. It goes without saying that medical integrated centers are much more lucrative than solo practitioner clinics due to the fact that they treat a much greater volume of patients compared to a solo practice.
