If you’re launching a new clinic or considering a pivot in strategy, you must consider what it is the clinic will actually do. The success of your clinic hinges on choosing a business strategy that not only aligns with your goals but also resonates with the unique needs of the surrounding community and population. Whether you’re starting a symptom-specific clinic or a procedure/product-specific practice, here are a few things to keep in mind as you design your practice:
Know Your Clinic Type and Its Needs
Symptom-Specific Clinics: Specializing in areas like pain management, dermatology, or mental health, your clinic provides ongoing care for chronic conditions. Your strategy? Become an integral part of your patients’ lives. Across Canada and specifically in Ontario, where the demand for specialized healthcare is overwhelming, positioning your clinic as a go-to destination for specific health concerns and letting the community know you’re open for business is all it will take to have a lineup or medicare / OHIP patients… However, this kind of a practice is more complex to manage, may require a multidisciplinary or inter-disciplinary team, may require specific programs be set up for patients and may be more valuable as a business should you ever decide to sell or leverage it to expand into complementary areas.
Procedure/Product-Specific Practices: From colonoscopies to laser eye surgery, this clinic strategy focuses on delivering specific treatments. The strategy here is clear: showcase your specialized expertise and state-of-the-art technology, packaged in a seamless and effortless program and workflow that helps your patients and team all feel like the clinic really cares about their journey being the focus. Ontario patients are in need of reliable, high-quality options for their specific healthcare needs, and as long as the specific practice you’d like to offer is in an area where there is little competition and demand, this practice will be busy in no time. With this practice, the ability to streamline operations, supply costs and workflows means you can “rinse and repeat” in a way that every doctor and patient feels cared for, and once this kind of practice gets running effectively and efficiently, it can be both more straight-forward to manage and more profitable as there are fewer variables. The values of these practices can vary depending on competition in the area, profit margin and the number of physicians and team members… having a practice like this one that runs smoothly is quite valuable, and is more straight-forward than the symptom-specific practice.
Tailor Your Approach to Your Local Market
Conduct In-Depth Market Research: In Ontario’s healthcare landscape, and across Canada, supply is limited so it’s really about your immediate area: does your local area need the type of clinic you’re going to build? If you’re not sure, ask 10 – 20 GP’s and potential referring doctors these questions:
- How long is the current wait where you send patients today?
- Are you happy with the consult notes and collaboration from this clinic?
- Do you know of any doctors or people people who would be interested to work in a practice like this?
For symptom-specific clinics, gauge the prevalence of the conditions you treat and identify gaps in the current market. Procedure/product-specific practices should assess demand for their services and consider local demographic trends to identify potential patient bases.
Differentiate Your Clinic: Stand out by offering exceptional patient care and leveraging local networks. Joining Ontario’s healthcare conversations through partnerships with local healthcare providers and community organizations can elevate your clinic’s profile and patient trust. Consider a clean (not expensive) website and limited social media effort, and choose one platform where your patients spend time. Physicians are always on Instagram, older ones are on Facebook, and the professional and ambitious ones are on LinkedIn. Here are just a few ways you can show people that your clinic is unique:
- Put your Vision, Mission and Values on the website to help aligned people select your services
- Share your unique qualifications or approach on your site and with colleagues as you start marketing
- Take an hour a week and do limited social media work personally. Remember, you don’t need to “go viral”, you just need to show people you’re in business, knowledgeable and approachable.
Offer Unmatched Patient Experience
Leverage Intuitive Tools: Implementing electronic medial records (EMRs) and online appointment systems was important to enhance patient satisfaction and operational efficiency years ago, and today it’s the standard. To level up, ask yourself what do you wish other clinics did better when you go through their experience… For one example, we are currently helping a Toronto-based clinic set up 30 second videos to help patients find parking and show them how to best prepare for their appointment. For another, there’s administrative support located outside of the clinic, meaning every meter of the space is used on patient care and the patient access team aren’t interrupting patients to answer the phone. From text messages to electronic check in kiosks, Ontario’s tech-savvy patients appreciate digital conveniences that streamline their healthcare experience.
Focus on Patient Education: Educating your patients about their health conditions or the specifics of the procedure they’ll undergo builds trust and empowers them to make informed decisions. Workshops, seminars, videos that you and your team produce, and ready access to online resources tailored to your audience or referring clinicians can be invaluable.
Navigate Ontario’s Regulatory Environment
Ensure Compliance: Adhering to local state or provincial healthcare regulations and standards is non-negotiable. Obtain the necessary accreditations and certifications to not only comply with the law but also assure patients of your clinic’s commitment to quality and safety.
Engage with Healthcare Networks: Becoming an active participant in your healthcare community can not just keep you and the clinic top of mind, but can also give you ongoing insights into regulatory changes and best practices, keeping your clinic ahead of the curve. Hosting and offering lunch and learns and webinars focused around your specialty are two of many ways you can start to network with limited time and resources.
Leverage Local SEO for Patient Acquisition
Optimize for your geography: Tailor your online presence to attract Ontarians (for example) searching for your services. Use location-based keywords, such as “Cardiac clinic in Toronto” or “best colonoscopy services in Ottawa,” to improve your visibility in local search results.
Highlight Patient Testimonials: Sharing success stories from local patients can significantly enhance your clinic’s appeal. Real stories resonate with potential patients and can be a decisive factor for those choosing between healthcare providers in Ontario.
Remember, the success of your clinic lies in the impact your team makes on patients’ experience and their lives. Take care of the team, and they will take care of the patients. With a solid strategy and a commitment to excellence, your clinic can thrive in any dynamic healthcare landscape.