Physical and occupational therapy are fields that are constantly evolving; new research, new technologies, and new protocols emerge as the field advances so how does a PT or OT stay on top of their game and build a successful practice? They build good habits that keep them moving with the times. There is a famous quote from Aristotle that perfectly sums up the importance of building good habits. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” The habits below help to build a solid foundation for therapists that wants to grow their practices:
Continue Education and Stay Up-to-Date with Current Research
The importance of continued education cannot be stressed enough because there is no better way to build success. Continued Medical Education (CME) is necessary for maintaining a license but those that go beyond the necessary credits will benefit even more. As new research comes out, therapists should incorporate those new evidence-based practices into their clinic to provide the best care possible for a successful physical therapy practice.
Measure and Analyze Metrics
On the business end of running a clinic, is gathering and analyzing data to cut unnecessary overhead costs. Important metrics for therapists to pay attention to are revenue per therapist (if you have multiple therapists in the clinic), net income per month, profit per visit, and marketing and sales metrics. Since most medical practitioners do not have excess money in their budget to spend on testing new marketing tactics and campaigns, the gathered data must be analyzed and applied to help cut costs where it is possible. In this way, incorporating the habit of regularly measuring metrics can help build a successful practice.
Incorporate Patient Engagement Software
Patients that are engaged and take a hands-on approach to their own health often see better results, are more satisfied, and more likely to be repeat patients. The cost of medical care can be a barrier for some people but patients that experience a high level of satisfaction are less likely to leave for another care provider. Telehealth technologies, like AC-Health, provide a portal for patients to access outside of a clinic setting and helps bridge the patient care access gap. AC-Health provides personalized plans tailored to an individual’s needs so patients are more likely to stay on track with their treatment plan. Success for patients translates to success for physical therapists.
Offer Specialized Treatments
A great way to expand your practice and bring success to your clinic is to offer new specialized treatments. Offering continued therapies, like yoga or exercise classes, to patients after their course of treatment is finished can help continue to build the patient-therapist relationship. Through continued education, PT and OTs can add additional services to their patient care such as hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, and TENS, to name a few.
Don’t Neglect Online Network and Presence
There are four major components of marketing that all therapists should be integrating into their practice; a website, a social media profile, email marketing, and SEO for their content. Getting into the habit of generating content can only benefit your patients and your practice because this can bring in new patients and keep existing ones satisfied.
Using the above methods is a proven way to keep patients engaged and satisfied and lay the groundwork for a successful physical therapy practice in a crowded market. AC Health makes is easy to accomplish them all
