About My Crib

These are some questions I was asked this/last year about my clinic for a practice management class. 

1) Describe your practice a bit. (Where it is, what it looks like, whom you serve)

I have a Community Acupuncture practice in Lafayette, CO on the corner of two major cross streets downtown. ADA compliant, approximately 1000 sq feet in an old house. We have 5 chairs and 3 tables. We supply raw, granular and ready-made herbs through Great Wave Herbal Pharmacy and Blue Poppy. We have no speciality, we try to serve everyone. We try to refer out peds cases for the most part since they are hard to treat in the community room. We charge a one time initial intake fee of $15 and charge $20-$45 per treatment. 

2) How did you arrive at the decision to create this style of practice?

I was torn about what kind of practice I wanted. I’m glad I made the choice I did. 1) it's a great way to distinguish myself from other practices 2) there's a huge need for affordable healthcare 3) I believe frequency and consistency is key for great results with acupuncture. 4) I feel good about it! I noticed that in school I wasn't seeing my acupuncturist as much as I should because stuff like gas, groceries and shoes for the kids always seemed to come first.

3) Do you have the number of patients you want in your practice on a reasonably consistent basis? If so, how long did it take you to build the practice you wanted?

I don't have the numbers I would like yet. They are 2x as good as the numbers last year and last year is 2x what it was 3 months after opening. This practice has always been able to pay its bills without dipping into savings and I feel very positive about that. I would like to be seeing at least 140 patients a week. Average, my practice currently sees about 80 per week.

4) Has the current economy had an impact on your practice and have you changed any aspect of what you do in response to that?

Heck, my practice is designed for the current economy. I suppose some people would argue that I should lower my sliding scale to $15-$35. However, we have a loyalty punchcard and packages that allow people to save if they pay up front. A lot of our clientele is either out of work or underemployed. 

5) Do you have a website? Do you add to it regularly? Do your patients interact with it in any way?

Yes! Yes! and Yes! SEO Search Engine Optimization is key for your website as is having a professional looking website. I am changing the homepage and events page weekly. I try to post on my blog monthly. Mostly patient interaction comes in 2 ways 1) new patients printing off our forms 2) existing patients scheduling appointments with our booking tool. (Genbook)

6) What is your largest, most consistent source of new patients?

#1 REFERRALS! #2 Walk ins from our sign #3 Free days #4 Special events (Art walk, Farmer's Market, etc.. #5 the Internet

7) Do you bill insurance?

No. I like to be paid up front. I like to control the amount I get paid. I do not enjoy spending lots of time on the phone. I do not like filling out and xeroxing forms. I do not like playing phone tag. I do not enjoy playing games. I do not like them Sam-I-am. Also, our prices are often below the co-pay for many insurance plans.

8) Do you offer packages?

Yes. We have a pay as you go punchcard. (Buy 6 treatments and get your 7th free.) 67% of the patients who start one finish it and redeem it. We have an allergy/immunity 6 pack designed to be used in the space of 1-3 weeks (6 treatments for $100).  We have a smoking cessation package (10 treatments in the space of 2 weeks for $150). I may be reworking our punchcard to be buy 8 treatments and get your 9th free. 

9) What was the amount of time it took you from graduation day to opening your doors?

6 months, mostly because we could not find retail space. A good tip: count on everything costing twice and much and taking twice as long as you think it should and you will not be disappointed. 

10) Where did you come up with the capital to cover your start-up costs?

Savings and money from family. We each put up $6K. We (I) still have a fair amount of that in our savings account still. 

11) What was your biggest challenge in your first year?

Working in a dysfunctional environment. We shared an entrance with another business, our space had a lot of problems (leaks, wasps, over-zealous A/C, squirrels in the rafters), we did not always have a cordial relations with our neighbors, we did not have a completely walled-off office for a while. 

12) What brought your first patient in the door?

A free day

13) How do you keep from burning out?

Ha ha ha. I’m currently killing myself for my business, so I’m the wrong person to ask. In general I would say: Be an optimist, Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, regular looonnng vacations, brain wave vibration, EFT, and Manhattans.

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More answers to burning questions like: What were your biggest mistakes? What marketing works the best? and What's your best advice for new acupuncturists? coming soon!