What Sort Of Equipment Will You Need To Start Your Own Private Practice?

There’s a lot of equipment required to start your own private practice.

You might be thinking of some of it.

Maybe you’ve got a few browser tabs open already, taking a look at what you need when it comes to starting your own private healthcare practice.

It’s not just medical equipment.

You need to think about all of the practical tools required to support your practice so that it can run efficiently on a day to day basis.

Here at Symbiosis, our Washington DC medical coworking space specializes in thinking about all of these details for you so that you can focus on growing your private practice.

So, what will you need?

Let’s take a look.

Beyond The Clinical Equipment

Sure, you’ll need the items you learned about in school.

If you’re a medical doctor starting your own general practice, for example, you’ll need scales, blood pressure monitors, thermometers, an examination table, a supply of hypodermic needles and PPE, stethoscopes, a sterilizer, and more.

If you’re starting your own psychiatry practice, on the other hand, you might want to focus more on items that help your patients feel more at ease in your space.

And if you’re starting a dermatology practice, there is a wide variety of equipment you might want depending on the conditions you’re interested in treating.

However, there’s a lot more to it than that.

Let’s take a look at some of the things you’ll need to start your own private practice that you might not have considered.

1. Medical Billing Software

Medical billing software is an integral part of your medical practice, but it might not be at the top of your list when starting out.

Each of your patients will have to work with your billing software, and so you’ll want to pick one that is secure and works well.

This is because there is a lot of sensitive patient data in medical billing, and so software that’s HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is absolutely essential.

You’ll also want to make sure that it is easy to use so that your staff can seamlessly integrate it into your practice.

Quickly billing each patient will save your practice time, which also improves your patient experience by being able to leave quickly after their appointment.

This can improve patient retention in your private practice – after all, there’s enough hassle as it is in dealing with one’s health.

Other great features your medical billing software could have include technical support, claim follow-ups, and monthly export reports.

It’s worth mentioning here that sometimes medical billing software can come bundled with an electronic records management system, or they can be two completely separate systems.

2. Scheduling Software

Scheduling software is another important decision you have to make.

This is the software that is going to keep your practice organized and profitable.

You should consider options that are robust enough to manage the volume of patients that you’re anticipating, flexible, secure, and offer technical support.

Like your medical billing software, you’ll want to pick an option that is easy to use because you have to schedule appointments for each one of your patients.

The faster you can do this, the smoother your practice will run.

Software that is specific to the medical industry can be a safe bet that will require less set up in the beginning instead of general scheduling software that you then have to customize.

3. An Electronic Medical Records (EMR) System

An electronic medical records (EMR) system is another important piece of software that you’re going to need for your private practice.

It is your database that manages all the records for your patients including notes, patient medical history, immunizations, and medications.

This means that you won’t need to keep any physical paper copies, which is a way to maximize your real estate.

Now, an EMR system is going to be integral to the success of your practice.

It’s important that you explore a number of options in order to pick one that is best suited to your type of practice.

Some common features you will come across when comparing different options include web access, templates, provider to provider communication, and prescription drafts.

If you already have healthcare administrative staff, it can be a good idea to speak to them about what options they have experience with and to consider their feedback.

It might make more sense to go with an option that they’re familiar with.

Whichever option you go with, remember to incorporate training on this system into your hiring plan.

Your administrative staff must know how to use this system well, because it is the main database for your entire practice.

4. Office Supplies

Once you’ve sorted out the above three pieces of software, you will need to have some physical office supplies to support your practice.

Some examples of useful office supplies include:

• Clipboards
• A reliable printer
• Printer paper
• Medical reference newsletters and journals
• Telephones
• Petty cash box
• Pens

All of these items either improve your patient’s experience while waiting for their appointment, or facilitate the running of your private practice.

5. Marketing Material

Finally, you’ll need to market your private practice in order to bring in new patients and grow.

In the past, all you needed was a sign above your clinic and maybe some ads in the Yellow Pages, but that just doesn’t fly in the 21st century.

A professional private practice website design, a healthcare blogging strategy, SEO, and more are no longer an option when it comes to starting and growing your private practice.

Symbiosis Can Be Your Solution For Clinical Equipment

That’s a long checklist to make sure you have ready before opening up your own private practice.

If you’re feeling a little intimidated by the scope of your project, consider joining a medical coworking space, like Symbiosis, when you open your private practice.

We can offer a lot of options to save you time and money.

For example, since you’ll only pay for the time you use, you won’t have to worry about the typical responsibilities that leasing your own space would typically entail.

This includes finding a solution for a leaky faucet or having your HVAC repaired.

We’ll handle it.

Worried about picking the right scheduling software?

Don’t worry, our receptionists can manage your patient’s calendar and book appointments as needed.

Are you wondering how to identify which allied healthcare providers might be good contacts to network with for a referral resource?

A medical coworking space offers organic networking opportunities because everyone working the space is in the medical field.

Symbiosis gives you greater flexibility so that you can choose to work as much or a little as you want, which ultimately saves you money too.

Questions? Ask Symbiosis

Symbiosis is a medical coworking space in the Washington DC area designed to support your practice at every level.

This way, you can focus on your patients and grow your practice at your own pace.

Medical professionals at all stages of their careers, including recent residency graduates, are welcome to join our family.

Contact us today, and let’s make your private practice dreams a reality.