I’m Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits.

When building a profitable practice, it’s important to be innovative. But you may ask yourself, what does it mean to be innovative? Innovation. We hear that term each time we see a new product come out. It’s easy to think of innovation as creating something never thought of before. That’s not always the case. For example, using a telephone as a video device was built in the 1970s. But we don’t remember that because the timing was wrong. Instead, when Apple brings out their FaceTime software, we think it’s an innovation. No, they had the right timing and the market was ready.

Innovation keeps the world spinning. But it isn’t quite what you may think. It can be used in business and in your personal life. If you let it, it will bring you great personal growth and debt. I use innovation to build my profitable practice. In my experience, innovators have certain characteristics in common. To grow in your personal life and your professional and business life, you should consider how innovative you are. It’s not a trait you are born with, which is excellent because it means you can learn about being more innovative.

Here are five characteristics of an innovative person:

1. Outside of the box thinking. It’s not about rule-breaking, per se. It’s about looking at an issue and considering all alternatives, including those that seem odd or unconventional. When you use your creative juices, you are well on your way to being an innovative thinker. For example, when most people think about private practice, they think about a brick-and-mortar location. I was able to think outside of the box and create a practice that exists virtually with most, if not all, of the infrastructure provided by someone else. This technique all but eliminated overhead costs, which translates into bottom line profit.

2. Patience. Developing new ideas or business ventures takes time. It helps if you have a high level of patience to work on that project or create that new online course. This can be tough when you want to hit the ground running. But often, a little patience now leads to better success later. I was patient in my approach to educating the healthcare community about what a physiatrist is, and how we can help case managers and hospital systems decrease length of stay and hospital readmissions by recommending the most appropriate level of care the first time around. I also explained how we were experts in conducting peer to peer discussions with health insurance medical directors to justify the most appropriate level of care.

3. Ability to be proactive. Always being reactive will leave you scrambling and increase your stress. Instead, by being proactive, you are on the lookout for solutions to challenges before they overwhelm you. It may include seeking coaching, taking a course, or asking for feedback. I continue to be proactive even to this day, by staying tapped into the new emerging trends in healthcare, care delivery, medicine, and consumerism. This has allowed me to develop innovative ways to provide care and expertise through virtual platforms and be at the cutting edge in terms of using NF T’s non fungible tokens, and the metaverse to provide access to care for a world that is rapidly changing and becoming more digital.

4. Excellent communication. innovative people are not shy about talking and networking with others. They understand the importance of communicating ideas and thoughts with others so that everyone is on board, especially if a change is coming. I have been able to refine my message and succinctly explain how the post-acute care continuum is best utilized to achieve maximum outcomes and enhance profits.

5. Lifelong learners. Innovators can innovate because they don’t stop learning. If you love to learn, you’re well on your way to developing your innovative muscle. You not only need to keep learning, but you should also have the desire to improve. This may include spending time to self-reflect and discover where you need to grow. I’ve grown in my knowledge of marketing, advertising, and even sales all with the goal of being able to serve more patients and decrease barriers to access and care.

Innovation isn’t just for big tech companies. It’s for you on a personal and business level as well. You must strive to become an innovative person and take the first step to building the life of your dreams. You must strive to become an innovative person and take the first steps to building the life and practice of your dreams.

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Being a lifelong learner is an important key to being an innovator. Here are some healthy habits of lifelong learners.

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I’m Dr. Hassan, a Board-Certified Physiatrist and Independent Practice Owner. I help physiatrists start and grow their own profitable practices so they can achieve financial independence and live without limits. Please go to businessofrehab.com/contractnegotiations to pick up the free guide to help you negotiate the contract of your dreams.

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Attention, Physiatrists! Stop leaving money on the table. Sign up for the free video series: How To Build A Profitable Practice in 90 Days or Less: http://www.sixtytosuccess.com