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 I mention practice systems to you, what comes to mind? Do you think of IBM’s Watson computer sitting in a big room in the middle of a building? Do you think of expensive, highly specialized software? That’s what many small practice owners imagine, and they believe it’s not for them. If that’s what you think, you’re only half right.

Half right because expensive, highly specialized software is probably not for you. Half wrong because sound practice systems are for you. Practice systems aren’t hardware or software. They’re the way that you conduct any part of your practice; it’s how you do things. You’re using systems all the time; you just may not be using them efficiently.

I regularly urge practice owners to get everything they know about their practice out of their heads and onto paper. I’m urging you now to do the same with your systems. Start writing out how you do things in your practice. At a minimum, write out how:

  • you treat your patients or referral services
  • your paperwork for each patient and counterflows
  • your office systems work
  • you market to your patients and the medical community
  • you do your bookkeeping

Do this in detail. For each area, make a very detailed description of every step in the process. Include what you do and why you do it. Include the subtle parts that make your practice uniquely you. Include the features that you are proud of. Include the tricks that make it efficient. Include what you’ve tried that didn’t work and explain why. Each system should become a vibrant, highly detailed system.

Why so much detail?

Because this is the beginning of delivering results consistently and the beginning of being able to deliver results even when you aren’t around consistently, documented written systems make delegating much more manageable. Delegating is one of the keys to success in growing your own practice while still having a life.

The proverbial work-life balance

A healthy work-life balance is the ability to prioritize your personal life just as much as you do your professional life. There has to be a pause. True, operating a practice and launching it, especially, will require most of your time and energy. At some point, however, you’ll need to rest and recalibrate.

Even if you prefer to keep your practice small, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to go on an extended vacation and turn the keys over to your associate to run and make money for you while you are gone? Without systems, that wouldn’t be remotely possible.

With systems, almost anything is possible. Now, does that sound like something that should only be for a big practice? I think not. Developing and using practice systems are an integral part of a successful quality system. They provide the necessary direction to execute the job properly and consistently to accomplish pre-determined specifications and a quality result.

Want to know who should be the most crucial part of your practice system? Check out this blog on how your very own family plays a significant role in the development of your practice.

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

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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. Follow me on social media @DrHassanRehab.