Month: August 2019

Starting up your own medical practice is a big deal; you get to be your own boss and put those long, grueling hours of hard studying and clinicals to good use. But where do you start? Is there a wrong and a right way to do it? Where’s the money coming from? Don’t sweat it! Here’s a list of the cheapest states to start a medical practice in!

#5. Utah:

This is the most “expensive” on this entire list. Your license to practice fee is roughly $200, and the majority of the state is comprised of national parks, but that also means fewer competitors in the field.

#4. North Dakota:

Their overall cost of living is straddling the national average, and your median home will be upwards of $200,000. However, healthcare is cheap and the air quality is amazing. There are fewer doctors in North Dakota as well, which will increase your chances for more clients. Your license fee is about $200.

#3. Michigan:

Michigan as a whole is relatively cheap when you compare it to the national average; housing, if not on the waterfront, is easy to come by, as is affordable as healthcare. There are, however, a larger amount of taxes. Your license to practice will cost you approximately $151.50, but you’ll have it in a month or two. The average home cost is very similar to that of Missouri – which is featured later in this list.

#2. Wisconsin:

In the cheese state, obtaining your license will cost you no more than $75, with the average wait time is between eight (8) and twelve (12) weeks. Wisconsin rides the country average when it comes to renting and owning homes or buildings, but that’s for the state as a whole, and not individual cities. There is also a dense population, promising you a bigger client base.

#1. Missouri:

You’ll find that Missouri is your go-to state for affordability; not only is your license to practice going to cost you a mere $75 with a two (2) to three (3) week waiting period, but it’s one of the cheaper states when it comes to housing. In places like St. Louis, you might find higher prices, but lesser cities will definitely show you a difference. The median home price in Missouri is $156,000.

A good thing to remember is that, the closer you get to one of the coasts, the more expensive it’s going to be. Whether it pays for itself truly depends on your neighbors, the other doctors, and competition, as well as your staff, affordability, and bedside manner. You have the chance to be great — go do it!

When you’re in the medical field, you see a vast variety of clientele walking through your practice doors. They can range from children to middle-aged adults all the way up to the elderly; and in most cases, it’s a great thing to have a wide range of individuals attracted to your health center. However, in a world run by technology, our medical practices and non-profits have no choice but to adapt to these changes if they want to keep their clients and reduce staff burn out. Most people are able to adapt along with us, but what about those who can’t? Our elderly patients might not have the time or the technological understanding to move along with the flow of things. So part of your job and your practice’s job is to help these patients keep up with their appointments and healthcare — because they’re some of the ones that need it the most. Here are some suggestions on how you can do that:

Given the elderly patient has access to the technology, show them how to navigate your Patient Portal. You might not have to show them every single detail; just enough to know where to find doctor information, appointments, and medications. More detailed material, such as test results, can be discussed in person.

Take time with your patient and have a conversation with them. The longer you spend with a patient, the more questions will be answered. Ideally, you would have in-depth, open conversations with all of your patients, but even if time is pressed, ensure extensive focus on providing key explanations to the elderly clientele.

Make follow up calls. Especially if you know the patient doesn’t have any family hanging around, make sure part of your staff follows up with them, checks on their reactions to medications, and just asks about their overall wellbeing.

Similar to the previous one: make appointment reminder phone calls in person, and not with an automated call. Technology is fantastic – and should definitely be utilized regardless of age – however, that doesn’t mean the “real life” touch should be thrown to the wayside… especially when dealing with elderly patients. Oftentimes, over the phone, patients will ask about their upcoming appointment or bring up new issues to discuss, and this could help steer the conversation the right way in the future.

The key is, when dealing with the elderly, to be exceptionally personable; take an extra minute or two with them, and see that they’re doing okay!