Whether you realize it or not, whether you like it or not, you are not just a doctor. You’re not merely a
medical professional—you are, in fact, a small business owner. Yes, you were trained in medicine. You
went to medical school, completed your residency, and spent countless years honing your skills to
become a medical professional. Yet, there’s a strong likelihood that during all those years, you learned
almost nothing about running a small business. And that’s exactly what you have—a small
business—when you operate a clinic that treats patients.
As a small business owner, you’re required to navigate a world that goes beyond just practicing
medicine. You need to manage employees, each with their own personalities, work ethics, and levels of
productivity. You have to oversee contractors and vendors—ensuring they’re delivering the services
they promised, at fair prices, and in a manner that contributes to the growth of your business. You’ll
have to figure out if they are essential to your operations or merely nice-to-haves.
Moreover, you’re responsible for securing malpractice insurance, professional insurance, employee
insurance, and more. You’ll have to handle the rent for your offices, utilities, salaries, and ensure
compliance with the American Medical Association, HIPAA, and other regulatory bodies. To run a
successful clinic, you need standard operating procedures (SOPs), systems, checklists, and quality
control measures. And you need capable employees and contractors to execute these systems, ensuring
your clinic runs smoothly.
On top of all that, you must also deal with marketing, sales, and taxes. While many doctors outsource
marketing to various agencies, the sales aspect is something only you or your staff, under your direct
supervision, can handle. After all, marketing agencies are not licensed medical professionals and cannot
practice medicine—only you or your team can do that. So, whether you know it or not, whether you like
it or not, you are also a salesperson.
Not only do you need to handle these responsibilities, but you also need to master them. You must be
deeply involved in selecting the right employees, vendors, services, strategies, and tactics to ensure your
clinic doesn’t just break even, but thrives. Without these elements in place, you risk running your clinic
at a loss, possibly working 80 to 100 hours a week, just like in your residency, merely to stay afloat.
There are countless factors involved in running a successful clinic, and most doctors have no idea what
they’re getting into when they first open their doors. In today’s rapidly changing healthcare landscape,
where many doctors are merging with hospitals or other clinics, running a successful independent
practice is more challenging than ever. You need help to run a successful clinic—no one can do it alone.
It’s simply impossible.
In the face of all these things, it’s important to remember one thing: don’t be discouraged. This book
was written to be your guide, helping you make the right choices to run a successful clinic that not only
sustains you financially but also supports the lifestyle you desire. You can achieve success without
working 70, 80, or even 100 hours a week. If you want to run a thriving medical clinic while maintaining
a healthy work-life balance and earning the rewards of your hard-earned efforts, then this book is for
you. I’m glad you’ve decided to start reading it.
In this book, you’ll explore the following topics: