Re: Advice on opening new clinic

[Guest guest]

ph W. Freudenthal wrote:

>

> Hi everybody...I am an RPT with 5 1/2 years of ortho-outpt.

> experience. I am beginning the process of gathering information to

> find out the feasibility of opening a PTIP offering PT, OT, SP and

> massage therapy (my sister is a COTA and certified massage

> therapist). I live in a rural town in the midwest of 7000

> approximately 10 miles to the north of a 80,000 person town that has one

> major hospital with outpatient therapy services. There are also 3

> other outpt. therapy clinics in this larger town. One of which is a

> Health South facility. My town has no therapy services, 5 general

> practice physicians, 2 D.C.s. I know that competition is only one

> aspect of a feasibility study; What are the most important things to

> consider in everyone's view when contemplating opening a new PTIP? I

> thank you in advance for your help.

>

> Sincerely,

>

> ph Freudenthal

>

> ______________________________________________________________________

>

>

[Guest guest]

ph -

You may want to check out the sample marketing plan that we use when we

teach at the university level - it is at

<http://www.thefocusgroup.net/univerity%20sample_marketing_plan.htm>

You can also find several other marketing-related documents at

<http://www.thefocusgroup.net/university%20marketing.htm>

We also cover this topic in our latest textbook. You can find information

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<http://www.thefocusgroup.net/nosse%20and%20friberg%20text.htm>

Sorry this sounds like a commercial but... they are good resources.

At 05:27 PM 9/22/1998 -0600, you wrote:

I know that competition is only one

>aspect of a feasibility study; What are the most important things to

>consider in everyone's view when contemplating opening a new PTIP? I

>thank you in advance for your help.

>

>Sincerely,

>

>ph Freudenthal

R. Kovacek, MSA, PT

KovacekManagementServices, Inc.

The FOCUS Group, Inc.

20225 Danbury Lane

Harper Woods, MI 48225

Fax

Email Pkovacek@...

<http://www.theFOCUSgroup.net>

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[Guest guest]

>Hi everybody...I am an RPT with 5 1/2 years of ortho-outpt.

>experience. I am beginning the process of gathering information to

>find out the feasibility of opening a PTIP offering PT, OT, SP and

>massage therapy (my sister is a COTA and certified massage

>therapist). I live in a rural town in the midwest of 7000

>approximately 10 miles to the north of a 80,000 person town that has one

>major hospital with outpatient therapy services. There are also 3

>other outpt. therapy clinics in this larger town. One of which is a

>Health South facility. My town has no therapy services, 5 general

>practice physicians, 2 D.C.s. I know that competition is only one

>aspect of a feasibility study; What are the most important things to

>consider in everyone's view when contemplating opening a new PTIP? I

>thank you in advance for your help.

I would look at several items:

1. Do the local docs know who you and will they support you? Assuming you

have talked with them and they like you, do they have practices that use

therapy?

2. Do the residents of your town get their medical care in town or do they

always go to the larger community? There are many place where people will

complain if they have to drive more than 15 minutes to get services. In

others towns, traveling 15 minutes is nothing.

3. If your town is a bedroom community for the larger town are there enough

people during the day who will use therapy? I lived in a small town where

the local dentist did killer business with night hours for day shift

workers.

4. Can you get on the various insurance contracts or do the other practices

have a lock on the market?

5. Do you have enough money to make it through some pretty lean times while

the practice develops?

6. Are any of the local docs tied into medical groups in the larger town

that may have agreements with other providers?

7. Are the other practices looking at your town as their next expansion

location? That is not a killer, but be aware of it.

Good luck

Tom Frederick

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