Opening your new practice can be the start of an exciting journey. However, new doctors of chiropractic have limited skill sets in managing business and staff, doing marketing, and having proper patient procedures. Getting started might seem to be a challenging task, but if you have the right resources and tools, you can easily begin your journey as a practice owner. This guide outlines everything (with timelines) that you need to do in order to successfully start your chiropractic practice in the US.
Chapter 1: Getting Started
How to start a chiropractic business? Opening a chiropractic practice does not have to be complicated. Today, everything is online. Things that were difficult 10 years ago have now become easier. All you have to do is do your work with the right guidance. Before you decide to start the process of opening a new practice, here are some things you should ask yourselves:
Do I want the freedom to work as a leader?
If you want the freedom to practice chiropractic as a leader, you’re thinking in the right direction. You can decide where to work, whom to hire, and how to set your own standards.
Do I want to buy or start my own practice?
Buying and running a chiropractic business have their own advantages and disadvantages. Buying a practice enables you to kickstart things easily and get a good base of existing patients. However, it can get difficult to manage the practice’s existing staff and their expectations. There can be hidden liabilities too. By starting your chiropractic practice, you get complete control of your practice. You can set a flexible work schedule and control your expenditures and income. If you want to build your practice from the ground up, read on to know the first steps to build a startup practice in the chiropractic industry.
Projected timeline: Plan to do this about 6 months before starting your chiropractic practice.
1.1. Location
The success of any chiropractic practice depends on where it is located. The location of your practice can make or break your dream of becoming a successful practice owner. Starting a chiropractic business in the area where you live might seem convenient for you, but it may not be good for your yearly revenue.
You will find that in one area, you can only afford 1,000 square feet, while in another location, you can easily afford a space of 2,400 square at the same price. So how to decide which location is best for your new practice? Doing in-depth demographics analysis and having region-wise expenses and earnings data is essential.
According to the Chiropractic Economics 2022 Salary & Expense Survey, 57% of DCs stated that the suburbs are their preferred location. The number of urban practices dipped slightly from 31% last year to 29% this year. The number of rural practices dipped a bit from last year at 14% to 2021’s 15%.
Suburban practices had average billings of $699,950 and collections of $479,275 for a reimbursement rate of 68%. Rural practices reported a reimbursement rate of 77%, with $480,000 for billings and $372,000 for collections.
We will make it easy for you to decide which location is best for your first chiropractor practice. We compiled this chart that shows the expenses, earnings, billings, patient visits, and new patient visits, region-wise. (Data Source: Chiro Economics 2022 Salary & Expense Survey)
| Personal Characteristics | West | South | Midwest | East |
| Male | 69.7% | 71.5% | 71.5% | 70.4% |
| Female | 30.3% | 28.5% | 28.5% | 29.6% |
| Solo | 55.9% | 52% | 50.5% | 56% |
| Group/Partnership | 21% | 22.1% | 25% | 24.1% |
| Associate | 13.3% | 16.5% | 15.4% | 12% |
| Franchisee | 2.1% | 2.2% | 1.4% | 1.2% |
| Clinics Owned | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| Location | ||||
| Urban | 31.3% | 32% | 27.2% | 27.5% |
| Suburban | 58.2% | 55.3% | 54.3% | 62.5% |
| Rural | 10.5% | 12.6% | 18.5% | 10% |
| Clinic Stats | ||||
| Number of Employees | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| Patients/Week | 132.7 | 159.2 | 147 | 145.3 |
| New Patients/Week | 8.7 | 10 | 8.9 | 6.5 |
| Cash Only | 35.6% | 13.6% | 15.3% | 14.3% |
| Average Billings | $7,05,616 | $6,67,769 | $640.317 | $5,65,759 |
| Average Collections | $4,92,711 | $4,74,848 | $467.511 | $3,65,132 |
| Expenses | ||||
| Office Lease/Mortgage (year) | $18,196.00 | $14,295 | $17,594 | $15,400 |
| Advertising | $19,742.00 | $11,279 | $8,795 | $5,673 |
| Malpractice Insurance | $2,633.00 | $1,620 | $2,934 | $2,388 |
| Salaries | ||||
| Average Associate | $99,857 | $75,143 | $70,652 | $68,750 |
| Average CA | $45,993 | $33,566 | $33,212 | $38.267 |
| Average DC Total Comp. | $1,91,569 | $1,52,269 | $1,21,290 | $1,34,233 |
Apart from the income and expenses, here is what else you need to look for when choosing a practice location:
Patient demographics: The location you choose should be convenient for your patients to visit. If you’re treating middle age groups or retired people, your location should be near to retirement housings. If your target patient group is working people, you can choose a location that is close to high-rise buildings and apartments and offices.
Staff Convenience: You would have to hire a front office staff, an office manager, and a billing professional to manage your day-to-day operations. Choose a location that is convenient for your staff to travel to on a daily basis.
Amenities: People do expect to have a good parking space right in front of the clinic. Choose a location that offers ample parking space to give your patients a holistic experience. A location that is near coffee shops or restaurants could add to the experience.
1.2. Types of Chiropractic Practices
There are two types of chiro practices – solo and group.
Group Practice
This involves two or more chiropractic providers working together in the same practice. It allows you to collaborate and share expenses and earnings to build a great chiropractor practice together.
Solo Practice
This involves you working as a solo practitioner in your practice. You’re the only provider in the practice and have a small number of staff who help you manage your practice.
According to ChiroEco’s 2022 Annual Salary & Expense Survey results, solo DCs reported average billings of $429,800 and collections of $313,700, compared to average billings of $369,653 and collections of $263,737 last year. Group practice billings and collections are $1,069,270 (compared to $1,064,210 last year) and collections came in at $797,348 compared to $827,496 in 2021.
Since each practice type has its own set of pros and cons and the one you choose will depend upon what best suits your style and situation. We have compiled a comparison of solo vs group practices to make your work a little easier.
| Solo | Group | ||
| Pros | Cons | Pros | Cons |
| Complete control – You have full control over what goes on in your practice. From setting up your own patient protocols to handling staff, you decide everything. | Financial stress – The burden of getting funds for the practice increases when you decide to go solo. You have to make your ends meet and overcome the financial burden yourself. | Shared duties – You may be good at patient treatment, but your partner understands finances well. In a group practice, you can share duties and move ahead faster. | Lack of control – Group practitioners have less input in decision-making processes. |
| Sole profits – You get to control the profits of the practice. You can cut down expenses and increase revenue the way you want. You don’t have to share profits with any partner. | Total responsibility – From setup, staffing, management to carrying out the provider’s functions, going solo may feel overwhelming at times. | Less shared expenses – You and your partner can share the expenses for a little bigger office space and see more number of patients in a day together. | Shared staff and patients – The office staff is split between providers and so does the number of patients visiting your practice on a daily basis. |
| Less competition – You don’t have to compete with another provider in your practice and share the patient base | Mutual support – Managing a practice comes with day-to-day stresses. You and your partner can provide mutual support to get going. |
Image Source: Chiro Economics
1.2.1 Business Plan
If you’re thinking how to start a chiropractic business, let us tell you it is similar to starting any other business. You need a checklist for starting a chiropractic practice to ensure you know the ins and outs of how to run a business and make profits in the long run. If you have never written a business plan before, don’t worry, here is what you need to include in the business plan:
Executive Summary – Why you’re starting this practice, what will be your clinic’s keys to success, what’s your mission, what’s your sales projections, etc.
Company Summary – The name, address, and proprietorship of the practice, startup requirements, expenses, funding, liabilities, etc.
Services – Service descriptions, treatments for various conditions, technology for services, cute services, and more.
Market Analysis – Based on your practice location and target audience, write down the needs of the potential market and how you can fulfill them.
Market Strategy – You need to write down the systematic approach to manage patients and practice, how to market your chiropractic practice, the pricing strategy for each service, promotion and sales strategies, sale forecast, strategic alliance, and more.
Management Strategy – How many staff members do you need to start your practice? Perhaps, you need a receptionist and/or a part-time chiropractic assistant. You may need managed billing services or technology to manage billing. As you grow, you can take on additional personnel.
Financial Plan – This part of the business plan should include a break-even analysis, projected profit and loss, projected cash flow, and projected balance sheet.
Before writing your chiropractic business plan, you can take advice from people who have started their own businesses. In addition to books, there are tons of websites that can help as well. Use SBA’s startup cost calculator to see what it costs to run a new chiropractic business. You can try using Bplans to create your own business plan. It’s free to use and helps you use their chiropractic business plan as a starting point.
But make sure your business plan includes:
- An estimate of your start-up costs
- Estimated expenses and profits in a year
- Competitive analysis of your local market
- Creating an ideal patient profile and determining who you are trying to target
- A baseline marketing strategy with a budget
- Budgeting for equipment, property lease, extra services, or employees
- Outlining potential problems and their solutions
- As you write your business plan, you will understand your strengths and weaknesses which will help you build a strong business over time.
1.3. Financing & Funding
It takes money to start a chiropractic business. Usually, double what you think. Once you have your business plan and all the initial steps in place to start your chiropractor practice, you then need to delve into the costs and find out the sources to get money for establishing your new chiropractic practice.
1.3.1 Self-funding
Otherwise known as bootstrapping, self-funding is like using your own financial resources to support your new chiropractic business. Self-funding can come in the form of getting capital from family and friends or using your savings accounts or your 401(k) account. You retain complete control over how much you can pull from friends, family, or your own accounts for funding your business, but be careful. Spend as much as you can afford. Tapping into your 401(k) account can result in expensive fees or penalties.
1.3.2 Small Business Loan
If you’re not independently wealthy or don’t have family members who can bankroll your dreams, a small business loan can be your next choice. If you want to start a chiropractic practice using a loan amount, a good place to start is the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) website. Understanding how to start a chiropractic practice involves not just medical expertise but also sound financial planning. You will find other financing options like cash advances, lines of credit, and invoices of finance. We have listed down the current rates, terms, and days required for obtaining funding in the below table:
| Types | Rates | Terms | Funding |
| Bank | 6-10% | 3-7 years | 14-30 days |
| SBA | 6-10% | 3-7 years | 10-30 days |
| Line of Credit | 5-15% | 1 – 3 years | 7-30 days |
| Alternative | 6-25% | 1-5 years | 5-7 days |
| Cash Advance | 1.16-1.55 | 3-24 months | 1-3 days |
| Invoice of Finance | 1-2% weekly | 1 – 90 days | 1-3 days |
If you decide to go for a small business loan, you have to begin your journey with a loan proposal.
1.3.2.1 Write a loan proposal
Getting a loan can be really difficult or fairly depending on how prepared you are. Here are some basic things that a loan proposal should have:
- Create a robust business plan. This is critical to an accurate loan amount.
- Information about your collateral and capital
- Personal financial information
- Your business name, number of employees, credit score, etc.
- You need an expense sheet and financial projections for the next five years.
- Once you have your business plan and loan proposal ready, contact banks and credit unions to request a loan.
1.3.3. SBA investment programs
As a chiropractic practice owner who is just starting out, you can try getting capital funds from Small Business Investment Company (SBIC). Learn more about SBICs to see if your business might qualify.
Chapter 2: Preparing to open
Chapter 2 highlights everything you need to know in terms of the legal steps you need to take for your chiropractic practice.
Projected timeline: Plan to do this about 3 months before opening your practice.
2.1. Business Plan
If you’re thinking about how to start a chiropractic business, let us tell you it is similar to starting any other business. You need a solid plan to ensure you make profits in the long run. If you have never written a business plan before, don’t worry, here is what you need to include in the business plan:
Executive Summary – Why you’re starting this practice, what will be your clinic’s keys to success, what’s your mission, what are your sales projections, etc.
2.1.1. Sole Proprietorship
If you want to start your new chiropractic practice as a sole proprietor, you will declare all income from the practice and deduct all business expenses from your personal income tax return. Your personal income and practice income will act the same in this case. So all income coming to and expenses going from the practice must be recorded. You will be a self-employed person in a sole proprietorship. You will pay a self-employment tax, and not FICA tax.
2.1.2. Professional Association (Corporation)
As a new chiropractic practice owner, you can form a professional association (also known as a professional corporation). As the owner of the corporation, the chiropractor is a stockholder. Professional Association requires an elected board of directors and they are doctors of chiropractic. Directors then elect a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. You can fill all of these roles initially if you so choose and hire employees to carry out day-to-day patient care.
In this business structure, the professional corporation is considered a legal entity, so you must file a separate income tax return annually. There are two choices in incorporating a professional corporation – an S-Corp or a C-Corp. Consult with an accountant and/or attorney to determine which is the best choice for your practice.
2.1.3. Limited Liability Corporation
If you wish to enter a formal business arrangement with another chiropractor (as a partner), you can decide to form a limited liability company (LLC). The partnership company bills all of the patients and pays all the expenses. Profit from the partnership is divided among the doctors (partners) according to agreed-upon compensation. The partnership income is then allocated to personal income and reported on your personal income tax form. In the partnership LLC company, you will get benefits such as investment tax credits, depreciation, and contributions.
2.1.4. Independent Contractor (IC)
An independent contractor is one who rents space, equipment and staff services from an already established doctor. When entering into this business structure, the agreement must not have any hint of control over the IC. Visit www.irs.gov to know more about “independent contractor”
2.2. Obtaining Tax ID and Information on Taxes
Compliance with applicable tax laws in your state is essential to the long-term health of your practice. Here is what you need to do for obtaining a tax ID:
2.2.1. Obtain Tax ID from IRS
A tax ID number must be obtained from the IRS if you are not going to operate as a sole proprietor. A sole proprietor can apply for a business taxpayer ID number from the IRS, called an Employer Identification Number (EIN). See the IRS website for more information on obtaining an EIN.
2.2.2. Tax withholding
If your practice is going to follow the business structure of a partnership or corporation or you will employees, you must withhold taxes for all employees and submit them to both the state and federal governments on a regular basis. The tax withholding rules vary from state to state. Check with your state treasurer’s office for the proper procedures and forms to comply with your state’s tax laws.
2.2.3. Income Taxes
If you’re going to pay taxes under a Social Security number or EIN, you will need to pay income taxes by 31st December of every year. At least 90 percent of the annual income tax liability for a given year must be paid to the government by December 31st.
2.2.4. Property Taxes
If you will buy your office premise and own it, you will likely be responsible for real estate property taxes. You will have to contact your state treasurers’ offices for information on applicable local taxes. If you’re going to lease a property, check with your property landlord because sometimes, property owners include the property tax in the pricing and terms of the lease agreement and pass it on to the lessee.
2.2.5. Sales Taxes
You won’t have to pay sales taxes on chiropractic services, but if your new practice is going to sell products, such as nutritional supplements, orthotics, and other misc items, they may be subject to sales tax. You may have to obtain a sales tax license from the state and in some cases, from counties and cities. You will use the sales tax number to report payments on taxable items.
2.3. Obtaining NPI Number
The National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a 10-digit identification number that the federal government assigns to healthcare providers, including chiropractors. According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), this NPI number helps to reduce fraud and improve the efficiency of the healthcare system.
As a new chiropractor, you can get an NPI number by contacting the NPI Enumerator or you can go to nppes.cms.hhs.gov.
2.4. Purchasing Insurances for Your Practice
Every business owner understands the importance of insurance, but for chiropractic professionals, it’s even more crucial. In the United States, doctors of chiropractic with their own chiro practices are required to obtain malpractice insurance and other types of insurances.
2.4.1. Malpractice Insurance
It protects chiropractors from potential malpractice lawsuits associated with chiropractic treatment. There are two types of malpractice insurance available to chiropractors:
- Claims-made insurance: Claims-made insurance covers you only if the policy is in effect both when the incident/accident occurred and when the lawsuit is filed. This is a cheaper insurance policy. Claims-made is a good choice for a new practice that don’t have too many assets or clients initially.
- Occurrence insurance: This insurance offers protection to you and your practice for an event that happened during a period of coverage. It doesn’t matter when the lawsuit is filed. This coverage is good when you have some disposable cash and more things at stake. It is expensive and kind of permanent coverage for your practice.
Here are the things to consider when purchasing chiropractic malpractice insurance:
- Most chiropractic liability insurance policies will cover your legal defense and the settlement amount that comes with a lawsuit. Make sure to find a provider that covers other things.
- When lawsuits go to trial, chances are the provider won’t have time to see patients. Look for a provider that offers malpractice insurance with loss of earnings reimbursements.
- Some insurance providers offer malpractice insurance coverage for events that happened for a certain period of time before you purchased the policy.
- Providers are subject to claims even after they retire or sell the practice. If possible, go for a run-off cover that protects you for a certain number of years after you finish practicing.
- Tail coverage is applicable in claims-made insurances where you’re covered for lawsuits filed after your policy has ended.
2.4.2. Worker’s Compensation Insurance
Workers’ compensation insurance is required in almost every state for chiropractic clinics that have employees. It can cover employees’ immediate medical costs ongoing medical costs, such as medication, and lost wages while the employee is unable to work. How much you need to pay as a worker’s compensation insurance premium is determined by the type of work done by your employees (classification rate), your experience modification rate (claims history), and your payroll (per $100).
The formula is:
Classification rate x Experience modification rate x (Payroll / 100) = Premium
2.4.3. Business Owner’s Policy
It is a combination of general liability insurance with commercial property insurance for healthcare professionals. You can customize this insurance based on the number of employees, annual revenue, and more. It could protect your practice against damage to business property, patient injuries and property damage, and advertising injuries.
2.4.4. Cyber Liability Insurance
Chiropractic practices store the personal health information (PHI) of patients, including patient records, test results, and bills. The federal Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires practices to keep patient records and other personally identifiable information confidential. Any data breach could result in heavy penalties and fines. Cyber liability insurance coverage protects your practice from cyber threats and data breaches.
2.5. Chiropractic Credentialing
The process of authenticating a chiropractic provider’s qualifications is termed as credentialing. Getting the necessary credentials helps newly graduated doctors of chiropractic to provide assurance to patients that they can provide quality care to patients. The credentialing process is carried out by experienced and professional experts. It is a bit complicated process and requires you to submit multiple documents to obtain credentials. The documents required are medical license, malpractice insurance, etc.
Most health insurance companies have made credentialing mandatory as it enables patients to utilize their insurance to pay for chiropractic services. You need to pay for initial credentialing and re-credentialing (when the credentials expire).
Chapter 3: Practice Equipment and Technology
There’s a lot to plan when you open a new chiropractic clinic. One of the things you need to plan for is equipment and technology. You need a lot more than just a chiropractic table and waiting room chairs. We’ve prepared two lists – one for equipment and one for technology to help you get started easily.
Projected timeline: Plan to do this about 2 months before opening your practice.
3.1. Chiropractic Office Equipment
| Room | Equipment |
| Waiting Room | Chairs Center table Plants Literature rack Product display Water cooler Coat rack |
| Front Desk | Computer(s/) Phone(s/) Credit card processing machine Printer/copier/fax machine Filing cabinet(s/) |
| Treatment Room | Flat treatment table Specialty table (designed for specific techniques like upper cervical or side posture/) Stationary drop table (various sections drop during adjustments/) Adjusting table (operates from standing to flat position/) Flexion table (pelvic section of table flexes downward/) Elevation table (height can be adjusted up or down/) Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation Intersegmental Traction Table Cold laser Activator adjustment tool Other specialized treatment equipment |
| Provider Office | Desk Chair Computer Phone Side chair(s/) Storage |
| Diagnostic Room | X-Ray machine 3-D X-ray machine (if you need) Therapeutic ultrasound machine Surface electromyography (EMG) Other specialized diagnostic tools |
You can lease these equipment on rent or get a business loan to purchase equipment for your new chiropractic clinic. If you plan to buy them, the process can be complex and may involve managing equipment purchase orders, vendors, invoices, and delivery schedules, among other things.
3.2. Chiropractic Software Tools
| Technology | Use |
| Chiropractic EHR | Digitizing records and streamlining communication is a high priority for a chiropractic provider. You need a well-functioning EHR system for your chiropractic practice to maintain patient records, bills, invoices, SOAP notes, communicate, and much more. |
| Chiropractic Practice Management Software | Integrated with your EHR system, a practice management system for chiropractic practices keeps track of all your front-office and back-office operations, including scheduling, documentation, billing, claim management, review management, patient reactivation, and much more. |
| Chiropractic Billing Software | With chiropractic billing software, you won’t have to hire staff to oversee the billing process. Chiropractic billing software streamlines your revenue cycle and helps you get paid on time. You can even hire managed billing service provider to manage claims, appeal rejected or denied claims, and take the burden of billing off your shoulders. |
| Chiropractic Scheduling Software | Optimizing your scheduling process will be essential for keeping your patient administration running smoothly. Choose scheduling software that offers an online appointment scheduling portal and automated text and email reminders to your patients. |
You can lease these equipment on rent or get a business loan to purchase equipment for your new chiropractic clinic. If you plan to buy them, the process can be complex and may involve managing equipment purchase orders, vendors, invoices, and delivery schedules, among other things.
3.3. Chiropractic Products You Can Sell
| Vitamins & Supplements |
| Nutrient-Rich Superfoods |
| Cervical Support Pillows |
| Multi-Purpose Taping |
| Orthopedic Bracing |
| Seat Cushions & Backrests |
Chapter 4: Establishing Policies and Procedures
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) formulated and published compliance program regulations for individual and small-group practices in October 2000. For new chiropractors, there are so many things to consider when it comes to establishing policies and procedures for remaining compliant with healthcare regulations. Chiropractors need to maintain proper patient documentation, use a secure and reliable chiropractic EHR, adhere to HIPAA rules and establish medical necessity on claims.
Projected timeline: Plan to do this about 2 months before opening your practice.
Here is what you need to know before establishing proper procedures for sound compliance:
4.1. Documentation Standards
The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) stresses the importance of completely documenting each patient encounter. If you register yourself as a Medicare provider, both the OIG and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) requires DCs to have more stringent documentation standards.
4.2. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Compliance
As you open your new chiropractic practice, make sure to create written standards and procedures for accessing the patient records and authorizations required for it. All HIPAA compliance policies and procedures should be implemented on regular basis. New chiropractic practice owners should also establish standards for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure a safe and healthful working environment for employees.
4.3. Self-Audits
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) requires chiropractic practices to complete self-audits annually to assess their safeguards securing PHI. Practice owners must have procedures in place to identify gaps and address those gaps with remediation plans.
4.4. Administrative, physical, and technical safeguards
Administrative safeguards relate to policies and procedures that dictate proper uses and disclosures of PHI. Administrative safeguards also include employee training. Physical safeguards relate to the security surrounding your practice. For example, areas and cabinets containing PHI must not be accessible to unauthorized individuals. Technical safeguards relate to the security measures that secure your desktop computers, laptops, mobile devices, and other technologies used in your practice.
4.5. Employee training and business associate management
If you plan to hire employees in your new chiropractic, they must be trained on HIPAA standards, as well as your practice’s established policies and procedures. When working with EHR vendors or other business associates, make sure they are HIPAA compliant and taking adequate measures to protect the PHI that they create, maintain, store, or transmit on your practice’s behalf.
4.6. Meaningful Use Standards
These standards are prescribed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services that tell what is expected of a chiropractic practice’s use of an EHR system. You must implement these standards when using EHR technology otherwise, you could face reimbursement penalties.
Chapter 5: Staffing Your Practice
Hiring the right staff for your new practice is crucial for maintaining an efficient and productive practice. A chiropractic staff is typically made up of front desk specialists, office managers, certified chiropractic assistants and billing specialists. You need to hire people who have the required skill sets for the given position. We have tried to answer some of the questions that new practice owners often ask:
Projected timeline: Plan to do this about 1 month before opening your practice.
Who should I hire first?
As you’re just starting out, you will need a front desk assistant who will act as the receptionist and the appointment scheduler for the clinic. Once you hire front desk staff, you can begin hiring an office manager and a clinical assistant if appropriate for your new practice needs.
What compensation should I offer?
The compensation depends on the experience level, responsibilities, and geography. It also depends on whether you’re hiring a part-time or full-time employee. Check your state chiropractic association to help you determine a reasonable starting point for compensating your new hire.
Where to look for staff?
Once you have defined the job responsibilities, you can put an advertisement on Craigslist and Monster.com or other job sites. Hiring a member of the family works well for many chiropractors too. Some chiropractors also hire one of their first patients.
What should be the interview process?
If you’re managing the hiring process yourself, you can select the resumes that meet your criteria. Conduct a phone interview and call the selected candidates for an in-person interview. Once the candidate passes all of the hiring tests, ask for three to four references. Upon contacting the references, don’t forget to do background verification as the new hire is going to deal with protected health information. You must make sure you’re hiring the right person for handling patient records. If you’re hiring a family member such as spouse/brother/sister, the interview process becomes much easier as you know most of the qualities and can put your trust in him or her.
How do I train my staff?
It is important to train your staff to understand the policies, procedures, and HIPAA compliance. Staff training should be organized in a very methodical way. Create a Training Guide that includes everything – from office procedures, and policies to how to use the chiropractic EHR system. Then set a training timeline and when it’s training time, give new team members the appropriate sections of the Training Guide according to the training timeline.
Chapter 6: Marketing Your Practice
Marketing and building your online presence are fundamental to running a chiropractic practice. Having a website, a presence on social media, advertising on local publications are all important to market your new practice.
Projected timeline: Plan to do this about 3 months before opening your practice.
6.1. Create a Great Website
Build an amazing website that has all the information about your practice and an option to book online appointments can give you an added advantage. You can either use website building tools or hire a developer to build it for you. Before you build a website, you need to purchase a domain name, pick a hosting site, get SSL certification, get professional photos of your office and team, and create content. When everything is in place, get a website created and build your first step to being online in today’s tech-savvy world.
6.2. Google My Business Listing
Chiropractic practices depend on local traffic and the best way to promote your business locally is to claim your Google My Business account. Provide the necessary details and make it as informative as possible to let your patients know what you offer, where to find you, and how to book an appointment.
6.3. Create Social Media Accounts
Create business pages for your practice on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media channels. Your target group will find you through these channels. Start posting and promoting your practice as early as possible so that you start getting traffic to your practice on the first day of opening.
6.4. Promote Special Opening Offers
Everyone loves freebies. Special care packages are a great way to get word-of-mouth going. Advertise in local newspapers or run paid campaigns on Google or social media to promote your special opening offer.
6.5. Patient Reviews – Do this after you open your practice
A good word about your new practice can bring a lot of a long way. Request your patients who love you to leave a positive review about your practice and then use that information in your marketing material to get the most out of it.
Chapter 7: Opening Your New Practice
A few weeks before the opening day, make sure to check the following things to ensure a successful launch day:
7.1. Check the layout of the office space – from the waiting room, and consultation room to the placement of equipment and furniture. The office layout should ensure staff efficiency and the flow of patients.
7.2. Check the functioning of the treatment equipment you’ve bought or leased. If you’ve taken a subscription to chiropractic EHR software or integrated practice management software, make sure you and your hired staff are well-trained to use it.
7.3. If you’re planning a grand opening day, make sure to prepare your office, pamphlets, business cards, website, and other marketing materials accordingly.
You can do it…
Although opening a new practice can seem overwhelming, you can do it with the right resources, tools, and tips. Learning “how to open a chiropractic practice” can provide a clear roadmap for your initial launch and lay the foundation for future expansions.
If you successfully launch your new practice and make it successful, you’ll have the experience in hand to repeat the process and open your second facility in the years to come.
FAQs on Starting and Managing a Practice
Q: How do you start a chiropractic practice?
Ans: If you are thinking about taking the leap and opening up your own chiropractic practice, congratulations! To make the most of your time and investment, we’ll share a 10-step process to help you understand how to start a chiropractic business:
- Find out the best location for your practice
- Decide whether you want to start group or solo practice
- Create a business plan and finance plan
- Incorporate your business as a legal entity
- Get the necessary tax IDs, insurance & licenses
- Hire and train practice staff
- Purchase clinic equipment and technology
- Create your website and establish procedures
- Start marketing your practice, online and offline
- Open your new practice
Q: How do you run a successful chiropractic office?
Ans: Starting and managing a chiropractic office is a challenging task. But not when you have the right technology and strategies in place. Below are a few actionable items you should be doing every day to run a successful chiropractic practice:
- Start using chiropractic practice management software to make everything in your office run frictionless.
- Train your staff to stay organized and equip them with tools so that they can serve patients better.
- Automate as many administrative tasks as possible so you can spend more time with patients.
- Outsource your billing operations if you want to save more time and money and get paid faster.
- Implement patient reactivation and online review management software systems.
- Make appointment booking and schedule management easy for patients and staff.
- Keep track of practice’s KPIs and financial health with actionable reports.
Q: How do you manage a chiropractic clinic?
Ans: Managing a chiropractic practice successfully require more than just the technical aspect of chiropractic care. There is so much to do for a chiropractor – treat patients, train staff, manage day-to-day operations, keep track of claims, and so much more. One software can change everything for your practice. Starting a chiropractic practice involves understanding the importance of efficiency and organization. One of the best ways to efficiently manage your chiropractic clinic is to use chiropractic practice management software. The software automates all your administrative tasks, from scheduling, charting, insurance billing, patient communication, education to revenue cycle management.
Have any specific questions about our chiropractic practice management software? We’d be happy to help you out. Give us a call at +1 (800) 939-0319 for a free demo.
Q: How long does it take to build a chiropractic practice?
Ans: Setting up your own chiropractic practice can take anywhere from 6 months to a year. Chiropractors understand the ins and outs of their services, but they also need to understand how to manage a practice in order to succeed. To build a successful chiropractic practice, modernize your practice by implementing chiropractic software.
Chiropractic Software allows you to manage all aspects of your practice from one dashboard through an easy to use and user-friendly interface. It automates everything from billing to scheduling and reporting. Chiropractic practice management software helps you build a successful business by:
- Making the scheduling and intake process run more quickly
- Enabling your staff to manage appointments, rescheduling, and reactivation
- Saving time when you create SOAP notes with voice dictation
- Cutting down on claim submission times and increasing cash flow
- Creating detailed reports to help you track financial health
- Enabling you to stay compliant with regulatory requirements
- Helping your staff do more with their time
