Starting your own dermatology clinic can be a rewarding and lucrative career, but it’s important to know what you’re getting into before jumping in. This article breaks down the different services you should offer, the necessary licenses and certifications, as well as how to market a new business.
You’ll also want to make sure that you have a solid team in place to help run the clinic smoothly and provide quality care to your patients.
What Services Should You Offer?
When determining the services to offer, consider what your ideal clients will need. For example, if you’re located in a coastal town, then skin cancer screenings should be one of your main focuses. If there isn’t an emphasis on skin cancer treatment or prevention where you live, it’s best not to launch any kind of specialized treatment until enough patients start coming through the door.
It can also be helpful to survey local dermatologists and see what they think about offering specific procedures as well as patient demand before deciding which procedures should be at the forefront of your business plan.
Licenses and Certifications
To offer the services, you’re planning on offering, you’ll need to acquire several licenses and certifications. Depending on which state you plan to open your clinic in, some of these may be necessary before even opening your doors, while others only come into play when certain procedures are being performed.
For example, suppose you plan on doing any kind of growth treatment for medical purposes such as wrinkle reduction or breast augmentation. In that case, you’ll need a medical license (which usually takes between three and six years of post-graduate training).
However, if all your procedures will be cosmetic in nature, then the only licensing requirements will be whatever is necessary for whatever service(s) you end up choosing.
It’s also important to know that these certifications and licenses can vary from state to state, and not all states will allow certain procedures at all. For example, it’s illegal for a dermatologist to perform mole removal or skin tags in some states, while another state might only require laceration repair.
If you’re unsure of what you’ll need where you plan on opening your clinic (or if you plan on offering multiple services), then it’s best to consult with an attorney who specializes in small business formation.
Marketing Your New Dermatology Clinic
Marketing strategies should be carefully planned out before moving forward with starting a new business. To market a new clinic properly, it’s important to figure out exactly what kind of environment potential patients would feel most comfortable in.
For example, if your prospective market is more visual, then you’ll want to display beautiful before and after photos of all your procedures. If your ideal client is more hands-on, consider hosting events where potential patients can try out some new treatments for themselves.
Take a look at what type of marketing currently works for other dermatologists (or clinics like yours) and adapt those strategies to make them work for you.
Team Behind the Dermatology Clinic
It would be best if you also planned on hiring one or two technicians right away to help with administrative tasks such as answering phones and scheduling appointments once you’re open for business.
It’s also helpful to hire one dedicated receptionist who will be able to greet every patient that walks through the door upon arrival, explain what they’ll need to do next, and be able to help you coordinate between the various tasks that will need to be completed throughout their visit.
Looking for a better option? Consider investing in good dermatology practice management software so that you can effectively streamline your patient’s records and maintain the best possible service.
Additionally, it’s helpful to have a strong team in place before opening your doors for business. This includes a lawyer who can handle any licensing issues or legal questions that come up, one marketing specialist who can design flyers and develop promotional campaigns for social media sites, and one dedicated receptionist.
Keeping Your Dermatology Clinic Running Smoothly
Positive patient reviews are extremely important when it comes to keeping any type of business afloat. This also includes dermatology clinics. It’s important to regularly post positive reviews on social media sites as well as give feedback cards out to every new patient.
It’s also helpful to ask your technicians and receptionist for their input as far as what you can improve upon to make the most of any negative reviews that come up.
Starting your own dermatology clinic can be a daunting task, but if you plan carefully and execute a well-thought-out marketing strategy, you’re sure to be successful. Make sure to consult with experts in all areas of business before opening your doors, and remember that positive patient reviews are key to success. With the right team in place, you’ll be able to provide quality care for your patients while running a smoothly operating clinic.