Authors: Elaine M Aldred (Forewards by Martin Young and Richard Blackwell)

Number of Pages: 304

Publication Date: 2006

Cover: Paperback

A step-by-step guide on how to set up your own complementary health care practice. This book covers every aspect of starting up a new practice, taking into account the wide range of practice requirements from the very simple (e.g. in therapist's own home) to the more ambitious (e.g. buying premises from which to set up a clinic). It covers all the legal requirements, detailed and precise financial calculations and the mechanics of how the therapist goes about making their vision a reality. Day-to-day aspects that need to be considered when the practice is up and running are covered. The manual is relevant for a broad spectrum of complementary practitioners, from chiropractors to massage therapists.

Features

• Comprehensive and practical 
• Gives clear advice on legal and financial requirements, the production of a marketing strategy and the presentation of the precise financial calculations required for a business plan, with worked examples 
• Includes detailed information on how to write a business plan, with a numerically linked example 
• Covers day-to-day aspects of running a practice International in its approach, the book contains extensive lists of useful web addresses for access to up-to-the-minute information 
• Financial templates are supplied as appendices

The book offers key advice for all therapists (chiropractors, osteopaths, massage therapists and complementary therapists) and is suitable for undergraduates, newly qualified practitioners and experienced practitioners looking to either start up or develop and grow their practice.

Contents

Part I Initial Preparation
1 Where do I start? Brainstorming
2 How do you decide on the type of practice you want?
3 Ways of trading
4 The mechanics of putting the practice together – location, location, location
5 Dealing with professionals in the start up and running of your practice
6 Insurance
7 Contracts
8 Legislation
Part II Marketing
9 Marketing introduction
10 Market research
11 Analysing marketing information and preparing it for use
12 Introduction to advertising and public relations
13 Advertising and promotion
14 Public relations
Part III Financial Matters
15 Finance introduction
16 Financial considerations for your business plan
17 Putting a business plan together
18 Raising finance
Patr IV Procedure 19 Clinic procedure
20 Working with the conventional medical profession
21 Strategies for coping with the demands on you while you are developing your clinic
22 How to deal with money matters now your clinic is open
23 What about the future?
Index