It can be exciting to think about starting up your own clinic. You will be at the point where you will have a vision for what you want to achieve and how you want your clinic to work. Your own healthcare business can be a big venture to take on, and so you may not be fully aware of everything that is involved. What might you need to think about when it comes to getting things off the ground? With that in mind, here are some of the things that you could consider.
Social media can also be a great way to connect with patients. So many people spend their time online that you need to think about how you can utilise these platforms for your business opportunity. It might be specific hashtags relevant to the area so you can advertise locally. Targeting the community can also help, such as heading to local events, offering sponsorship or even having a dedicated stand or stall at events where you can capture patient details and get them signed up.
Outsourcing elements of the business
As a healthcare provider you will want to ensure that you offer up the best level of care in all aspects of your business model and clinic. So you may want to consider outsourcing certain aspects of it. This helps you improve the level of care and also maintain functionality. Whether that is experts in specific fields such as Premier Anesthesia or whether you choose to outsource in terms of nurses and staff, having the highest quality of care should and always will be your main priority and focus.
Making things easier for clients
It isn’t just about the location and how people know you exist, it is also about making things easier once those people become your clients. Most things are done online these days, and so a decent website for your business is going to be an essential thing for you. The communication side of things that a website can offer, not just with information, but also having the facility for clients to message you directly. Your website is going to be one of the first ports of call for any potential client or patient, so take the time to figure out what information and content will be vital. The use of keywords within the content is also going to be important, so that you can think about the way your website might rank in search engine results. You might also need to think about the communication in terms of calls and emails, delivery aspects or when appointments are due.
Branding is also a key element
You may think that a healthcare clinic, be it a dentist, surgery or cosmetic clinic will be able to advertise and speak for itself. You are offering up a service that people might need, after all. But you also need to think about branding, as people are attracted to something that they feel looks and is professional. You don’t want something gimmicky or play on humour too much, considering your business is somewhat serious. But you also want to be able to attract the attention of others, and stand out from potential competitors.
Let’s hope these tips help your healthcare business stand out.
Every business goes through a steep learning curve. While we all have lessons to learn one of the biggest is in minimizing downtime. Everybody talks about efficiency as this crucial component. And yes, they are correct, but to minimize business downtime it’s not as simple as cutting corners or minimizing expenditure. When it comes to minimizing downtime and maximizing efficiency, what are the big takeaways that every business can learn from?
The Little Things That Nobody Else Will Notice
Ensuring that everything is running at its optimum is vital. And this means taking notice of the things that nobody else would. When it comes to an industry like manufacturing there are so many small components that need addressing to make every part of the conveyor belt work efficiently. If your machines don’t work, nothing else will, so think about the tiny components that need addressing at these points. Even something as simple as oiling the machines needs addressing. There are providers like CITGO Lubricants and numerous others that work to make the smaller components of machinery working at its optimum. When you start to take notice of the little things it makes you appreciate the bigger things.
Regular Maintenance
It sounds obvious but having regular maintenance is something that many companies don’t have the time for. As businesses feel that they need to continue pushing forward it means that there’s more pressure piled on each individual worker and when there is a problem with this system or they’re not able to do the tasks efficiently, it’s not until there is a major spanner in the works that this becomes apparent. Having regular maintenance set to a schedule will make sure that you are prepared for such an event. We have got to remember that each piece of equipment has a certain life span. And rather than waiting for it to run its natural course, if you schedule regular maintenance checks you will end up saving money and stress.
Visualize What Downtime Looks Like
Many companies aren’t prepared for downtime until they face it square in the jaw. Once you learn from this you are better prepared. But it’s a far more proactive approach to visualize what downtime looks like for your business. Are people sat around twiddling their thumbs? How much money is being lost by the minute? When you start to ask yourself these pertinent questions you can put processes in place to minimize downtime and maximize efficiency in other ways. With something like technical issues, you could set up a system of notifications that alerts people to specific problems. This means that rather than it going to one person who isn’t able to start addressing the problem right away it goes to a specific team so they are able to get on the issue right away.
Nobody likes the idea of downtime but in order to make sure that you minimize it, it’s essential that you put the stops in place. This can be about maintaining the equipment itself but also about a far better approach towards visualizing the big picture.
Factors to Consider in Setting up Temporary Medical Facilities
by Sharon Jones
The number of confirmed COVID-19 patients in the Philippines
continues to rise. The problems related to the pandemic continue to worsen,
including the full capacity of hospitals, lack of proper isolation facilities
for persons under investigation (PUIs) and persons under monitoring (PUMs), and
lack of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for frontliners.
To help assist hospitals that handle COVID-19 related cases,
the Philippine Red Cross put up a medical field tent at the National Kidney
and Transplant Institute in Quezon City. The city administration of Imus,
Cavite, put up at least five field hospitals, each equipped
with ten beds, an oxygen tank, and other health amenities.
If the needs arise, local government units (LGUs) and
hospitals might need to modify their interior space or set up more temporary
medical facilities. In this case, they must consider the following elements outlined by the U.S.
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Technical Resources, Assistance
Center, and Information Exchange (ASPR TRACIE).
Planning
The surge of patients is expected to continue amid the
COVID-19 pandemic. For this issue to be addressed, it is critical to have a
hospital-wide approach and integration with concerned departments and
supervisors. Hospitals and healthcare facilities must discuss the emergency
department volume versus the expected amount of patients, coordinate discharge
plans, and address staffing issues. The cost of operation must also be
considered. Additional expenses may include lighting, security, additional
staffing, and rental or acquisition of tents.
Thresholds
Advance planning and analysis of data from previous similar
events will help hospitals establish their thresholds in their additional
temporary facilities. Considerations may be made based on the volume of the
emergency department or patients that need to be admitted. LGUs can expand
their hospital capacity by renting or acquiring medical tents with the help of
trusted tent manufacturers in the Philippinesthat can
cater to their diverse needs.
Coordination
Hospitals, LGUs, and the national government must be
well-coordinated, especially if they plan to set up the temporary facilities in
locations that might potentially affect traffic flow. Moreover, they should
work well with the local barangays to help minimize the influx of patients by
educating citizens about proper health care and alternative options to a
hospital visit.
Considerations for Staff and Patients’ Behavioral Health
Needs
This pandemic has claimed lives and caused anxiety, worry,
and fear. With the rising number of PUIs and PUMs and the lack of testing kits
and hospital facilities, it is understandable that the patients, along with
their families and the hospital staff, feel stressed and tired.
Patients and their families are concerned about their health
and their healthcare, and receiving treatment in a non-traditional setting may
add to their stress. Meanwhile, hospital staff might be working extra shifts or
might know the patients, so they are likely overworked and stressed. They might
feel more stressed when they need to provide care in an unfamiliar environment,
such as a temporary field hospital.
Thus, LGUs and hospitals must provide for the behavioral
needs of patients and staff. They can do this by encouraging short breaks and
stocking hospital break rooms with healthy drinks and snacks. They can also
provide antibacterial wipes or alcohol and post self-care and proper hygiene
reminders. Maintaining an adequate supply of PPEs, encouraging its use, and
providing on-site faith-based support for both patients and staff can aid them
in this situation.
With these considerations in mind, LGUs can set up better
temporary medical sites and be a step closer to winning the battle against
COVID-19.
Wherever you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that your life, work and career have already been significantly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. We’ve already discussed the myriad ways in which the coronavirus continues to change the face of business and commerce, necessitating the need to lean even harder into a digitized economy. But even as we squint to see the light at the head of the tunnel, many of us are wondering if “back to normal” will really be an option once the infection curve has been flattened and the economic wheels begin to turn anew.
Should we go back to “business as usual”? Or should we use the recent disruption caused by the virus to reassess our goals, our priorities and our place in the world of work? Here are some questions we should all ask ourselves in this time of disruption…
What really matters to you?
With many businesses grinding to a halt, and yet more slowing down significantly, a lot of us have more time on our hands than we’re used to. We’re finding that we have more time to play with our kids, to laugh with our spouses and finally get around to reading some of the books that have been gathering dust on the shelf.
It’s time to recontextualize ourselves. To stop thinking of ourselves in terms of our jobs. To ask ourselves what really matters to us, and adjust our lives so that we have more of what brings us true fulfillment.
Is this the perfect chance to go into business for yourself?
The recent changes to the business landscape have created huge changes for many of us. But they have also been empowering. They’ve shown us that we can be more autonomous and proactive. That we can be entrusted with managing our own time and taking charge of our own productivity. They’ve shown that we have the skills to stop working for an employer who’ll never be grateful and start up businesses of our own.
Starting up a business from scratch is a daunting prospect, but it’s by no means the only way to assert more control over your career. Starting up a franchised operation like East Coast Wings & Grill can give you the autonomy that comes with running your own business with the support, training and brand recognition that you’d get as the manager of a successful business chain. Or, if you want to be fully independent without overheads, there’s always the life of a freelancer or consultant.
Why not use this as an opportunity to get off the treadmill and explore your options?
How will you vote for an ethical future with your wallet?
For too long we’ve turned a blind eye to companies mistreating their employees, engaging in unethical practices and damaging the environment. All because they bring us affordability and convenience. In recent weeks we’ve seen which businesses have done right by their employees and which have unceremoniously let them go without support. COVID-19 has made us reassess who does and doesn’t deserve our money.
Has the workplace become irrelevant?
Look out your window and you’ll see quieter streets, fewer cars and clearer skies. Do we really want to go back to our stressful and smog-infested morning commutes after this? Or has this shown that the workplace has become an anachronism and that remote working on a full or part time basis can improve our quality of life while also improving our environment.
Let’s use this as an opportunity to take stock, reassess and pursue a better tomorrow. Even if it’s the antithesis of “back to normal”.
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