Please use this checklist to store your progress and continue through this site.
One month after opening
One month after opening
- Take a deep breath. You have survived the first month of being in business for yourself. Your clinic probably isn't as busy as you would like but this provides you a great opportunity to do some planning, promotion and to get your systems in place.
- Plan an open house
- Set up a system for GST/PST and employee tax deduction remittances
- Review your cash forecast for the last month against actual and revise, if necessary, your forecast for the next three – six months
- Reassess advertising and marketing plan
- Don’t forget to update your website and keep the information current
- Establish and follow a marketing schedule
- Review your spending and revenue
- Monitor the turnover of the product inventory and negotiate product returns where appropriate. Consider using a "virtual dispensary" such as the one offered by ND Storefront.
- Manage your finances - distinguish between gross revenue and your earnings
- Develop relationships with neighbourhood health providers - dentists, pharmacists, health food stores, health clubs, etc.
- Refine your office systems
- Create a script to use with new patients
- Assess patient retention and develop appropriate strategies
- Manage QuickBooks/excel spreadsheet on a regular basis and track GST separately (ask your accountant for a template that is appropriate)
- Develop a system for monitoring monthly cash flow
- Seek out mentors in the field and arrange to get together with them (bring your questions!)
- Budget your "promotion time" carefully because every minute you spend not seeing patients is money lost
- Consider creating a patient survey
