Please use this checklist to store your progress and continue through this site.
15 months to opening
Give yourself a personal check-up – take a little time to step back and think about where you see yourself in life. Think about what makes a good doctor, and what makes a good business person.
15 months to opening
Give yourself a personal check-up – take a little time to step back and think about where you see yourself in life. Think about what makes a good doctor, and what makes a good business person.
- Begin planning for professional success – your business plan
- Determine your patient focus and conditions - what type of patient do you feel you would like to focus on?
- Decide on type of practice - alone/with partner(s)/with chiro/with MD. This short quiz (in Microsoft Excel) will help develop your goals. This quiz developed by The Business Development Bank will assess your entrepreneural spirit.
- Decide location – what province or state – and then refine location – what part of city or rural location
- Begin to develop a business plan including financing needs
- Decide on a name – naming your practice
- Develop a design for your card/website/signage – creating your visual and online identity
- Develop a rough partnership agreement if applicable
- Complete business plan
- Register your business with provincial/state
- Check with your provincial association as to whether you should be charging HST (Harmonized Sales Tax). Generally medical services are exempt, but if you are selling supplements HST will probably apply. Some provinces still charge separate GST and PST. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Ontario Government have information.
- Set up an account with CRA/IRS for withholding tax if you have employees
- Set up listings with as many search websites that you can
- Open a business bank account
- Obtain police check
- Malpractice insurance
- Join provincial/state association
- Join federal association
- Personal health insurance
- Interview and hire a lawyer
- Search for and negotiate suitable location, check for zoning requirements, and hire a contractor for renovations if necessary
- Design and arrange interior signage
- Lawyer reviews lease
- Utilities installed - heat, electricity. You may be required to come up with a deposit as a business customer.
- Advertise for office receptionist
- Obtain a phone number from phone company
- Design and print cards, and hand them out to everyone you meet
- Design and print advertising brochure
- Design and arrange website
- Order computer/printer
- Purchase a bookkeeping system or interview and hire a bookkeeper
- Arrange renovations and order office furniture
- Record personal items transferred to business. The tax laws basically say that "any reasonable expense incurred to earn income" can be deducted for tax purposes. Keep track of your expenditures, and save your receipts.
- Obtain virtual phone
- Design and print Patient Intake Forms
- Design and print invitations to opening
- Meet with 10 people/wk about your practice
- Clinic renovations under way. Remember, changes will add to your cost. Be gentle with your contractors!
- Arrange Visa/MasterCard services. Your bank will help here.
- Meet with supplement companies
- Arrange for phone installation
- Internet connection installed
- Design and arrange outside sign
- Develop or obtain patient handouts
- Appointment book
- Send out invitations to opening and follow up with a phone call. Have some "fun" activities and demonstrations.
- Arrange two speaking invitations
- Clinic renovations
- Interview and hire a lab service provider
- Phone line installed
- Develop office procedures
- Patient tracking system
- Hire receptionist (you may want to wait until you start)
- Order initial stock of supplements
- Order office supplies/lab coats/name tags
- Distribute advertising brochures
- Arrange catering/refreshments for opening
- Try to book at least three patients
- Clean the clinic top to bottom
- Practice clinic operating systems
- Be a great doctor
