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Medical Practice Setup

Are you planning a new Medical Practice setup? Here’s a checklist on how to start your Medical Practice setup. CRT has been providing IT Support to Medical Practices since 2006.

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Medical Practice Setup
The Practice
Finances
Human Resources
Risk Management

Medical Practice Setup

Do you need help with your Medical Practice Setup? 

Setting up a new medical practice can be a daunting undertaking and there is a lot of responsibility that comes with looking after the health of a local community. Medical practitioners need to plan well in advance to ensure the success of their new medical practice.

This checklist highlights some of the key items you should consider before making the move and is designed to help make planning your Medical Practice Setup easier.

A more extensive Medical Practice Setup checklist has also been included below.

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Medical Practice Setup

Medical Practice Setup

Finding the best location

The best location for a new Medical Practice Setup will consider several factors, notably your local demographics, cost, and business competition.

It’s important to think about where your intended patients live, and what health conditions are most prevalent because of age, environment, or common employment. Basing your premises near your target market is crucial for success. It’s also important to see how you fit in with other local facilities and whether everyone will be able to thrive.

Alongside these factors, it can be useful to think about:

  • Low maintenance property.
  • Public transport accessibility.
  • Low competition, from other practices and for property prices.
  • Sufficient parking.
  • High visibility.
  • Disability access.
  • Adaptability of the buildings.
  • A growing patient base.
  • Presence of complementary health services and potential referrers.

CRT Network Solutions can assist with

Medical Practice Setup - IT, Software & Support

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Medical Practice Setup

Medical Practice Setup

Buy in or start from scratch

If you currently work in a practice, is there an opportunity to buy the Practice from the current owners? This is a less risky approach, and you may already know the practice well. However, you may prefer to build your own business from scratch. There are pros and cons to each Medical Practice Setup approach but ensure that you start out with a good idea of how you see your practice in the long term.

Protect your investment

If you’re considering going into business, you’ve probably got some capital put away. It’s vital to get information about securing finance to make your practice dreams a reality, and to ensure you’re not investing your savings unwisely. Consider all your options when you look at loans, and remember to ask about hidden costs. It’s a good idea to get advice from professionals about every aspect of the loan lifespan before you sign up for anything.

Get your business requirements in order

Ultimately, a medical practice is the same as any business, and in the government’s eyes this means it must comply with the same legal and regulatory requirements.

In order to operate as a new Medical Practice in Australia you must:

  • Get an Australian Business Number.
  • Register your business name.
  • Consider trademarking your logo.
  • Set up payroll.
  • Comply with tax conditions.
  • Medicare provider number and a prescriber number.
  • Any registrations or licences that may apply within your state/territory.
  • Multiple premises will need a provider number for each location.

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Designing your Practice

Once you have acquired the perfect consulting space, it’s important that you put some thought into the design and layout of your new Medical Practice Setup, including your furnishings, clinic equipment, IT requirements medical software needs and patient facilities. See below for a detailed list of equipment required for your Practice.

Insurance

All businesses involve risk, and when people’s health is involved it’s even more important to protect your livelihood and reputation. There are two broad categories of insurance types that you should consider when setting up your medical practice. These include Insurance for businesses and Personal insurance. It’s important to speak to professional, trusted advisors about your Practices individual requirements.

Need help with your Medical Practice Setup?

CRT Network Solutions ensures an efficient network, affording you peace of mind when running a busy practice.

When we look after your practice, you know that your IT requirements are being expertly managed.

Practice Setup

Initial practice setup and supply of equipment.

Remote Access

Networking & Reliable Server Support. Remote access for doctors, etc, via secure methods.

Backups & Support

Secure and Reliable backup systems and Computer and Network Support.

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Medical Practice Setup

Work with the right people

Going into business with a team of colleagues who have the right mix of experience, qualifications and attitude will not only shape your workplace but also help to support your new Medical practice setup. This can be particularly challenging as medical practices may require a broad mix of skill sets, from receptionists and cleaners to GPs and nurses.

When hiring staff remember to consider:

  • Any skills or qualifications that may be useful.
  • The personalities of those involved and how they will interact with each other in their practice.
  • Remember that skills can be taught, but the right attitude is priceless.

Aquiring software and supplies

Reliable technology and trusted medical software is an essential requirement for modern medical practices. Technology systems will enable you to quickly and efficiently:

  • Schedule Patients Appointments.
  • Keep track of finances.
  • Deal with invoices.
  • Create an option for online bookings and consultations.
  • Manage payments.

CRT Network Solutions are highly experienced Medical IT Specialists. We have been assisting Medical Practices with their IT needs and new Medical Practice setups since 2006. We are the preferred Software Support partners for many large Medical Software Companies and can even assist Medical Practices with their accreditation. We know exactly what it takes to support a busy Medical Practice.

To learn more about how we can help you, get in touch with our team today.

Medical Practice Setup Checklist

Secure your Medical Practice Data

Brisbane and Sunshine Coast

When we talk about medical data security we talk about keeping unwanted visitors to your network locked out. A common theme today is for Medical Practices to get hacked and to have all their data encrypted.

We make sure that they are no security loopholes on your network that will allow this.

Contact one of our friendly Technicians today to chat about securing your Medical Practices data.

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Medical Practice Setup -Checklist

The Practice

Defining your style of practice
One issue to consider is whether you want to be a solo practitioner for your career or not. In a group practice, you may work with other professionals in their fields.

The practice location
The visibility, proximity to other healthcare facilities, and location of the nearest pharmacy is important when deciding on a location for a new healthcare facility. It’s also important to consider the demographic profile of the population, demand for care, economic and infrastructure development, and co-location with other health service facilities when setting up your Medical Practice.

Designing the facility
Consider if your business will require a new facility or an adjustment to an existing building. It is important to think about the needs of the future when designing a practice. If creating a new Medical practice setup, think about how you want it in the future and design for that.

Medical Practice Setup

Computer Equipment

Below is a list of equipment and software most new Medical Practices require:

  • Server plus Server Software
  • Workstations
  • Reception Multifunction Printer
  • Doctor's Printer
  • Network Switch Secure Router (Protects your network from external access)
  • Line Interactive UPS for your Server (Protects your server from any power spikes.)
  • Antivirus Software Spam Filter for emails
  • Microsoft Office Software for Support staff
  • Medical Software
  • Spiro
  • ECG
  • Laptop for the Treatment Room.

We are involved with many new Medical Practice installations on a regular basis.

We will advise you along the way and provide a helping hand and can supply all the equipment necessary in setting up a new Medical Practice.

Phone Systems

VoIP Phone lines are also integrated to save on costs. Our Cloud based Business Phone Systems offer you an online phone system that provides the ability to make calls over the internet and for phone services to be stored in the cloud. 

These systems are cost-efficient and reliable. They typically provide lower costs, enhanced service quality, increased productivity, and more control over your phone system. 

Speak to our team of friendly Technicians about our Business Phone Systems. We can assist you with a phone solution that’s right for your Practice.

Recommended phone features include:

  • multiple lines
  • hands free speaker phones
  • message or music on hold
  • ability to transfer calls
  • greeting message
  • auto attendant
  • speed dial
  • wireless headsets
  • conference call
  • voicemail with email integration
  • ability to scale up the system.

Clinical Equipment

  • Stethoscopes
  • Sphygmomanometers
  • Diagnostic sets
  • Scales and height measures
  • Eye charts
  • Other equipment and materials
  • Oxygen delivery
  • Automated external defibrillators (AED)
  • Ultrasound Doppler devices
  • Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure
  • Automatic blood pressure monitors
  • Holter monitoring
  • Glucometers
  • INR meters
  • Point-of-care testing (PoCT)
  • Clinical materials
  • Materials for treating wounds and injuries
  • Emergency (doctor’s bag) supplies
  • Prescriber number
  • Practice brochures
  • Appointment cards
  • Prescription paper
  • Medicare assignment (bulk billing) forms
  • Rubber stamps

IT/IM and communications

To start a medical practice setup, it is important to consider clinical and practice management software. As IT installations are complex, it is advisable that you use an IT consultant for advice on setting up your practice system. Reliability is also an extremely critical aspect of using electronic health records, so it pays to invest in the services of an independent IT consultant. Most practices make heavy use of IT support services.

Here are some IT factors to consider when opening a new Medical Practice Setup:

Maintaining effective computer and information security in general practice is vital and requires planning and technical knowledge.

This is one of the most critical functions in managing electronic health records. Your IT adviser will provide guidance on what systems and processes to employ.

Facsimile service can be configured to convert inbound faxes as email attachments to a single email address.

Company phone systems can now be replaced with cloud-based services, which typically provide lower costs, enhanced service quality, increased productivity, and more control over the phone system. Cloud-based technology is more cost effective than a traditional business phone system and has numerous benefits. They improve customer service and offer important business features such as virtual voicemail, call recording, paperless faxes, and much more.

Office-grade printers are available as inkjet or laser printers. Operational costs can differ between devices, speak to our friendly team of Technicians to find a solution that works for your Practice.

Electronic health records now have a large amount of information on display on a single page – requiring a widescreen display or dual screens.

Choosing your clinical software can be a tricky task. In addition to ease of use, the reliability of the program is important. We have assisted with many new Medical Practice setups and are able to advise you on the options medical software options available to your Medical Practice.

Integrating messaging into your medical software is a significant step towards improving efficiency in managing health information in your practice.

The Practice Incentives Program (PIP) aims to encourage continuing improvements in general practice through financial incentives to support quality care, and improve health outcomes for patients.

Medicare rebates and financial incentives are available for telehealth services, for patients in eligible outer metropolitan, regional and remote areas, and in eligible aged care and Aboriginal medical services who access specialist care via video consultation.

Email is an efficient way of communicating both internally and externally but is not suitable for exchanging health information regarding patients, it’s important to use other formats such as secure messaging, faxes or paper for exchanging medical information.

A website is a marketing tool for your practice. It is easy to update and can store a great deal of information. Speak to us about affordable website options for your Medical Practice.

Your IT system will require ongoing maintenance, support, and upgrades. This is best undertaken with our Managed Services option. We have been supporting Medical Practices with their IT needs for over 10 years.

You need a company that is experienced in supporting the healthcare industry. This is important as we understand the liability associated with Medical Data and we strive to keep your medical data safe and secure.

You need an IT company that is always available. We operate from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Mondays to Fridays. We have an after hours IT support number that is always manned.

You need a company that understands the needs of a busy medical practice. We know when to perform updates, which is after hours of course. We also know that Doctors are a Medical Practices most important asset, so we work hard at making sure their computers are always operating efficiently. We also know that the reception desks are the other most important pc’s on the network. Having a build-up of unhappy patients at the reception desk is not good, so we strive to keep those pc’s running as fast as possible.

Local Medical IT Provider

Queensland

Sunshine Coast

3/2 Akeringa Pl, Mooloolaba QLD 4557

Brisbane

33 Hayward St, Stafford QLD 4053

Medical Practice Setup - Checklist

Business and financial set up

Financing a practice
After assessing your options, you will need to arrange finance. Discuss this with a professional adviser, who will inform of your options. Compare a range of lenders to understand their base lending rates, fees and other borrowing costs.

Business structures and taxation
Consult a business adviser or accountant on the best way to structure your medical practice setup. Tax and business laws can be very complicated, and it is always advisable to get expert advice.

Setting practice fees
Your practice strategy will be largely dependent on developing your pricing strategy that considers the demand for your services and your capacity to provide them. Decide between Bulk Billing, Mixed Billing or Private Billing and be sure to set your fees at a price that is fair and reasonable and does not inhibit demand to the extent that you are under booked.

Medical Practice Setup Checklist

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Managing the money
Practice accounting requires familiarity with some basic accounting processes. Most practices expect payment on the day of services. Practices that bulk bill can expect the Medicare benefit to be paid to their account within a few days. Third party payees (Insurance companies, employers, solicitors) typically pay on a 30 day pay cycle unless you request other terms.

Budgeting for your practice
Setting up a new medical practice is a business investment. Beyond the cost of securing adequate office space, there is an investment in developing the business from an operational standpoint. Operational costs to consider include:

  • Staff expenses
  • Occupancy costs
  • Marketing costs
  • Medical supplies
  • Loans
  • Computer Expenses, etc.

Medical Practice Setup - Checklist

Human Resources

Employing practice staff
The right skill, knowledge and competency of staff members will have a major influence on the quality of service rendered for your patients. A poor staff selection can negatively affect performance, morale, costs and more. Prepare a comprehensive list of all the primary care services which your practice may deliver, and the tasks that need to be performed in the practice to deliver the services.

Staff remuneration
In most Australian states and territories there are award rates that provide a minimum rate of pay for a range of classifications. These employment awards continue to change and evolve, and will vary based on your employment status and state or territory. Remuneration in general practice varies depending on the practice’s cost structure and commitments of the practice.

Managing staff performance
It is worthwhile considering how to get the best performance from your staff at the outset. Practice staff turnover is highest in the first 12 months and this is costly to the business, disruptive to day-to-day operations and stressful for all concerned. Consider how you will approach, training, leadership, disputes, and grievances.

Staff health and practice safety
As an employer, you are responsible for creating a safe working environment for your staff. You can be prosecuted and fined if you don’t exercise your responsibilities in this respect. Consider Occupational health and safety, staff insurance, hazards, dangerous goods, practice security, and infection control.

Medical Practice Setup Checklist

Medical Practice Setup - Checklist

Quality & Risk Management

Quality control and accreditation
In developing your new practice, it is important to integrate quality controls in order to be efficient and reduce waste in its various forms, as well as ensuring services are safe and effective for patients.

In Australia, general practice accreditation is voluntary. However, it is a requirement to access government funding through the Practice Incentives Program (PIP), CRT has assisted many Medical Practices with their Accreditation. Speak to our team for assistance with getting your Medical Practice accredited.

Insurance
Insurance is an essential aspect of risk management that allows you to transfer the risk of an adverse event to the insurer. Medical indemnity insurance is required for registration while workers compensation insurance is required by legislation.

Developing a practice insurance register will help in managing the many insurance requirements of a practice. Seek professional insurance advice to find out exactly what is required for your Practice specifically.

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IT Support for Medical Practice Setup

You need a company that is experienced in supporting the healthcare industry.
This is important as we understand the liability associated with Medical Data and we strive to keep your medical data safe and secure. 
You need an IT company that is always available. We operate from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Mondays to Fridays. 
We have an after hours IT support number that is always manned.

You need a company that understands the needs of a new Medical practice. We know when to perform updates, which is after hours of course. We also know that Doctors are a Medical Practices most important asset, so we work hard at making sure their computers are always operating efficiently. We also know that the reception desks are the other most important pc’s on the network. Having a build up of unhappy patients at the reception desk is not good, so we strive to keep those pc’s running as fast as possible.

Medical IT

Medical Backups

When you are on one of our Maintenance Agreements, we log in to your Server on a daily basis and ensure that backups are running smoothly. We suggest that all of our Medical clients are on one of our maintenance agreements.


Medical IT

Medical Data Security

When we talk about medical data security we talk about keeping unwanted visitors to your network locked out. A common theme today is for Medical centres to get hacked and to have all their data encrypted.
We make sure that they are no security loopholes on your network that will allow this to happen.

Medical Software Support

We support all Medical software.
If you have any needs regarding your Medical software, give us a call.
We know what to look out for, and we will work closely with your Medical software vendor if needed.

Medical IT

Medical Practice Accreditation

We will help you achieve accreditation for your Medical practice. We know all the accreditation rules and we have an accreditation document that we can share with you, that we will help you fill out to achieve accreditation.


Medical IT

Responsive Help Desk

We have a responsive help desk always ready to take your call. Our IT support staff have a lot of knowledge in the Medical industry and have a lot of knowledge surrounding the various Medical programs that your Medical centre might use. We can help you get your software issues resolved quickly.


Medical IT

Medical Program Updates

We provide Medical updates after hours to both the servers and the workstations. We ensure that there is a reliable backup prior to running a Medical update. This is important because sometimes the Medical updates can corrupt the database. Therefore, we always ensure that we have a good backup that is recent prior to running the Medical updates. We also run these updates after-hours so that there is no downtime to the practice.

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