How to Start an Alternative Health Care Center

Part 1 - How to start an Alternative Health Care Center business - Background

The increased dependence on man-made chemicals and pills to control diseases has pushed people to find more natural forms of healing. Alternative health centers often focus on just one type of healing, such as acupuncture or herbal remedies.

Our guide is in 3 parts:

• Part 1 - How to start an Alternative Health Center business - Background
• Part 2 - Our planner tool to see if this idea is the right fit for you
• Part 3 - Action plan to get started

What are the costs involved in opening an alternative health care center?

This is heavily dependent on what type of business you run, and the neighborhood you’re in. However, it’s likely less than you think. If you run a meditation center, you’ll generally just need to secure a studio and a business license. To open up an LLC, it’s only about $50 in most states. For the extreme cost-cutters, you can start an acupuncture clinic for less than $2,000. If your services require malpractice insurance, a small practice will only pay about $1,500 a year for the first year.

You can also consider running your practice out of your home to save money, but this may make you seem less professional to potential clients. However, if you already have interest in your services, this could be an excellent way to get everything started until you can afford your own facilities.

What are the ongoing expenses for an alternative health care center?

Owners will have to pay for the following expenses during the time they have their practice

• Rent/lease costs

• Equipment costs

• Insurance payments

• Employee insurance

• Ongoing classes and training

Who is the target market?

Preferred clients include anyone who wants to live a healthier life. While you’ll most likely market to those who already practice alternative health, that doesn’t mean you can’t branch out. Many owners will build their client base through internal referrals, which can include even those who are skeptical of their services. Ideally, you’ll want a client who can walk the line between traditional and alternative medicine. Unfortunately, there are certain diseases that will require harmful medical treatments such as radiation.

How does an alternative health care center make money?

Centers make money by charging a flat fee for their services, or by administering services that will eventually be reimbursed by medical insurance. It will be extremely important to verify insurance before actually conducting treatment. Alternative health centers may not be accepted by different insurance companies, or they may be outside of the network of preferred providers. In this case, you’ll need to make it clear to the client how much they can expect to pay upfront.

How much can you charge customers?

Americans spend $34 billion or so on alternative medicine a year, so it’s clear that you can set your prices high enough to cover expenses and then some. One acupuncture or chiropractor session typically costs about $60. People pay up to $1,000 to take a full course on transcendental meditation. Those who are knowledgeable in supplements may charge up to $150 for the first consultation.

How much profit can an alternative health care center make?

Profit is highly dependent on the offices you keep and the types of services you provide. An acupuncturist with 4 appointments a day at $60 an hour will make about $60,000 in a year. If you’re working at a 90% profit margin, that’s about $54,000 in profit.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Typically, alternative centers should focus on one type of service only, so expansion can be difficult. The more experience you gain though, the more you can consider teaching or public speaking about how others can adopt the techniques that have been most helpful for you.

Day-to-Day and Growth

What happens during a typical day at an alternative health care center?

An owner’s day will vary widely, depending on the services they offer. However, everyone can generally expect the following activities to be on their agenda.

• Patient intake/scheduling/interviewing

• Employee interviewing/hiring

• Enforcing cleanliness standards

• Maintaining supplies and equipment

• Administering healthcare services

• Researching updates and breakthroughs in their field

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful alternative health care center?

Typically, you’ll want to have some advanced training before starting a business. Acupuncturists and chiropractors should attend an accredited school before opening up their own practice. Anyone recommending dietary supplements should have received formal training on what’s safe and effective on the market. Those who want to conduct meditation classes should have studied under someone with official status in the community.

One (often overlooked) skill is the ability to listen to patients’ concerns. Traditional doctors are often rushed through appointments, which means they’re likely to miss something important. Listening and explaining can end up setting you apart amidst a crowded marketplace.

What is the growth potential for an alternative health care center?

Big Pharma has unfortunately turned many people away from traditional medicines. The more doctors rely on pills with a wide range of side effects, the more people will seek out other remedies that rely on the body’s own defenses. As long as you’re responsible about administering services and serious about getting good results, there is major room for growth regardless of where you live.

What are some insider tips for jump starting an alternative health care center?

Those who have opened their own successful offices caution not to aim too high at the beginning. By starting with the basics, you can grow your client base and save money at the same time. The more you make, the more you can invest back into the practice.

It’s also necessary to be as upfront as possible with all of your clients about the inherent risks of treatment. Just like surgeons need to spell out the potential problems to cover their own liability, those in alternative health care need to know how to direct people to different methods of treatment when necessary.

How and when to build a team

You should be building a team if you need to bring additional skills to your facility. This is typically only done when you have a loyal base of clients with regular, standing appointments.

Part 2 - Is an Alternative Health Care Center business the right fit for you?

Part 3 - Action plan to launch your Alternative Health Care Center business in 90 days