Q:

Dr. M

What goals should be met in your primary practice
before considering a satellite or second practice?

A:

As far as the question about multiple practices .. multiple offices 
can be multiple headaches .. overhead and a financial drain. The way 
around it is finding the best associates or IC's that provide you with 
enough income to justify the headaches. 

If a DC takes the time and energy creating and maintaining 
additional offices and spends it on their primary location .. possibly 
hiring a full time PR person .. adding space etc. their income would 
grow under closer management. This should be considered first.

Multiple offices can also be considered under the realm of real 
estate. Some people prefer to invest in property .. building equity and 
seeing their assets grow this way. If you can build practices with 
the intention of selling them it could work but only if they thrive .. 
again under close supervision draining the resources and time of the 
owner DC.

I would encourage you to think seriously of every possibly scenario .. 
what it would take to find a location .. cost to furnish and equip it .. 
overhead for utilities and staff and marketing it. Determine the 
demographics and the potential patient and reimbursement base. 
Last but not least .. who will you hire to run the clinic .. if it is you .. 
going from one location to the other .. I would so NO .. if it will be 
maintained with another DC .. where would they be coming from and 
what built in guarantees are there to be cost effective and 
profitable for you. 

Every location has its further ability to grow .. have you exhausted 
yours? 

This is my opinion .. others I am sure will differ

Have a Great Day

Dr. M