Tips for Starting a Medical Practice in Los Angeles

Finished with med school and thinking of starting a medical practice in the Los Angeles area? You’ve made an excellent choice! Setting up your own medical office is a smart move, especially in light of Obamacare initiatives, which have more people scrambling for health care and direct-pay options than ever before, leading experts to predict a shortage of qualified medical clinics in 2014, due to an increase in US citizens seeking insurance.

Starting a medical practice 101

Here are some helpful tips to get you started with your own medical practice:

Find a location.

Here you have several options for setting up shop: 1)      Take over a pre-existing medical space, and remodel to your satisfaction.  This will also improve efficiency, as you have the liberty to set up nursing stations, patient waiting rooms and doctor’s offices in convenient locations that don’t interrupt your flow of services. 2)      Rent a “shell” from a medical building. This will require further construction, such as plumbing, construction, wiring, etc. Whichever option you choose, you should employ the services of a contractor qualified to perform medical construction in the Los Angeles County. Search Google for “medical construction” to find somebody who has experience installing and reconstructing dental offices, Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) or medical imaging clinics, and understands the ins and outs of Medicare compliance and fire safety standards. Remodeling your Medical Office without Losing Patients- 5 Helpful Tips

Get a Los Angeles permit.

To build and maintain your medical space, you’ll need to file some paperwork and obtain permits with the LA County.  You will need a Certificate of Occupancy from the Department of Building and Safety, in addition to other construction permits.

Get insured.

Regardless of your medical office(psychiatry, rehabilitation, plastic surgery), you must get malpractice insurance. Also, get credentialed with all the major health insurance companies, which can take several months. To obtain a fee schedule, you may have to be persistent and call often.

Obtain medical equipment.

Ask your colleagues to recommend a vendor for new or used imaging equipment (MRIs, CAT scans), office supplies, furniture, or other medical gear that can be purchased, rented, or leased for low cost. When Purchasing Medical Imaging Equipment, Go Turnkey!

Sign up for an EMR.

Many online services provide electronic medical records management that takes the place of yesterday’s paper billing system. You will have to download software, and you may decide to hire an expert to help you sync patient medical history, billing records, Medicare coding, lab reports, and other important patient information.

Hire your staff!

Look up your contact lists- maybe you already know a great dental assistant or lab technician who needs more hours.  Or, hire an office manager who will interview prospective employees and help to keep your medical practice running smoothly. Do you maintain a medical practice that needs remodeling or construction repairs? Feel free to contact us for a quote. Also read New Ambulatory Surgery Center Standards for 2014 Medicare Compliance Auditing in the Los Angeles Area Image credit