Physiotherapy Practice Setup
You cannot go into private practice with this mindset of thinking its going to be sunshine and roses, thinking its going to be a better life, less stress and earn big bucks. That’s not how it is.
It takes time, experience, training and money. If you are not willing to invest more money than you make, or borrow money, take on risks, then rather not do it. Seriously don’t do it!
Especially in a startup, you must be prepared not to break even in the first 6 months.
To help you get started, here are the first steps every new private physiotherapist practice owner should take to begin billing correctly:
- Register as a healthcare provider with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and obtain your practice number.
- Contact major medical aids to complete any required provider registration forms.
- Set up an efficient patient intake process that collects all necessary medical aid information and consent forms before the first consultation.
- Familiarize yourself with common ICD-10 codes, procedure codes, and relevant scheme rules for physiotherapy services.
- Decide whether to handle claims yourself or partner with a reputable billing service from day one.
The Idea
Being a good physiotherapist has been your goal since you’ve graduated from university. You have become the best clinician, diagnostician, educator, that you possible can be. You know by now how to achieve goals with your patients, keep them happy and make sure they come back when they have a problem.
All you know is being a great physiotherapist. Business is a totally different ball game.