Practices tend to accumulate services over the years — things added at various points, each for a good reason at the time. But few practices ever step back and review their offerings as a whole: which services genuinely serve patients well and suit the practice, which have become marginal, time-consuming or barely used, and whether the mix still fits where the practice is going. Like any business, a practice benefits from occasionally pruning as well as adding.
The questions worth asking: Is each service something we do well and that genuinely benefits our patients? Does it fit our practice's direction and strengths? Is it worth the time, equipment, training and complexity it requires? Some services may be quietly draining resources for little benefit, while others deserve more investment. Reviewing the mix lets you focus on doing the right things well, rather than spreading thin across everything you've ever offered.
Of course, in healthcare any change to services involves considerations beyond the commercial — continuity of patient care, professional obligations, and how changes are communicated to affected patients. So review thoughtfully and with proper care for patients, not purely on a spreadsheet.
When did you last honestly review everything your practice offers — and whether it still should?
Reviewing and focusing your service mix is part of the [Practice Management course].
Explore the Practice Management course
Free first step: the practice financial health worksheet.
Annie
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