Last Monday’s USA Today headline article “Innovative health programs counter primary care shortage” really captured some of the exciting innovation going on in the field of primary care. It also reminded all health care stakeholders just how quickly technology is progressing and the seemingly limitless potential of digital media to improve health care outcomes across the political, clinical and fiscal spectrum.

In the light of this information, rapidly increasing health care costs look less like an insurmountable barrier, but more like an opportunity for entrepreneurs to be able to show how costs can be cut through the effective use of these newly available strategies and tools.

Holistic practitioners have the potential to take up the slack in primary care, in fact any thoughtful doctor or practitioner would tell you that improvements in diet, exercise and lifestyle choices ARE true primary care, never mind the functional improvements possible with different therapeutic modalities.

One opportunity for holistic medicine to develop credibility is to lead the way in fresh takes on health care business models, particularly relating to effective and efficient use of digital technology. Most practitioners awkwardly wear their “entrepreneur hat” as little as possible, but this is a key time for health care and it is looking for leadership from the private sector.

As the massive diseconomies of scale inherent within our current, bloated medical system become more and more apparent in times of rapid forward progress,  small businesses and private practices have the greatest potential to point us in the direction of an optimal primary care system.

Our team at Holistic Practice Development is dedicated to helping you find the most effective ways to harness the power of digital technology and we would love to strategize with you about the best solutions for your practice, and even help you with implementation.

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

Create an online community using social media

e.g. Create a Facebook fanpage, connect with patients, offer valuable tips, offer incentives to become friends, newsletters, etc. 500m reasons to use this free internal marketing tool!

Use online appointment booking services

e.g.  Genbook is one of the best. Great for practitioners with no front desk staff. Practitioners tell me all the time they can’t believe how many patients book appointments at midnight!

Have patients pay you a yearly / monthly retainer for direct email and text contact

($ x per Patient) x (#Patients) = Residual Income. You do the math!

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James Maskell
CEO