Welcome to our healthcare industry group. Here you can find a wide range of resources and get connected with industry professionals to help you start, run and grow your business.
There are various ways you can market your business.
One of the most used ways is to promote it online, digital marketing - the most advance way of marketing. Nowadays businesses do need online presence too to expand their business.
Hey Petra, sorry to hear about your challenges, but it's great that you're finding ways to pivot!
I can definitely see a need for health coaching in today's marketplace. I currently consult with Allied Health clinics on ways to increase "patient adherence" (doing what the ... expand
Hey Petra, sorry to hear about your challenges, but it's great that you're finding ways to pivot!
I can definitely see a need for health coaching in today's marketplace. I currently consult with Allied Health clinics on ways to increase "patient adherence" (doing what the clinician asks them to do). Accountability and guidance plays a big part of a healthy lifestyle!
Thankfully coaching works just as well online as it does in-person. You'll want to spend time creating a sales/marketing plan answering question such as: - What is my niche? - Where can I meet people who need my service? - Who are potential referral partners?
I am the owner and sole practitioner of an exercise physiology business in Western Sydney. I started Holistic Exercise Physiology in 2016, offering various services from medical centres and visiting homes, gyms and nursing homes.
Earlier this year, I decided to start our own exercise physiology ... expand
I am the owner and sole practitioner of an exercise physiology business in Western Sydney. I started Holistic Exercise Physiology in 2016, offering various services from medical centres and visiting homes, gyms and nursing homes.
Earlier this year, I decided to start our own exercise physiology clinic. Secured the location, signed the paperwork, paid the advance... then COVID19. Needless to say, that wasn't part of the plan.
Being the owner of a small business, COVID19 has had a significant impact on me and my business. The cancellations have increased, new referrals have decreased and there just aren't as many people walking past the clinic as we expected. I've also suspended all group programs, including the diabetes group class.
Fortunately, I've seen an increase in telehealth consultations (online consultation using video call). It's a service I've offered for years, but none of my clients seemed to be interested. And now, clients are very happy to hear about it. Yesterday I consulted an older client via telehealth. She was a bit anxious about the technology as it was her first online health consultation. She has been diagnosed with breast cancer one month ago and said she knows she needs exercise, but didn't know where to begin. To see her performing the exercises which I had demonstrated with a big smile and to see her grow in confidence was a very rewarding experience.
It's hard to say exactly what the next 3-6 months look like. It's clear that innovation in business is no longer a choice but a necessity. Based on last week, I would say we will be doing a lot more telehealth consultations and finding new ways to serve our current and new clients in the virtual environment.
Jane Jones , Marketing Consultant at Global Compliance Institute
@Hassan Qureshi - Telehealth consultations are definitely on the rise due to the current climate. What percentage of your clients would you say are engaging with telehealth consultations now compared to a few months ago? And do you think once people are comfortable with the experience they will continue to use it going forward when after Covid leaves us... if it leaves us...?
Hi Anand, Basically if you believe that you need private health insurance then if you delay then you will be charged loading by private health insurance funds. Its based on your age. If you do not have hospital cover with an Australian registered health fund on the 1st of July following your 31st birthday and then decide to take out hospital cover later in life, you will pay a 2% loading on top of your premium for every year you are aged over 30. PLUS If your income is < than $84000 (single) and < than $168000 (couple) you do not pay medicare levy surcharge.
Thanks, everyone for helping me our for my health insurance issue. Its really cleared my mind and all my doubts are cleared now. Thank you Apurv for calling my name right :) , and thanks for your helpful answer.
Hi Anand, Just to clarify Apruv's response. It is not the Health Funds that impose the levy or the loading. It is the Federal Government. With Healt cost inflation rising between 7 - 10% pa I think that health Insurance is a necessity not a luxury
Being a large and yet defined target market and one that may not openly look for solutions as one would if looking to buy a car or new furniture, there are aspects that can be viewed as hurdles. The media and marketing landscape we dwell in nowadays is all about real value content, as such I would ... expand
Being a large and yet defined target market and one that may not openly look for solutions as one would if looking to buy a car or new furniture, there are aspects that can be viewed as hurdles. The media and marketing landscape we dwell in nowadays is all about real value content, as such I would recommend producing content that addresses common issues in relationships and families and deliver it across different mediums - text, visual and video.
By addressing common pain points and offering valuable tips and suggestions, the audience that can relate to these will naturally feel drawn to it (providing it can be found) and the flow-on will be that they may click through to more content or reach out directly through social media or websites. The outreach, therefore, is as important as a smooth and effective UX in order for those interested to get to a more personal point of contact within a few clicks.
There are ample tools available to help with this, such as LeadCaller.com.au (instant lead response management) and of course digital and offline avenues to build and position your brand and content so that it can be found by your target groups.
Bringing real value (tips, insights, stats) as well as real feedback, Q & A and testimonials to your audience is the best way to build trust (fundamental in this field) and position you as a go-to solution (expert) in all things relationship/family therapy. Utilising different forms of publishing might be a great additional avenue to explore in order to build your brand and deliver value-added content to your audience, be it local or on a larger scale.
Online, social media, PR, publishing, and presenting are powerful ways to reach your target market. However, being such a specialised industry and one that is not broadscale, it requires delicate messaging through the right channels and in line with your brand and especially your personal brand. We have worked extensively we unique and specialised brands to know that the same tactics such as used for broad-scale marketing will not work as well here, however the above will work well if executed in the right way. Best of luck! ;)
As you know, the healthcare industry is constantly changing and evolving, so it's important to stay nimble and map out your objectives. I'm in healthcare marketing for oral surgeons and dentists and here are a few marketing and PR strategies I implement that have been successful in increasing ... expand
As you know, the healthcare industry is constantly changing and evolving, so it's important to stay nimble and map out your objectives. I'm in healthcare marketing for oral surgeons and dentists and here are a few marketing and PR strategies I implement that have been successful in increasing brand awareness and ultimately increasing new patients.
1. Create videos featuring your physicians. YouTube is the second most popular social media platform behind Facebook and is the second largest search engine behind Google. Video content not only can help market your practice and help you stand out from competitors, but it can also boost your SEO. Now more than ever it's important to stay human, and videos help establish a comfortable doctor-patient relationship that can help attract new patients and retain ones you already have.
2. Give back to the community. Retargeting past and current patients to promote services and procedures is an all too often overlooked healthcare marketing tactic. For example, offer a promotion, reward program, or even a free service. One of my dental clients offers free teeth cleanings for children during February which is National Children's Dental Health Month. This is a great way to earn press, get new patients in your practice, and boost patient loyalty.
3. Social media Instagram is a visual platform that offers an excellent opportunity to connect with your audience in a new way. If you’re a physician in aesthetics or cosmetics, Instagram can be a fantastic tool to generate new patients. Utilizing Instagram to share before and after’s and successful aesthetic results can be great exposure for your practice and show off your advanced capabilities as a doctor. Facebook provides a two-way communication channel and is an extremely targeted tool. You're able to interact with your audience and give a "voice" to your practice. It's also a fantastic advertising platform.
I work with a lot of medical professionals on PR because it is one of the ways that they can promote themselves without advertising. We position the medical professional as an expert in their industry and they provide the media with expert articles, comments, and interviews. The medical professional boosts their profile and uses their credibility to boost the business without advertising.
Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. In Australia, healthcare and social assistance is the largest employing industry and the Australian Industry and Skills Committee predict that 1.9 million will be employed by 2024.
An ageing population, technology advancements, globalisation and changing workforce demographics mean the healthcare industry has and continues to adapt and undergo radical change. These socio-economic trends, as well well as increasing demand for more holistic and allied health services, have cracked open a wealth of opportunities in the industry.
The wellbeing and complementary health sector has also seen considerable growth, with research showing that 70% of Australians are looking for more holistic ways of managing and improving their health.
With such promising outlooks, there is ample opportunity to start and grow a successful business in the healthcare industry today.
SavvySME is an online community of business owners, entrepreneurs and industry professionals that come together with the shared purpose of helping each other grow. We have a diverse group of healthcare, allied health and wellness business owner who gain insights and advice, find solutions and benefit from peer support.
You can find plenty of practical information, industry news, trends and best practices in our articles and Q&As. You can learn about other like-minded business owners’ experiences and get involved with important discussions to discover new ideas and people that can help you build your business.
Some of our most popular topics include:
How do I start a healthcare business?
How do I attract more clients to my practice?
How do I make my health business stand out?
How can I increase patient referrals?
The health and wellness industry has become a bit of a buzzword – covering everything from medicine and allied health to alternative health practices such as yoga and supplements. There are many sub-niches within the healthcare industry, but the simple definition is understood to be any business that aims to help people achieve and maintain good physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Healthcare: Medical professionals that provide care and treatments to patients.
Allied health: Allied health encompasses services that work towards the prevention of disease and illness, rehabilitation and health systems management.
Wellness/wellbeing: This space is broken down into personal services, alternative health products, studios and clinics, and technology and media.
Although there are some distinctions between these terms, there has been a global shift in the approach to managing our health and both practitioners and clients are seeking more holistic and integrated health systems.
Most of our healthcare business members include:
GP practices
Home health care agencies
Dentists
Physiotherapists
Chiropractors
Dermatologists
Occupational therapists
Nutritionists/dieticians
Respite care services
Pharmacists
Psychologists
Alternative health professionals
What are the key governing bodies for health practitioners?
The key governing bodies for health practitioners in Australia include:
To start and grow a successful business, you need to have a solid plan in place from the very beginning. Below is an overview of the key steps involved:
Create a business plan: A business plan lays the foundations for your business and sets you up for success. It is also essential when applying for grants or capital funding. A business plan should outline the structure of your business, an operations plan, details of service and product offering, a market analysis, marketing strategy and a financial plan. Learn more about business planning.
Registering your business: As well as the standard business registration process (i.e. ABN and ACN registration, business name registration and tax registration), every state has different requirements for healthcare providers to receive payments from Medicare and Medicaid.
Getting the relevant certifications: Every health and allied health professional has different certification and accreditation requirements. Make sure you find out which certifications may apply to your business.
Business finance: Setting up a business can be expensive. You may be eligible for government grants or business loans. Your business could also be a contender for investor funding. Either way, you’ll need a solid business plan to apply for both debt and equity finance.
Purchasing equipment and supplies: To set up your practice you’ll need office fixtures, medical supplies and equipment and practice management software among other things.
What are some of the key considerations when starting and growing a healthcare business?
There are some key factors you need to consider to start and run a successful business. These include:
What will be your top challenges of running a business?
How will you fund your business?
What licenses and insurance will you need?
Where will you operate your business from?
What software and equipment will you need to run your practice?
Do you need to follow any local government requirements
Will you hire staff for your practice?
Where will you source medical supplies?
Depending on the type of practice you run, you might need to find suppliers for medical equipment and products. Finding good suppliers is a critical part of running any business, but it’s particularly important in an industry where health and wellbeing is the core of what you do. Learn more about how to find medical supplies, equipment and health products.
Although very different to the corporate world, your health or medical practice is still a business – except the customer becomes the patient. It’s very likely that you share similar challenges to commercial business owners such as:
Protecting patient data
Increasing the efficiency of invoice and payment processing
Some of these problems may sound familiar, and we’d love to hear about your experiences. In addition to connecting you with fellow industry professionals, you can also find experts in over 400 solutions covering everything from branding and digital marketing, to employment law and cashflow management. These are service professionals who specialise in helping small businesses in the healthcare industry.
