Last week, we discussed why you should consider outsourcing your PT clinic management. Now, we’re diving into the decision making process with five questions you should ask when deciding whether or not to outsource for your PT practice.
To be clear, outsourcing in your PT practice doesn’t just apply to you personally, but to your whole team. While outsourcing may often impact you directly (especially telehealth and traveling physical therapists), it’s often a question of where your clinic’s resources are best spent.
Now for the questions:
1. How much time does this task consume?
Along with determining how many hours a given task in your PT clinic requires, you can calculate the quantity of money those hours are costing you.
To calculate this, include the hourly wage of those devoting time to these tasks, as well as any outside resources you have to bring in. If the time spent and opportunity cost of completing this task in-house is greater than the hourly wages you could be earning in that same time, consider outsourcing to a physical therapy management software.
However, if this task consumes fewer resources than you’d be earning with a patient, you’re okay (for now).
2. What outcomes are you paying physical therapy staff for?
Here’s where we begin to encounter the matter of opportunity cost. Are tasks such as accounts payable detracting for your staff’s ability to facilitate a streamlined patient-intake process or deliver quality care? Even if you’ve hired (or plan to hire) personnel with the core responsibility of managing accounts payable, it’s worth looking at how much this would cost you, compared to the cost of outsourcing. Outsourcing to an entity that specializes is often much more cost-effective than doing it yourself.
3. Which areas of my PT clinic could use more attention?
This question really ties into the last. Are you or your staff bogged down by time-consuming, logistical details that cast a haze over the rest of your work? Are referrals suffering? Has organization plummeted? Examine these areas and consider where your staff is most effective. What tradeoffs are you currently making?
4. How much am I working?
Please hear me: it’s not worth it to manage and oversee everything at your PT clinic yourself — rather, you’ll just to end up overworked and underpaid.
Don’t only consider your own hours, but the time and well-being of your employees. Their well-being shines through and impacts your patients. Remember, it’s not just about making the most money, but instead, finding the most value… and after all, time is more valuable than money.
5. Does this task bring fulfillment?
If a task brings you joy, fulfillment, or a strong sense of ownership, it may be worth doing yourself, even if that’s not the most efficient option. At times, I must remind myself that efficiency isn’t everything. Our lives and our work are about so much more than getting from Point A to Point B. We live in the process, and it’s right to find fulfillment accordingly.
Make the most of your staff and clinic’s time
We hope these questions assist you in evaluating where outsourcing may be the right choice for your PT practice. To learn how PtEverywhere.com can help you optimize your practice management, check out our features and see how PtEverywhere can serve your practice.
