What are three key actions that private healthcare practice owners that lead to success?
For many clinicians turned private healthcare practice owners, challenges present themselves when it comes to stepping into the role of business owner vs. treating clinician. For those of us who started our healthcare careers as clinicians, it’s hard to separate from the identity of clinician. We go into healthcare from a desire to help and serve people. Ou clinical education and technical train us prepare us for the role of healer. But, opening up a private practice (or even starting a technology or digital health company) pushes us into the “business owner” role. And, unfortunately, this fact fails to receive proper time in most clinical programs.
So, this week, I sit down with Nathan Shields from Rise Diagnostics to talk a bit about his unique practice area of EKG Assessments, and to focus on stepping into the role of business owner. As Nathan says in the episode the three key actions are 1) step out 2) reach out, and 3) network. Nathan hosts the PTO Club and provides business coaching to physical therapy practice owners around the country.
What we cover in this Episode:
- The importance of getting coaching and consulting services for running a successful business
- Managing a team in a private healthcare practice
- Staff training and workflow integration
- What metrics private healthcare practice owners should focus on
- Focusing on patient-centered care and patient engagement as a business owner
- Achieving Better Outcomes through business ownership
We’re starting to create videos of certain podcast episodes, including this episode, which can find on the YouTube Channel.
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If you enjoyed this episode: Join Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi), principal of Rehab U Practice Solutions and host of The Better Outcomes Show as he explores the possibilities of a new healthcare. Guests range from clinicians trying new techniques and treatments to executives and entrepreneurs exploring new service delivery methods, business models, and organizational structures. You can sign-up to receive new episodes delivered directly to your inbox by filling out the form below. Learn more about Rehab U Practice Solutions by reading The Manifesto for a New Healthcare, or listen to Episode 000. Or, grab a copy of the book: Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare.
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If you run an innovative healthcare company and are looking to develop a strategy that leverages best practices, new technology, and marketing/messaging in a way that returns the focus of healthcare to people, please reach out. I’d love to talk with you about how Rehab U Practice Solutions can help help you craft an business development strategy that leverages positioning, market research, UVP stakeholder alignment to drive business development strategy for specific healthcare stakeholders.
Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi) is a healthcare consultant, speaker, and host of he Better Outcomes Show. He helps healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and organizations craft clear positioning, humanize the patient experience, and go to market effectively. He’s the author of Better Outcomes: A Guide to Humanizing Healthcare and principal at Rehab U Practice Solutions. His work on Telehealth has been discussed in Forbes, and he’s advised on projects ranging from digital health product launches to multi-million-dollar healthcare transformation initiatives.
Today, Rafi helps innovative healthcare companies like technology startups, platforms, SaaS companies & innovative healthcare organizations develop effective positioning strategy and business development plans through his consulting work. He also leverages his experience as a professor and academic to speak and train on the topics around humanizing the healthcare experience & healthcare innovation. In addition, Rafi also owns and operates ProActive Rehabilitation & Wellness, a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic treating patients with musculoskeletal pain.
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Are you building something innovative in healthcare—like a digital health product, service, or platform that’s aiming to truly improve the patient experience?
I help healthcare startups, SaaS platforms, and forward-thinking provider organizations develop clear positioning strategies, identify high-value offers, and build go-to-market plans that actually resonate with both users and buyers.
Whether you're launching a new product, scaling an existing service, or navigating digital transformation, I bring 12+ years of experience across clinical operations, healthcare innovation, and strategic development.
How I help:
- Clarify your product/service positioning so customers “get it”
- Align your offer with real market needs
- Build a Digital Health Roadmap to scale your healthcare organization effectively
- Support business development with industry-informed strategy
I’ve consulted on projects from multi-million-dollar state initiatives to early-stage product launches. My work’s been featured in Forbes, and I also speak at healthcare events and conferences on topics like innovation, digital health, and humanizing care. I also speak and train at healthcare conferences, events, and organizations on topics related to technology-enabled care, healthcare innovation, healthcare positioning, and humanizing the healthcare experience.
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