A multi-disciplinary practice: Debbie realized a solo-practice wasn’t enough

Inspiration from an unexpected source.

Debbie was brought up in a family of medical professionals. There was an expectation that she would become a doctor, but she had no initial interest in medicine. That was just not who she was.

Then one day, in 2007, she read a business book called “The Wellness Revolution.” The author predicted the wellness industry would be the next big boom. Within 10 years, it was predicted more money would be spent on prevention than on the treatment of disease. As a result, entrepreneurs entering the wellness industry could expect big returns on their investments.

That got Debbie’s wheels spinning. Her business skills and her family’s medical skills could deliver the whole package. Finally, this could be something that brought her family together.

The book also changed the way Debbie looked at healthcare. It clarified the difference between wellness and illness. The idea of wellness really resonated with her. The concept aligned who she felt she was supposed to be with who she truly is. For years, she resisted joining the medical community. Now, she was excited to find her place in it for the first time.

She researched the wellness industry and found out more about massage therapy. Within a week, she was enrolled at one of the most prestigious massage schools in the area.

Providing more services to fewer clients.

Debbie went into the massage industry to start a business and create a one-stop shop for all wellness needs. First, she spent a year working in a rehab clinic, learning the ropes. She learned their system for treating clients, what she liked, and what she didn’t. Then she opened her own clinic, doing things her own way.

At first, Debbie had a solo-practice providing only massage. She loved doing massage more than anything she’d done before. However, her business mind knew she could do more with this business.

Her mom was a Chinese Medicine doctor. And over the years, people had pushed Debbie to take over her mom’s practice, but she refused. Now, she saw how she could help her mom by bringing her into her massage practice. It was all coming together.

That was the start of her multi-disciplinary practice. Her mom retired a couple years later, and Debbie found more providers to offer even more therapies. Massage was still the primary service, but complementary services were also available. This included any alternative therapy she could find providers for: chiro, physio, ortho; basically, anything insurance would cover.

It took time and patience. Today, Debbie has 13 providers working under one roof. Debbie credits her passion and sincerity as the secret to her longevity and keeping her clients and staff with her throughout the years. She is still often surprised when asked about her 14-year-long career in massage. Since, to her, it has only felt like 5 years.

Her multi-disciplinary approach has been successful, as seen in her increased revenue. And best of all, a single client can benefit from multiple services while insurance pays the bill.

User-friendly software for her clients.

As a business owner, every day has its challenges. Keeping up with the times is one of them.

When Debbie first started her business, she had a physical book she booked appointments in. So when clinic management software became available, she didn’t hesitate to upgrade to a more modern system.

She got feedback from her clients, and they wanted online scheduling. Plus, with a labor shortage, using software to do administrative tasks was just sensible.

"Overall, ClinicSense is very user-friendly. That’s why I stay with it."

ClinicSense wasn’t the first online scheduling software Debbie tried, but it’s what she’s stuck with. She likes that ClinicSense is a Canadian company. The price point is within her budget. Plus, there’s no currency exchange issue like what she’s experienced with American software companies.

The biggest factor in her choosing ClinicSense was that it’s affiliated with her association, RMTAO. She trusts their endorsement. She knows she can trust ClinicSense to take the privacy of her clients seriously. That’s a big deal when you run any kind of medical clinic.