What’s the good old cliche when it comes to picking real estate?
“Location, location, location…” Advice that stands true even now, not only if you want to buy or rent a new house, but also if you are looking for office space.
Your office space and its location can make all the difference to your target audience. And who else knows this better than healthcare professionals and doctors. When relocating your practice to a different place or launching a new independent, choosing the right place is crucial to the success of your practice.
If you are on the lookout for the best office space for medical leasing, especially in a city like New York, then you know how challenging it can be. Here are some guidelines on how to choose the best office space for medical practice.
Accessibility
Firstly choose a location that patients can easily access and make it convenient to find your practice.
Look for locations that have public transportation stops near them. On average, a 25-minute ride is the maximum patients are willing to travel so choose your office location wisely.
High-traffic areas are not always a good thing. Sure, more traffic means more prospective patients but waiting out the traffic in your car idly can be frustrating for the patients and can stop them from returning – so find a balance.
Consider factors like parking, ramps for accessibility, and visibility.
Competition
A location that is rife with other medical practitioners is always a great choice. Unless the location has a number of older practices with ingrained ties with patients, don’t mind the company. A little healthy competition will in fact drive more patients your way than you imagine.
Your marketing efforts need to be above par if you are competing in such a location. Aim to launch your office around different specialties that are related to yours. It creates a ready referral network for your practice.
Invest in research
Speak with a medical practice consultant and invest some time in research related to current population trends. This ensures that you are in fact investing in a location that needs you and utilizes your services.
This entails a demographic study of the locations you have shortlisted and how close are your potential patients to these spots. For instance, if you are a pediatrician or an Ob/Gyn you might want to zero in on communities with parents of young children, or newly married seem to be moving in.
Aesthetics
It is the age of social media and appearances play an important role in making that first impression. A dingy, dimly-lit or broken down exterior doesn’t equate to quality. You may have swanky interiors but the outside of your building is just as important.
As far as the interior spaces go, the office should look warm and inviting and use design principles that make optimum use of space leading to high productivity.
Leave it to the experts
There is an increasing trend of co-working or managed workspaces in the medical profession. An innovative enterprise that provides not just shared working spaces, but also concierge services, call-handling, appointment booking, billing, storage and body-work tables for therapy clinics. In short, you don’t have to worry about the logistics, management or bookings. Just focus on your gift of healing and leave the rest to the specialists.
The new wave of medical coworking has gained momentum, especially in cities like New York, where both space and staff come at a premium. This is not only cost-efficient but also enables independent health practitioners to focus on their patients and their practice rather than the nitty-gritty of administration and management.
Choose wisely
So if you are looking to relocate or start afresh, you know the old adage about luck being a combination of preparation and opportunity. Choose wisely.
