What's Your Job Profile: Gina Fricke
Therapist Gina Fricke, of Peace and Power Counseling, was included in a "What's Your Job?" roundup feature in the Sunday, Sept. 5 edition of the Omaha World-Herald.
Therapist Survey: Subleased Office Space (Part 4)
This is the fourth post in a five-part series of articles based on a July 2010 survey of therapists regarding office space subleases. Previous articles examined fees and amenities offered, an analysis of factors related to deciding which practice to affiliate with, and how referrals and emergency coverage issues are handled.
The most useful part of the survey was the advice given by therapists about renting office space. Experience is the best teacher, and therapists participating in this survey have either rented space from another therapist, or are a "landlord" themselves, renting space to other therapists (or, in some cases, they have experience on both sides of the equation).
Therapists provided guidance for what questions to ask/issues to consider when subleasing space:
Others gave advice on which issues to focus on when selecting a practice to affiliate with:
One therapist recommends a careful self-analysis before seeking a practice affiliation. "Where are they in their profession? What is needed? How much time do they want to make available to do the support work, marketing, and business development?" Ensuring you select the practice that provides the services you need/expect will make the arrangement a beneficial one for both the subleasing therapist and the practice or "landlord therapist."
Another therapist cautions peers not to simply limit their focus on the financial aspects of the selection process. "By far and away it is most important that you know and trust the personal and professional ethics that the other therapists have in the office you are using. Everything else comes down to money, and that's not as critical."
Compatibility is key. "It is important to know the therapists, or at least talk to them in depth, to see if your personalities are a fit." Another therapist added, "Don't rent from a therapist who wants to tell you how to do therapy. I have never had that problem, but others have."
"Know the dynamics of the other partners with whom you share space. Seek quality, ethical concerns, and professional compatibility. Being picky is best."
The most useful part of the survey was the advice given by therapists about renting office space. Experience is the best teacher, and therapists participating in this survey have either rented space from another therapist, or are a "landlord" themselves, renting space to other therapists (or, in some cases, they have experience on both sides of the equation).
Therapists provided guidance for what questions to ask/issues to consider when subleasing space:
- What does my rental fee include? (Billing, scheduling, referrals, consultation group, marketing, inclusion on practice website?)
- Ask about additional fees up front: Are any fixtures to be added or modified, and who will be responsible for paying this fee?
- Ask for a full disclosure of costs for the space and for how much profit the therapist will make from the rent/fees you will be paying them.
- "Consider sharing space with other independent therapists over renting space from a therapist. The costs can be cheaper, there is more equality in decision-making, there are no hierarchies, and there is full disclosure about what you are paying for and what you are getting."
- Will I be getting referrals?
- "I would want 100% of my counseling fees and pay a monthly rental fee. I would pay per referral, if referrals were given to me. I would not sign a non-compete, because clients ethically should not just be handed over to someone else if I decide to leave. I would want a very explicit plan for how call-ins to the office were handled, and how I would know that my calls would be mine. Personally, I would want my counseling philosophy to 'gel' with others in the office."
- "Try to get office/secretarial support, telephone, and a couple referrals per month."
Others gave advice on which issues to focus on when selecting a practice to affiliate with:
- "Check for compatibility of clientele and for confidentiality issues."
- Look at the general style of the office (culture, feel, fit)
- "I have done a percentage before, but I believe a flat fee is best, because you know how to plan."
- "Each therapist should share either similar values, or be compatible. They should know the reputation of the persons they are renting with or to/from. When sharing with several people, they all should get a say about who might also join the practice."
- "Private practice has many hidden and unforeseen costs: legal, accounting, consultation, and practice building." Consider these when choosing a practice as well.
- "Compare costs and what that cost gets you in amenities."
- "A private practice is a business, and to assume that one gets referrals just for being there is naive. Business development is complex, time-consuming, and costs money."
- "Remember that going out on your own can be challenging too. If you share office space or a building, you can share office equipment, phones, and Internet. This can save you a lot of money. Not to mention electricity and office materials, such as paper towels, etc. In the office I am in, I do not have to clean the office either, as this comes along with the rent."
One therapist provided an innovative suggestion: "If you start with a percentage arrangement, make a cap and change to a flat monthly fee once the cap is consistently reached for six months to one year." This will help the renter decrease his or her overhead as he or she gets more successful.
Be sure to ask about how referrals are handled.
One therapist noted, "I was fortunate to have a large referral base prior to coming to this office, and I had a lot of referrals that went directly to me. Sharing referrals can be challenging if you are just starting out, but as you continue to build your referral base, people will begin asking for you. In a shared office, this can be challenging, as everyone wants to have business."
One therapist recommends a careful self-analysis before seeking a practice affiliation. "Where are they in their profession? What is needed? How much time do they want to make available to do the support work, marketing, and business development?" Ensuring you select the practice that provides the services you need/expect will make the arrangement a beneficial one for both the subleasing therapist and the practice or "landlord therapist."
Another therapist cautions peers not to simply limit their focus on the financial aspects of the selection process. "By far and away it is most important that you know and trust the personal and professional ethics that the other therapists have in the office you are using. Everything else comes down to money, and that's not as critical."
Compatibility is key. "It is important to know the therapists, or at least talk to them in depth, to see if your personalities are a fit." Another therapist added, "Don't rent from a therapist who wants to tell you how to do therapy. I have never had that problem, but others have."
"Know the dynamics of the other partners with whom you share space. Seek quality, ethical concerns, and professional compatibility. Being picky is best."
Several therapists advised getting the contract terms in writing. "Read it carefully and compare it to either past contracts or standard ones," one noted. Another added, "Get everything in writing, and have each therapist sign it. This prevents misunderstandings and complications at a later time." Make sure the contract notes the specific rights and responsibilities of each party. "Read the contract! Know exactly what you are getting."
And get everything hammered out up front, if possible. "Negotiate before signing; doing so afterwards gets thorny."
Even finding the perfect office sublease situation, getting into private practice can be difficult, as one therapist reminds us. "You need to be fully licensed, in network with many insurance providers, and have a good base of clientele you might bring with you. Even with that, it is difficult for about a year to make any money."
One concluded, "I've been very fortunate, but it's important to have a contract with those in the same office so that all expectations are understood by all."
Therapist Survey: Subleased Office Space (Part 3)
This post reports additional results from a survey conducted in July 2010. Previous posts have examined the costs and amenities available when renting office space and the issues therapists consider when selecting a subleasing arrangement.
One issue for contracting therapists is access to referrals, especially in a large practice. Unless the therapist has his or her own clientload -- or can build one independently of calls into the practice, renting space can make it difficult to attract clients.
Forty-one percent of therapists renting space had access to referrals within the office as part of the rental fee. One-third of therapists surveyed did not have access to internal referrals. Another third received referrals on a case-by-case basis.
When asked about referrals, some responses included:
- "Referrals are not part of the rental fee. However, referrals are frequent."
- "They go to partners first and then to contractors."
- "Referrals (are) provided as appropriate for patients, not as part of fee."
- From a therapist who rented space to other therapists: "If referrals were specifically for me, I kept them or referred them; other referrals were divided up by therapist/renter."
Another key issue is emergency coverage. In nearly three-quarters of the situations, no on-call services are provided for any therapists -- each therapist provides his or her own emergency coverage. In 13% of the situations, renter serve as an on-call therapist for clients (all therapists in the office rotate providing emergency coverage). Ten percent of therapists had access to emergency services through special arrangement:
- "My rent is adjusted slightly to include on-call service for my clients."
- "No coverage for purely renting space, but it would be possible if interdependence desired."
- "Phone coverage includes message service to contact each therapist in case of emergency.
Therapist Survey: Subleased Office Space (Part 2)
This is part 2 of the results of a July 2010 survey of therapists regarding office space subleasing. This post examines issues of deciding which practice to affiliate with.
Therapists have a choice of where they want to rent space. Some factors cited in influencing their decision about where to rent space include:
- Location -- interstate access; the part of town the office is located in, etc. -- 15%
- Rental cost -- 15%
- The therapists you would be working with -- 14%
- The "general feel" of the arrangement/office -- 13%
- Site accessibility (i.e., handicapped accessible) -- 10%
- Layout of office -- 9%
- Security -- 6%
- Amenities available -- 5%
- Reception area -- 4%
- Marketing availability -- 3%
- Availability of administrative support -- 3%
- Availability of billing services/support -- 3%
Most therapists choose to affiliate with other mental health practitioners. However, in addition to renting from other mental health therapists, a few therapists rented space from other types of practitioners, including a psychiatrist and a doctor's group.
The next post in the series examines how referrals and emergency coverage is handled when subleasing space.
Therapist Survey: Subleased Office Space (Part 1)
Are you a therapist who is interested in renting office space -- or are you a therapist who has space available for rent? A July 2010 survey of therapists reveals pricing and amenity details, and participating therapists give advice on making an arrangement work for you.
The survey was completed by 39 therapists. Nineteen percent of respondents have rented space from a non-therapist landlord; 38 percent have rented space from another therapist. To provide a balanced perspective, 32 percent are therapists who rent (or have rented) space to other therapists (a "landlord's view). The majority of responses (75%) came from Omaha-area therapists.
When it comes to fees, it is difficult to compare apples to apples. However, from the information supplied, a few general conclusions can be drawn.
Part-time rentals generally are in the $150 to $750 per month range. Full-time rentals most often cost $1,000+ per month. The overall average (including both part-time and full-time) rentals was $726 per month.
In exchange for the rent, therapists generally receive:
Next post: Selecting which practice to affiliate with.
The survey was completed by 39 therapists. Nineteen percent of respondents have rented space from a non-therapist landlord; 38 percent have rented space from another therapist. To provide a balanced perspective, 32 percent are therapists who rent (or have rented) space to other therapists (a "landlord's view). The majority of responses (75%) came from Omaha-area therapists.
When it comes to fees, it is difficult to compare apples to apples. However, from the information supplied, a few general conclusions can be drawn.
Part-time rentals generally are in the $150 to $750 per month range. Full-time rentals most often cost $1,000+ per month. The overall average (including both part-time and full-time) rentals was $726 per month.
Most space is rented for a flat fee, although a small percentage (25%) of respondents reported their rent is a percentage of the session fee billed or collected. These figures were more consistent -- the most-often cited figure was 35% of the amount collected. Other options were 30% of the amount billed, and 1/3 of the total office rent.
There was insufficient data on hourly rental rates to draw any conclusions.
In exchange for the rent, therapists generally receive:
- Exclusive use of a private office (12%) vs. shared office space (5%)
- Administrative support (6%)
- Billing services (7%)
- Access to conference room/meeting space (8%)
- Copier/Fax (11%)
- Consumables, like office supplies (8%)
- Participation in marketing/advertising (8%)
- Telephone (11%)
- Internet access (10%)
- Checking patient insurance benefits and/or securing insurance authorizations (9%)
- Access to emergency coverage (5%)
Therapists are generally required to carry their own liability insurance when renting space. However, in some circumstances, liability/property insurance was included.
Some rental agreements offered some flexibility in services offered. One therapist reported their agreement was based on the "percent of overhead used," what supportive services were included, and whether marketing was needed.
Some rental agreements offered some flexibility in services offered. One therapist reported their agreement was based on the "percent of overhead used," what supportive services were included, and whether marketing was needed.
Why Online Directories Are A Smart Investment
Why should you advertise your private therapy practice in an online directory?
This is a question that I'm often asked by therapists. "Shouldn't I develop my own website and get clients to find me online where I'm not surrounded by all the other therapists who do what I do, or work where I work?"
Absolutely you should have your own website. And an online profile in a directory can help drive clients to your website. It can also spur calls to your practice directly, from clients who like your profile and need help immediately.
The second concern is the idea that if a client is looking for a therapist online, he or she will not choose YOU; instead, he or she will choose another therapist. That is a very real possibility, obviously. However, if you use the personal branding concepts I've talked about before on this blog (and wrote about in my book, "Therapist's Guide to Branding Yourself Online"), you'll attract the kinds of clients you most want to work with.
People often choose directories because of the variety they offer. You know you're going to get access to a range of service providers -- but there is bound to be one that feels like a fit. The Yellow Pages work because there are a lot of companies in there. It wouldn't be used as much if there were only 2 plumbers listed, or 1 attorney.
This is a question that I'm often asked by therapists. "Shouldn't I develop my own website and get clients to find me online where I'm not surrounded by all the other therapists who do what I do, or work where I work?"
Absolutely you should have your own website. And an online profile in a directory can help drive clients to your website. It can also spur calls to your practice directly, from clients who like your profile and need help immediately.
The second concern is the idea that if a client is looking for a therapist online, he or she will not choose YOU; instead, he or she will choose another therapist. That is a very real possibility, obviously. However, if you use the personal branding concepts I've talked about before on this blog (and wrote about in my book, "Therapist's Guide to Branding Yourself Online"), you'll attract the kinds of clients you most want to work with.
People often choose directories because of the variety they offer. You know you're going to get access to a range of service providers -- but there is bound to be one that feels like a fit. The Yellow Pages work because there are a lot of companies in there. It wouldn't be used as much if there were only 2 plumbers listed, or 1 attorney.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)