Published: 2009-09-05 17:01:28
Author: Jasper Sidhu | Dynamic Chiropractic | August 12, 2009
Chiropractors continue to expand their practices by offering a wider variety of services. This can be driven by market forces and opportunities or the chiropractor's passion for certain services.
We are now starting to see practices entering into partnerships with fitness clubs and/or incorporating personal training, Pilates, yoga or vibration studios into their practices. If done right, there are many advantages to these types of integrations. However, if done the wrong way, albeit with good intentions, they can be a severe drain on your valuable time, resources and money. Whether you are looking at moving your practice into a fitness facility or adding a small fitness boutique to your existing practice, certain things are required for you to be successful.
Partnering With a Fitness Club
Associating your practice with a fitness club offers several distinct advantages. Dr. Thien Dang Tan, clinical director of the Clinic for Sport Medicine in North York, Ontario, understands this well. His practice is associated with the Fitness Institute in Toronto.
According to Dr. Tan, "Having access to fitness club members is an important part of my practice. You have a captive audience that is proactive in their health and wellness needs, in addition to being the right demographic for a chiropractic practice that deals with sports injuries and wellness."
Another advantage is the ability to have access to the fitness club's equipment. Dr. Tan is heavily involved in sports therapy and has the ability to progress patients from his clinic to a more intense rehabilitation and conditioning program in the fitness club. "This allows me to provide a smooth transition into the different phases of care. I don't need to send the patient off somewhere else where I may not be able to monitor them as closely as having them next door."
Key Considerations
Although there are advantages to this type of partnership, there are some things to consider. First, by associating with a fitness club, you need to be careful not to provide the perception that your practice is somehow fully connected to the health club. According to Dr. Tan, "It's important to have the right marketing message for the community, in addition to the right internal marketing message for club members. If this is not done correctly, the outside community may think that they need to be a member of the club to become a patient of your practice."
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