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The First 90 Days: What New Medical Practices Need to Focus On

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What New Medical Practices Need to Focus On

Starting a medical practice is an exciting milestone, but the first few months are crucial to long-term success. The early days set the tone for your operations, patient experience, and profitability. Here’s a guide on what new medical practices need to focus on in their first 90 days:

1. Build an Efficient Operational Structure

Your first priority should be ensuring your systems and workflows are functioning smoothly. Confirm that your electronic health record (EHR) system, phone lines, billing processes, and scheduling software are all in place and tested. Efficiency during this stage prevents chaos as patient volume increases.

2. Focus on Patient Acquisition

You need patients to keep your practice running. Launch a strategic marketing plan that includes your website, Google Business Profile, social media, and community outreach. Referral relationships with other providers can also drive initial growth.

3. Deliver an Exceptional Patient Experience

Patient satisfaction is one of the most powerful growth drivers. Train staff to create a welcoming environment, minimize wait times, and provide clear communication. First impressions during the first 90 days are vital for building long-term relationships.

4. Monitor Financial Health Closely

Cash flow is often tight when starting a practice. Track expenses, monitor revenue cycle metrics, and follow up on insurance claims promptly. Small issues in billing and collections can snowball quickly if left unaddressed.

5. Build a Strong Team Culture

Your staff is the backbone of your practice. Establish clear roles, set expectations, and create a positive work environment. Early investment in team culture reduces turnover and increases efficiency.

6. Gather Data and Adjust as Needed

The first 90 days provide valuable insight into your practice’s strengths and weaknesses. Track patient volume, no-show rates, and revenue trends. Be prepared to adapt quickly when something isn’t working.

Key Takeaway

The success of a new medical practice is heavily influenced by the first 90 days. By focusing on operations, patient acquisition, and financial stability, you’ll build a solid foundation for long-term growth. Regularly review your metrics and stay flexible—small adjustments now can lead to big results later.

Why Turnkey Solutions Are the Future of Medical Practice Startups

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Why Turnkey Solutions Are the Future of Private Practice Startups

Physicians today are burned out—not just from patient care, but from navigating a fragmented healthcare system full of administrative burdens and corporate control. That’s why more doctors are turning to private practice. But starting a new practice is no small task—unless you have the right help.

At Cornerstone Healthcare Consulting and Management, we offer turnkey solutions for medical practice startups that simplify the process from idea to grand opening.

What Are Turnkey Solutions for Medical Practice Startups?

A turnkey solution means we handle everything—from site selection and vendor coordination to policies, procedures, and compliance—so that you can walk into a fully functioning medical practice, ready to serve patients on day one.

This approach removes the stress, guesswork, and time drain that typically come with launching a new healthcare business.

What We Handle So You Don’t Have To

At Cornerstone, our turnkey services include:

  • Business formation & legal setup

  • Office location and design assistance

  • Vendor coordination (EMRs, phone systems, IT, billing services)

  • Staffing and HR onboarding

  • Marketing coordination

  • Policy and procedure manuals

  • CLIA-waived application 

  • Financial pro forma development & bank coordination

  • Credentialing support

Why Turnkey Solutions Save You Time and Money

The typical physician spends hundreds of hours planning a new practice. Our clients reclaim that time, allowing them to stay focused on what matters: clinical care and strategic vision.

With fewer delays, better vendor pricing, and coordinated timelines, our clients often save thousands of dollars compared to a piecemeal setup approach.

Who We Help

We specialize in helping:

  • Physicians transitioning out of corporate healthcare

  • Integrative or functional medicine providers

  • Faith-based practice founders

  • Cash-pay, DPC, or hybrid model clinics

  • Startups in psychiatry, internal medicine, primary care, pediatrics, IV Hydration Therapy, pain management, and more!

Let Cornerstone Be Your Foundation

Your vision deserves more than a checklist—it needs a plan, a partner, and a proven process. At Cornerstone Healthcare Consulting and Management, we’re here to build your future in medicine, one step at a time.

Let’s talk about how we can bring your practice to life.
Contact Us to schedule your consultation today.

Why Healthcare Practice Owners Trust Cornerstone Healthcare Consulting and Management

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Building Strong Foundations: Why Cornerstone Is the Go-To for Healthcare Consulting

Starting or managing a medical practice is no small feat. Between regulatory hurdles, staffing needs, vendor selection, and ensuring quality patient care, many physicians find themselves overwhelmed. That’s where Cornerstone Healthcare Consulting and Management comes in—a trusted partner for medical practices and healthcare professionals seeking tailored solutions and expert guidance from day one.

Who We Help

Whether you’re a solo practitioner dreaming of your first clinic, a specialist launching an integrative or direct care model, or an established provider aiming to streamline operations, we’re here for you. At Cornerstone, we specialize in:

  • Healthcare consulting for medical practice startups

  • Practice management support for growing clinics

  • Custom solutions for traditional and alternative care models

  • Vendor coordination, EMR implementation, and process design and more!

Our Comprehensive Services

From strategy to execution, we guide you every step of the way. Our services include:

  • Business planning and entity formation

  • Office setup, staffing structure, and vendor coordination

  • EMR and phone system selection and implementation

  • CLIA Waived and compliance consulting

  • Practice forms, policy creation, and operations manuals

  • Revenue cycle and patient flow optimization

  • Optional support for DPC (Direct Primary Care) and cash-based models

We also understand that many of our clients are disillusioned with the corporate healthcare system. That’s why we offer support for physicians exploring more patient-centered, ethically aligned, and independent models of care.

Why Choose Cornerstone Healthcare Consulting

✅ Experience: Years of expertise in healthcare operations and physician support
✅ Custom Strategy: No cookie-cutter plans—each solution is tailored to your goals
✅ Turnkey Services: Everything you need to launch successfully—without burnout

What Our Clients Say

Outstanding service!!! Wouldn't look anywhere else. Remarkably responsive and time efficient with all communications whether via email, phone or in person. Pleasant and kind. Vastly knowledgeable in multiple areas of healthcare. Highly recommended, especially for new start up practices!

Brigid O'Gorman, MD

Cornerstone Healthcare Consultants gave me the confidence and support I needed to take the leap into opening my own business. Missy is well versed in her field, there wasn’t a question she couldn’t answer. She is organized and thorough! At times I doubted myself and Missy was the positive driving force to steer me in the right direction. Vivify Hydration Lounge & Medispa, LLC opened 11/1/21, we’re off to a great start! Thank you Cornerstone!

Michelle Maniace, F-NP

Let's Build Something That Lasts

At Cornerstone Healthcare Consulting and Management, we don’t just help launch practices—we help build legacies. If you’re ready to open or optimize your medical practice with integrity, faith, and sustainability at the core, we’re ready to help.

📞 SCHEDULE your FREE consultation today and discover how we can make your vision a reality.

How to Grow a Private Practice Without Losing Patient Focus

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How to Grow a Medical Practice

Introduction

Growing a private medical practice is an exciting milestone, but it often comes with a difficult balancing act: expanding your reach while maintaining the high level of personalized care that made your practice successful in the first place. Patient-centered care should never be sacrificed for scalability. Here’s how to ensure your practice grows with your patients — not away from them.

1. Build a Strong Operational Foundation

Before scaling, streamline your operations. Ensure your workflows, staffing, and systems are optimized. Consider implementing:

  • Automated scheduling and reminders
  • EHR systems with integrated patient portals
  • Clear standard operating procedures (SOPs)

A strong foundation reduces the risk of patient experience slipping through the cracks as your patient load increases.

2. Hire for Culture, Not Just Credentials

When expanding your team, hire people who align with your patient-first values. Clinical skills are essential, but empathy, communication, and integrity are what keep your care consistent and personal. Train your staff to prioritize:

  • Active listening
  • Compassionate communication
  • Continuity of care

3. Use Technology to Enhance, Not Replace, Patient Interactions

Tech tools can increase efficiency, but don’t let them replace meaningful human connection. Leverage:

  • Telehealth to maintain access, not distance
  • AI-assisted charting to reduce provider burnout
  • Follow-up automation to keep communication consistent

Let technology serve as a support system that allows more time for face-to-face care.

4. Empower Patients Through Education and Involvement

Involve patients in their care plans by educating them and encouraging shared decision-making. Offer:

  • Digital resources tailored to common conditions
  • Group education sessions or webinars
  • Surveys to gather patient feedback

This increases trust and makes patients feel like true partners in their care.

5. Expand Intentionally — Don’t Chase Volume

When you grow too quickly or in the wrong direction, quality can decline. Consider:

  • Adding one new service line at a time
  • Expanding hours before locations
  • Building referral relationships before advertising to new markets

Focus on depth of care before breadth of services.

6. Monitor Patient Satisfaction and Retention

Growth should never outpace your reputation. Use tools like:

  • Net Promoter Scores (NPS)
  • Online review monitoring
  • Direct patient feedback channels

Actively track and respond to feedback to maintain high patient satisfaction.

Conclusion

Growing your medical practice doesn’t mean sacrificing your core values. With intentional systems, the right people, and patient-first strategies, you can scale successfully while delivering the care that sets your practice apart. Always remember: a thriving practice is built on loyal, well-cared-for patients. Need help growing your practice? Contact us today for a FREE consultation.

Independent Practice vs. Hospital Employment: Pros and Cons for Physicians

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Independent Practice vs. Hospital Employment: Pros and Cons for Physicians

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, many physicians are faced with a pivotal career decision: should they pursue independent practice or accept hospital employment? Each path comes with its own set of advantages and challenges. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of independent practice vs hospital employment to help physicians make informed choices about their professional future.

Pros of Independent Practice

1. Autonomy and Control

One of the biggest draws of independent practice is autonomy. Physicians can make decisions about the services they offer, the staff they hire, and the overall patient experience.

2. Greater Income Potential

While overhead costs exist, independent physicians have the ability to scale their practice, set their own fees, and diversify income through additional services.

3. Flexibility in Care Models

Physicians can adopt alternative care models such as Direct Primary Care, concierge medicine, or integrative and functional medicine approaches.

4. Stronger Patient Relationships

With fewer bureaucratic constraints, physicians often enjoy deeper, more personalized relationships with their patients.

Cons of Independent Practice

1. Business and Administrative Burdens

Running a practice means managing staff, billing, insurance credentialing, marketing, compliance, and more—often without formal business training.

2. Upfront Costs and Financial Risks

Startup costs can be significant, and it may take time to become profitable. Physicians bear the financial risk of the business.

3. Limited Time Off

Time away from the practice can impact revenue, and coverage for time off may require hiring locums or cross-coverage.

Pros of Hospital Employment

1. Predictable Income and Benefits

Physicians receive a stable salary, benefits like health insurance and retirement plans, and potentially bonuses tied to performance metrics.

2. Reduced Administrative Burden

Hospitals handle billing, staffing, compliance, and other operational tasks, allowing physicians to focus more on patient care.

3. Work-Life Balance

Many employed positions offer regular hours, PTO, and coverage support, improving work-life integration.

4. Professional Development

Large institutions often provide opportunities for continuing education, research, and advancement into leadership roles.

Cons of Hospital Employment

1. Limited Autonomy

Employed physicians may have less control over schedules, treatment protocols, and the type of care they can provide.

2. Productivity Pressures

Compensation models often include RVU-based incentives that can lead to burnout and compromised care quality.

3. Vulnerability to Restructuring

Hospitals may reorganize, eliminate positions, or change service lines—impacting job security and physician satisfaction.

4. Potential Ethical Conflicts

Employed physicians may face pressure to prioritize institutional goals over individualized patient care.

Which Path is Right for You?

The choice between independent practice and hospital employment is highly personal and depends on your goals, risk tolerance, and desired lifestyle. Some physicians thrive in the entrepreneurial freedom of private practice, while others prefer the structure and predictability of hospital employment.

If you’re considering opening your own medical practice, working with a healthcare consultant can simplify the process—handling everything from credentialing to compliance so you can focus on what matters most: patient care.

Conclusion

The decision between independent practice vs hospital employment is one of the most important in a physician’s career. By understanding the pros and cons of each path, doctors can align their career choice with their values, aspirations, and ideal practice model.

Supporting Physicians at Every Stage of Their Journey

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Supporting Physicians at Every Stage of Their Journey

At the heart of our work lies an unwavering mission—to help physicians past, present, and future. Since 2014, our dedication has remained steadfast as we’ve worked hand-in-hand with private practice physicians to preserve their independence, cultivate sustainability, and empower them to thrive in an increasingly challenging healthcare landscape.

Our journey started with helping physicians establish and manage their own medical practices. But what drove us to create our Turnaround Consulting Program? It wasn’t part of some long-term strategic plan. Rather, it was born out of necessity—a response to the voices of physicians exasperated with the pressures placed on private medical practices.

The Catalyst for Change

Over the years, several private practice physicians have reached out to us. They were professionals who had once found stability and financial comfort as partners in large, thriving practices. Yet, change came quickly, and so did the dilemmas. Some faced the prospect of their practice being bought out by health systems, which they didn’t feel aligned with their values. Others struggled with operational policies that clashed with the core ethics of providing patient-focused care.

These conversations made one thing clear—physicians needed support not just to survive but to regain control over their futures. It became obvious to us that private practice physicians were facing an uphill battle, but they didn’t have to fight it alone.

Then, one phone call changed everything. A practice reached out unexpectedly, revealing their financial struggles and asking for help avoiding a sale to a health system. They wanted solutions—answers that would allow them to remain independent. We took on the challenge and thus began our first Turnaround Consulting project.

Transforming Challenges Into Sustainability

That initial client taught us the true potential of what was possible. By analyzing their operations and costs, we successfully saved the practice an astounding $260,000 annually in expenses. This wasn’t just about salvaging their business—it was about giving them the tools to rebuild.

From there, we developed additional services tailored to the needs of private practices:

  • Expense Consulting to address high costs and improve financial efficiency.
  • Medical Practice Marketing to expand patient bases and drive growth in competitive markets.

Each solution was created with one goal in mind—empowering private practice physicians to maintain autonomy and build practices they’re proud of.

Why Private Practices Matter

While we’ve worked across hospitals and health systems, our focus and energy have consistently been devoted to private medical practices. Why? Because private practices are the backbone of patient-first healthcare. They’re where patients develop lasting relationships with their physicians, where care often goes beyond charts and data.

However, they’re also the most vulnerable, often squeezed between rising operational costs, regulatory demands, and the pressures of consolidation. While it’s one of the most difficult areas of healthcare to work in, we know that keeping private practices viable is not just important—it’s essential.

Standing with Physicians—Past, Present, and Future

Over the years, we’ve guided countless physicians through pivotal moments in their careers and businesses. For the physicians of the past, we’ve helped preserve legacies and guide transitions. For those in the present, we’ve focused on sustainability, providing tools and strategies to stabilize operations. And for those preparing to open their own private practices, we’ve been dedicated supporters and strategic partners in their journeys.

Every practice, every physician, and every patient who benefits reminds us why this mission matters so deeply. The stakes are high in private healthcare, but we believe it’s worth every effort.

If you or your practice need guidance, whether it’s managing financial strain or navigating growth, know that we’re here to help. Together, we’ll work toward solutions that not only sustain but empower.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.