Written by: Emily Joswiak • March 19, 2024• Business

5 Things To Know Before Opening a Physical Therapy Practice

Are you considering opening a physical therapy practice? Before you do, explore our guide on the key things physical therapists need to know!

Are you a physical therapist or a student with a goal of owning a physical therapy clinic? Before you do, check out our explainer of some things to know before opening a physical therapy practice, from your specialty to the marketing plan!

How You’ll Get Started

Before looking for an office space and buying equipment for your practice, you’ll have to decide how to get started. There are multiple ways to become a physical therapy clinic owner, depending on whether you want to make it a solo venture, build one from scratch, or purchase an existing practice. Starting from nothing or buying into a clinic has unique advantages, so it’s worth considering the pros and cons of your options.

Your Specialty

Once you’ve decided how you’ll open the private practice, you’ll need to determine your specialty. Your research of the local area or your area of interest can help you make a decision. There’s no shortage of specialties to choose from:

Orthopedics
Oncology
Sports physical therapy
Geriatrics
Electrophysiology

The Local Demographics

A key thing to know before opening a physical therapy practice is your potential client demographics. For example, opening a sports physical therapy clinic in Miami, Florida is a great idea because of the diverse demographic. Additionally, there are plenty of retirement communities around Florida, so geriatric physical therapy is one of the most common specialties. Of course, that means more competition.

The Competition

Research the local competition before finalizing your plans. It shouldn’t surprise you that Florida has some of the best employment numbers for physical therapists among the 50 US states, with thousands of physical therapists working in the Sunshine State. While there’s plenty of competition, some areas of the state are less crowded than others.

Your Marketing Plan

How will you get the word out and attract clients to your new physical therapy practice? A well-thought-out marketing plan is essential for any new physical therapist. Building a website is a good start, but you’ll have to go beyond an online presence with physical marketing materials (mailings, brochures, etc.), community outreach initiatives, and a referral network.

Those are the most important things every physical therapist should know before they cut the big ribbon and open their new clinic. It’s a lot of research and work to open a physical therapy practice, but if you focus on the core of your business, we’re sure you’ll hit the ground running!

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Last modified: March 19, 2024