How I Built a Thriving Business by Putting Prevention and People First

How I Built a Thriving Business by Putting Prevention and People First

The views expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their very own.

A recent study by Northeastern University found that 48% of healthcare staff feel their organizations are not addressing burnout. In an industry where burnout is common, I am proud to say our practice stands out.

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Our team is a part of a minority of healthcare professionals who feel truly valued and maintain a healthy work-life balance. This positive environment isn’t just good for our staff—it’s a key factor in our ability to offer compassionate, high-quality care while growing a thriving medical practice.

Conventional options are normally greeted with raised eyebrows and skepticism, especially when technological advances occur every second of every day. On the contrary, my progressive education and extensive clinical experience have taught me that for a solution to work, it has to be as natural as possible. This is confirmed by over a decade of practice with countless amazing opportunities to support individuals on their journey to optimal health and wellness.

I have seen and dealt with complex health issues, but I have never lacked for a rewarding experience. The immense satisfaction of seeing patients smile, thrive, and return to me for further support with positive testimonials has at all times filled my heart. But from a business perspective, I wish to make sure that my success is a shared victory with individuals who share my passion for disease prevention and compassionate care—my team.

This collaborative approach not only improves the quality of care for patients, but also helps create a positive, productive work environment—a key element in building and maintaining a thriving healthcare business.

Define and communicate a clear mission and vision

When I discovered my calling and decided to assist people achieve optimal health and well-being, my mission became integrative and preventative medicine, prescribing medications when needed and offering patients alternative options so they might resolve for themselves what they desired to do.

Chronic illnesses like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s plague the lives of many. Whether you have personally battled them, life-threatening conditions or know someone who is on the path to recovery, you understand how these conditions can significantly alter lifestyles. With this in mind, I advocate a model that prioritizes prevention over prescription, emphasizing lifestyle changes and natural healing alongside conventional treatments. I take a proactive, not reactive, approach with my patients. To provide education, alternative and traditional options, hope, partnership, and continuity of care and accountability. This mission has been the foundation of my practice, guiding every decision from service offerings to team culture.

To make this vision a reality, I purposely built a business model focused on prevention, habit modification, and last-resort prescribing. This approach was more complex, requiring a deep dive into integrative medicine and a commitment to ongoing learning. I joined relevant associations and collaborated with colleagues to expand my knowledge base.

Find a team that shares your mission

It was vital to me to align my team with this vision. I sought out individuals who shared my passion for preventive care and understood the importance of patient-centered care. This was actually difficult, especially 25 years ago when functional medicine was considered controversial. However, I persevered in finding a team that resonated with my mission.

Make sure your patients feel heard

In addition, top-notch customer support is at the heart of our practice. Our team understands that patients often feel unheard and underrated by the healthcare system. But in our practice, we try to satisfy their needs and provide compassionate care. Our priority is the needs and comfort of our patients, and our practice focuses primarily on customer support. We have been involved in this for years, which allows us to leverage word-of-mouth referrals and ultimately build a strong retention and loyal patient base.

Because all of us share the same mission, my team is motivated to go above and beyond the call of duty to be certain that patients leave our facility fully satisfied, realizing that their emotional experiences directly impact their overall perspective on healthcare services.

Cultivate a positive and appreciative work culture

Since starting my medical practice, I have made it a priority to create a positive and supportive work environment. This has helped me attract and retain talented team members. I prefer to rent kind and empathetic individuals over expert individuals. These are qualities that can not be taught and are fundamental to providing exceptional patient care.

To continually build a strong team culture, I emphasize ownership, contribution, and appreciation. I take the time to acknowledge and appreciate their hard, dedicated work ethic and empower them to take initiative. This approach has created a sense of belonging and purpose. I remember everyone on the team holding their chins up during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was because of the strong foundation of trust and mutual respect we had successfully established.

I am proud to say that my team is one of the few in the healthcare industry who are well-recognized at work and enjoy work-life balance. I am grateful for the teamwork and supportive environment we proceed to create, especially in high-pressure situations.

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