When mental health professionals—or for that matter, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nutritionists and other wellness professionals—look to open our own practice, we have a couple different options.
We can join a group practice, which means we invest collectively with other professionals in office space and other overhead. This model also has significant advantages beyond shared costs, such as increased interaction with colleagues and opportunities for referrals and collaboration on cases.
We can also go into independent practice, the main advantage of which is, well, independence. In other words, we have the autonomy to make our practice our own, to make it reflect who we are as professionals and as individuals.
Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages, but what if you could have the best of both worlds? At Wellspring, we’re introducing a new model that we call Practice Centers, which combines the independence of having your own practice with the shared benefits of working with a group. Take a look at some of the key features of our Practice Centers and you’ll see what we mean:
INDEPENDENCE
At Wellspring, your office and your practice are completely your own. While you’re located in one of our Practice Centers, you shape your individual business as you see fit, and all the policies, procedures and personal touches come from you. Take a look at this great article on Entrepreneur.com by Jacqueline Whitmore, 7 Ways to Make Your Office a Sanctuary. There are some great tips on keeping your office organized and unique in order to create your perfect office environment!
SHARED BENEFITS
That said, you can still take advantage of our group rates on a variety of shared benefits, such as health insurance for you and your family, as well as billing and accounting services. These benefits are completely voluntary—so you can keep your current health insurance or use your favorite billing service if you prefer—but all of our services are negotiated at a group rate so they tend to be much more cost effective.
SHARED INFRASTRUCTURE
We provide a Business Center with a computer, printer, copier and fax machine. Need to send a fax, but only once or twice a year? We’ve got you covered. We also provide a large group/conference room that can be rented as needed for running a group meeting with colleagues, or for educational events.
ENHANCED COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION
We make it easy to stay in touch with your in-suite colleagues. Our Online Practice Portal allows tenants to interact seamlessly on referrals or, for that matter, on any topic you want to discuss. Any time someone new joins the suite, we send out an introductory profile so you always know who your neighbors are, the nature of their practice and what they specialize in.
A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
We know that private practice can be lonely, so we make extra efforts to promote a sense of community. Every Practice Center has a kitchenette where colleagues can meet, chat, and have a cup of coffee or a bite to eat. Our group/conference room provides the opportunity for group supervision, holiday parties or other get-togethers. We may even schedule monthly “mini-grand rounds,” where colleagues can attend presentations and discussions on topics of mutual interest. Take a look at this article on Contactzilla.com, How to Build Community, Not Just a Workplace, by Kylie Whitehead, although it relates more to an office setting than a shared office suite setting, they really do emphasize the importance of knowing who you are working with and who you are working around in order to have a really successful work environment.
We believe this combination of benefits is totally unique, and has the potential to improve the quality of life for mental health and wellness professionals. You can take advantage of all these benefits, or pick and choose only those that suit your needs. It’s really up to you. Unlike many New York City office providers, at Wellspring we have the resources to provide these singular benefits, and they’re part of our commitment to help you flourish both personally and professionally.