Click here to download this episode
Karen is a cash-based practice owner who sees all her patients in their homes or offices. She gives an incredible amount of practical and actionable advice for those interested in this model, and much of the advice is applicable to and useful for any type of practice. I was ultra impressed with her answers to my questions, and I’m pumped to present you with this info-packed episode.
In this episode, you’ll learn about:
- Why she felt that a home-visit cash practice was a viable option when she was getting started.
- How she got past the anxiety of quitting her part-time job to go full-time in her practice.
- How she decided on her cash pay rate.
- Her advice for transparency when you have a “side practice” while still working for another practice.
- How she goes about generating physician referrals for her cash-based practice.
- Her opinion on the viability of the home-visit model in small cities and towns.
- What EMR she uses and why she likes it so much.
- The logistics of a home visit practice and how they differ from brick-and-mortar practices.
- How she mitigates safety risks given she is seeing patients in their homes.
- Great parting advice you don’t want to miss if you’re interested in this niche business model.
Resources and Links mentioned in this episode:
[Click to Tweet] Thank you @KarenLitzyNYC for being an awesome guest on the Cash-Based Practice Podcast w/ @DrJarodCarter
If you haven’t seen or heard it already, the Cash Pay PT and Medicare eBook is finally available! Click here to learn all the rules and regulations on taking private payment from Medicare beneficiaries.
Interested in the cash-based private practice model?
>> Click Here to learn how to start your own Cash-Based Practice << 
Thank you Jarod and Karen for the great information that you provided. From the interview, Karen, I heard that you don’t carry a treatment table to your visits. I was wondering, where the patient is placed when you need to provide treatment for them in the supine/prone/sideline position? Are you carrying with you an exercise/yoga mat with you to each session or do you suggest to them to purchase a massage table before you begin with them?
Hi Eric,
Thanks for listening to the podcast! It is true that I do not carry a table with me. I provide treatment on a yoga mat, bed, or couch if necessary. I would say all of the clients I see have a yoga mat (it is NYC after all) and some of them have massage tables either in their homes or in the gym in their building. It depends on the situation but most of the time a table is not necessary. If you have any other questions let me know!
Karen
Thanks for the informative podcast! I am a PT/yoga instructor that is currently working in NYC as well but I am fairly new to the city. I am working full time in a small, private PT owned clinic and I want to know how you started to get private clients of your own that were separate from the patients you were treating when working part time. I had one private client but after her sessions with me were through, she has not referred anyone new to me and I was counting on that. I do keep in touch with her but what other sources can I utilize to get private clients for home care?
Hi Sheherezad,
Thank you for the listening and for the kind words. So what you are saying is you are currently working full time and developing your own cash pay model on the side. is that correct? I did the same thing! I got referrals from many different avenues.
1) I developed relationships with MDs outside of the clinic I was working at the time. So when they had a patient that was seeking home care (and was able to pay out of pocket for services) they would refer directly to me for my home practice. And, when they had a patient that was unable to utilize my home services they referred them to the private practice clinic i was working at the time. This was a win win. I got the referral for the home (cash pay) patients and the clinic got referrals. I had a great relationship with the PT owned clinics I worked at when I was working full time and part time so I was always 100% transparent about seeing patients on the side. As a matter of fact when the clinic got a call from a potential patient who wanted to be seen at home they would refer them to me. I should add that I also send patients back to the MD.
2) When I first moved to NYC I worked as a trainer at a very elite gym. I became great friends with the trainers there and they have over the years referred tons of patients to me and I to them.
3) One tactic I used that was very helpful was placing an “ad” in one of my current patient’s building newsletter. This resulted in several referrals in the same building. My patient suggested she place the ad.
4) I went to so many women’s entrepreneurial meet ups and met some great ladies who have referred clients to me.
5) Of course the majority of patients I see is through word of mouth. Don’t worry that will happen..it just takes time.
As you know in NYC you have to hustle and that is the best way to get your name out there! If you noticed most of the ways I market is a give to get type of system. Approach people with the attitude of “what can I do to make your life easier (especially in NYC)” and people will respond positively.
I hope this helps and if you want to meet up in the city let me know!
Karen
Hi Karen and Jarod,
Thank you so much for the incredible information! One of my main questions about this business model is how do you manage or advise your patient to manage their employer if you are seeing the patient at their workplace? Have you found employers to be amenable to their staff being treated in the workplace during the workday? Do you advise patients to talk to their employer and potentially take PTO for the time you are treating them? Is it challenging to find a private space to treat in their place of work?
Kindest regards,
Sven
Hi Sven,
Thanks for listening and great question. To be honest the clients I have seen in the workplace have always been the CEO or someone pretty high up in the company so it has never been a problem. A few of the offices I have been to have gyms or massage rooms in the office or the client had a private office. So I have never had a problem. That being said an employee will miss far less time if you go to them vs the employee having to duck out for at least an hour.
Karen
Hi Karen and Jarod,
I want to compliment you for your generosity with your time and sharing your experiences. As a PT student its great to have your guys’ examples to learn from.
Thanks for the kinds words, Grafton! So glad we can give back
Thank you Grafton. I am so happy you found value in the interview.
Karen
I may have missed this, but I’m curious how seeing patient’s in their home is differentiated from home health?
It is home health but the clients I see are not your typical home health clients. They are people who could go to a clinic but they choose to have someone come to them.
Karen
Karen,
I am in the process of building a website/Facebook page to start my own Cash based Model in the Cleveland, OH area implementing many of the strategies that Jarod has used in his E-book and also really enjoyed the information provided in this podcast as I am currently trying to build this population in my model. You both are a true inspiration and have really given me the confidence and provided useful logistical tools to press on with this model of treatment. I have extensive training w/dry needling and have been implementing that a lot into the home based treatments. If you don’t mind sharing I was curious what method/program you use to accept payments, I assume you use an application on your phone. I have been reading reviews on several and am unsure which one to proceed with full time. Thanks to you both for all the great insight!
James Yoder PT, DPT
Thanks so much for the kind words, James. I’m always so pumped when my work can serve as an inspiration for my colleagues to build the practice of their dreams.
I use the Paypal credit card processor/swipe called “Paypal Here” … I went with them because rates were comparable, customer service is good, and I was already using Paypal for ecommerce so I had a business acct set up. I’ve heard that you might find better rates with Inuit (Quickbooks) or Square depending on the volume of payments you’ll be processing; so that’s something you may want to investigate further.
Karen?
Hi James,
Thank you for the kind words and I am so happy that you are starting your own business. You will love it!
I actually do not take credit cards. All of my clients pay me via check or cash. I am thinking about using PayPal as Jarod mentioned above but I am just in the thinking phase. At this point I don’t have any clients asking to pay by credit card so I might as well save the fees.
But I would also look into Square as I have some friends who take it and are happy with it.
Karen
James,
I’m in the process of starting a cash based practice just south of you in the Akron-Canton area. I would welcome connecting up with you to swap ideas.
Donny Williamson, PT