We say it all the time: where you practice shapes how you practice. Your location also significantly impacts the overall patient experience, which is why getting it right is critical. Here’s what you need to know about the intersection of practice location and patient experience.
What Does Your Area Say About You?
The city, town, or neighborhood you choose to practice in is a branding choice. If you provide high-end cosmetic services, your clientele will have certain expectations about where your practice should be located. The same goes for practices that provide community-oriented services or large hospitals serving a vast patient base. Consider demographics, school zones, care preferences, traffic, future development, accessibility via transit or car, potential referral networks, and how well the area is currently served by competitors. If you’re priced out of a certain area, GZ can help you find great locations in neighborhoods with a similar patient mix.
No Practice is an Island
A beautifully appointed practice in a prime location is a point in your favor, but it pays to consider the patient journey beyond your practice walls. What other services will patients need to engage with as part of their care, and are they in proximity to your new location? Examples might include pharmacies, labs, daycare, or physical therapy spaces. When choosing your location, think beyond needs and also to “wants.” If you’re primarily serving office-based workers who stop in on their lunch break, proximity to food, coffee, and other retail might matter. If people fly in for your services, make sure you’re in an area well served by a major airport that offers direct flights and that there are transit or cab share services available. Finally, also consider how your location will affect your ability to attract talent – a key factor to your business longevity.
Visibility Means Success
Locations with great frontage and powerful signage command a premium for a reason–visibility drives awareness, which helps build your patient base. Some types of practices, such as a plastic surgeon’s office, may benefit from a more discreet entrance or location. Benefitting from a larger well-known practice in the building will boost the visibility of your office. Overall, visibility and convenience go together, and if you can manage both, you’ll be in a great position to expand your patient base.
Find the Right Practice Location with GZ
As specialists in medical real estate in the greater DMV area, Gittleson Zuppas Medical Realty can help you find the practice location that checks all of the boxes for success– while also meeting your own needs. A great patient experience starts with a great location. Secure yours–talk to GZ today!