Many medical doctors end up owning their own medical franchise instead of creating their own private practice. There are many benefits to doing this, including the brand recognition they get when they own one of these franchises. Dentists, pediatric doctors, and even family practitioners can launch their business more effectively under one of these franchise umbrellas.
It seems that because these franchises are independently owned, the standard of care patients receive varies wildly. This can create a problem for better franchises. What would happen if there were standards that each of these facilities had to meet and that they started with the type of medical professionals who were allowed to own one of them? Aside from just the money to start the businesses, medical franchises would do well to require some of these qualities from the medical professionals who own them.
Ability To Study For and Pass Important Exams
Yes, passing an exam is important, but there is a huge distinction between doctors who barely pass and those who do excellent on various exams to receive certifications. Medical franchisers should have insight into the scores of doctors who pass family medical board certification or those who would've failed their pediatric medicine exams if they had missed only one more question. They should be able to see those who did not do well and the areas where they struggled in. This can help franchisers distinguish better medical professionals to own their franchises.
Being a Lifelong Learner
If medical franchises required the doctors who work in their facilities to be lifelong learners, beyond just what is required for their licensing, they would likely have businesses with more consistent staff. Someone could go to a Comfort Dental in Arizona and get the same exact quality care that they would get in Colorado. Doctors who are lifelong learners are more likely to implement newer treatment protocols and offer alternatives to their patients than those who are stuck in older mindsets. Lifelong learners are more likely to research and admit when they don't know everything.
History of Compassionate Care
Medical franchises need to be staffed with compassionate medical professionals if they want to thrive. Doctors who own one of these facilities should have a history of compassionate care toward their patients. There are two kinds of doctors, who would show compassion and empathy toward their patients, and those who do not. Cold doctors with a bad bedside manner don't bode well for the image of medical franchisers. When you're choosing who to allow to use your franchise, choose compassionate professionals over the ones who are cold and unempathetic.
Someone Who Takes Care of Him or Herself
Let's face it, doctors who don't take care of themselves are not going to be taken as seriously as those who do. Going to an obese doctor for weight loss help doesn't make sense. Fill your medical franchises with professionals who take care of themselves. They value rest and eating nourishing foods, and the evidence of their habits is in how they behave toward others and how they look. If doctors want their patients to take them seriously, they need to take their own medicine first and practice what they preach.
Great Communication Skills
Being a good communicator is about more than just talking. It's about hearing what someone else has to say and then processing that information to come up with an appropriate response. Getting confused with your patients because they "won't do what you tell them," doesn't open up healthy lines of communication. It's important to hear what's really going on in a person's life and offer more than one option to help the patient reach their health goals or treat an illness. Doctors who run medical franchises should have great communication skills not only for their patients but also for the business they are running.
When you're trying to fill your pipeline for great franchise owners, look to these qualities first. A good business owner, who is also a doctor, will need more skills and expertise than average. If you select for excellence, great people skills, and someone who is a lifelong learner, you can improve the reputation of your franchise and ensure consistent care no matter what city someone is in.
