It’s a familiar story for many healthcare professionals: your practice is thriving, patients are streaming in, and suddenly you’re stepping over boxes or squeezing an extra chair into a tiny treatment room. Congratulations! You’re out of space! But now comes the big question: should you relocate to a larger location, expand where you are, or stay put and make do?
Option 1: Stay Where You Are
Staying might be the simplest solution. If your lease is favorable, your location is well known to patients, and your team is settled, you might hesitate to rock the boat. You could look for clever ways to maximize your existing footprint: adding vertical storage, reconfiguring rooms, or tightening scheduling so your space is used more efficiently. Some practices add hours or stagger staff shifts to spread out patient flow.
However, staying also means recognizing limits. You may end up working in cramped conditions that strain your team and could hurt patient experience. If patients wait longer or feel rushed, growth could slow. And if the facility can’t accommodate new technology or additional staff, you might be capping your future potential.
Option 2: Relocate or Expand
Moving or expanding is exciting. It’s a chance to design a space that truly fits your practice. More room can mean additional treatment rooms, expanded services, and an environment that impresses patients and attracts top-tier staff. It can also re-energize your brand and create a fresh buzz in your community.
Of course, the costs are significant. Construction, relocation expenses, downtime, and the marketing needed to announce a move all add up. There’s also risk: will patients follow you if you relocate? Is the new area as strong demographically? Can your cash flow handle the initial hit before the new space pays off?
How to Decide
- Start by mapping out your practice goals. Are you looking to grow aggressively, add associates, or bring in new technology that needs space? Or are you content with current volume and more interested in profitability than expansion?
- Do a patient and location analysis. How far are patients willing to travel? Will a move disrupt your core base? Also, scrutinize your financials: can you comfortably handle new overhead?
- Involve your team. They’ll have practical insights into day-to-day bottlenecks and may spot creative ways to adapt your current space or identify exactly why you’ve outgrown it.
- Hire a consulting company such as The Art of Management Inc. who have helped many hundreds of Canadian healthcare practice owners make these rational decisions and get through the whole process and come out the other side with their goals shining!
Whether you stay or relocate, the key is to plan thoughtfully. A cramped office can choke growth, but a poorly timed move can do the same. Make sure your next step, whether it’s across the hall or across town, truly aligns with the future you envision for your practice.