Reproductive Medicine Clinics Basics

Find out what it takes to set up a center for reproductive medicine

As a physician, you may feel that you are ready to branch out on your own by opening a reproductive health clinic. As a fertility specialist, your services are sought by couples who have tried unsuccessfully to conceive. You may be able to save them from the pain of infertility by opening up a clinic of your own.

Before you go any further, you'll need to get a basic idea of how to set up your own reproductive medicine clinics. Basics include planning your menu of services, setting up your equipment and supplies, and marketing your new clinic. Consider the following:

1. Find out what other reproductive health services are offering in your area. You are running a business, after all, so you'll need to stay competitive.

2. Make a list of supplies, furnishings and equipment you'll need for your reproductive health clinics. This includes not only medical products but office supplies as well.

3. Think of ways you can market your reproductive medicine services. Having a presence on the Internet will allow your patients to locate you and see what you're all about.

 

Determine what services you want to offer at your fertility treatment clinics

Of course, there are some basic services that you would expect to offer to your patients, like intrauterine insemination and traditional IVF. There are other more specialized procedures, like frozen embryo transfers, that are not offered everywhere. It's imperative that you know what other clinics are offering so you can set your menu and stay competitive.
Try: Find out what other clinics are offering by using the state search feature at Internet Health Resources. You can also locate the websites of clinics in your state at the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology; this will help you figure out what services you want to offer.

Get the supplies and equipment you need to get your reproductive medical services rolling

Doctors' offices everywhere have the same basic components: exam tables, exam room equipment and standard medical instruments. As a fertility specialist, you'll need a few other pieces of equipment as well, like ultrasound machines and tools used for performing transfer procedures.
Try: Buy exam tables and accessories from Telluride Systems, which offers both manual and hydraulic models. You can find a wide variety of equipment and furnishings at Aria Medical Equipment. For other supplies specific to reproductive medicine, reference Work.com's Guide to Reproductive Medicine Clinics.

Market your clinic's reproductive health care services via the Internet

When looking for help, the first source many couples turn to is the Internet. Having a web presence will draw quite a few patients to your clinic, especially if you're one of the only facilities offering fertility treatments in your area. You should have a website of your own, detailing your services and helpful information for couples coping with infertility. Also, by putting your clinic's ad on related sites, you can drive more traffic to your website, thus increasing the chance that you'll have patients who come to you. You may even get a few referrals from OBGYN clinics this way.
Try: Aurora Information Technology can develop your website and help you with online marketing. Consider listing your clinic on any of the sites in The Fertility Network to increase exposure.

 

• Don't forget that you'll need to get your reproductive health clinic licensed by your state. You cannot open your doors until this is done, so fit this into your time line and plan accordingly.

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