Why a Long-Term Mindset is Critical for Private Practice During the COVID Pandemic

The rehab therapy private practice industry proved something major throughout the public health emergency (PHE) brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are resilient. Private practices have worked incredibly hard to quickly react and adapt to the rapidly changing landscape.

But as the industry starts to see the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s time to reevaluate processes, planning, and goals to prepare for the next chapter. COVID forced the industry into a defensive and reactive posture requiring focus on the short term. Now, though, it’s time to look further into the future and consider adopting a longer-term mindset to drive growth and sustainability.

The Temptation of Short-Term Gains

Many within the industry have and will continue to have to make some tough decisions to continue offering high-quality care, keep staff and patients safe, and keep the lights on. And faced with these challenges, it can be tempting to turn to decisions that move the needle the fastest. The problem, though, is that often these short-term gains might feel good initially, but they’re not sustainable through the long-term.

Here’s an example.

The Marketing Quandary

When financial concerns arise, budget cuts are often required. And one of the first places that many people look is marketing. Cutting the marketing budget immediately frees up cash and assets that can be used for what seem like more pressing issues.

The problem, though, is that the shorter-term mindset forgets that marketing is what keeps new patients coming in the door. While you may see more funds available immediately, what happens in a few weeks or months when fewer new patients come through the door? The financial and longevity issues are now bigger than they were before.

But what do you do if you’re not seeing the same returns from your traditional marketing methods or you have no choice but to limit the budget across the board? The answer that satisfies these challenges while still maintaining a long-term mindset is pivoting.

Pivot your marketing message to better reach how patient mindsets have changed through the PHE. Reevaluate where you’re spending your marketing dollars and what avenues you’re prioritizing. Are you taking advantage of the unique opportunities only available because of the COVID? Are your marketing efforts capitalizing on your past wins and strong suits?

An old adage says that “it takes money to make money.” What it should say, though, is that “it takes a targeted message and well-spent money to make money.” If you’d like to learn more about how you can start making some of these changes for your rehab therapy private practice, we’d encourage you to check out our free e-book—A Digital Marketing COVID Recovery Plan for Rehab Therapy Private Practices.