Practice start-up essentials checklist
Setting up your practice with the right team and sound operational processes is essential for success. Our checklist outlines the key requirements from recruiting and onboarding employees, and setting up your business service and administration systems, to maximise your practice’s efficiency.
To ensure nothing gets missed, use this checklist to help set up your essential business and administration systems, or have Avant Practice Solutions manage the process with you.
1. Develop your business plan
Having a clear vision for your business and its growth helps you secure funding, identify and manage risk. It also helps you set clear goals, when you should reach them, and the milestones along the way.
Your business plan should include realistic financial projections and a clear view of your funding requirements — for premises, fit-out, equipment and working capital — so you can approach lenders with a credible case and avoid cash flow surprises in your first year.
2. Conduct a feasibility assessment
Determine the location, type of practice, size and growth opportunities based on population demographics, socio-economic status and competitor analysis to provide your business with the best start.
3. Secure the right practice finance
Funding is one of the most consequential decisions in setting up a practice and getting it wrong is costly to unwind later. Consider:
- How you'll fund premises — buying versus leasing, and the tax and cash flow implications of each
- Fit-out and equipment finance, which often needs to be drawn down well before the practice generates revenue
- Working capital to cover the gap between opening your doors and reaching a stable patient base
- Structuring debt in a way that supports future growth, rather than just the immediate purchase
A lender who understands medical practice cycles — including how serviceability is assessed against future patient billings rather than existing trading history — can secure more suitable terms than a generalist bank. This is worth arranging before you finalise your feasibility assessment, so your finance options inform your decisions rather than constrain them.
4. Build your team of professional advisers
There are many aspects to running a successful business, and engaging the right experts can help set you up for success. Consider the following for your team:
- a practice finance specialist who understands medical lending, cash flow forecasting and how to structure funding as your practice grows.
- a legal representative for contract creation and review
- a specialised medical accountant to set up the optimal business structure
- an insurance agent for protection due to unforeseen events
- a practice management adviser for business set up and support
- a real estate professional for the perfect location.
5. Telecommunications
A phone system is essential for patient calls and taking bookings. Look for a system that can grow with your business and use a medical IT provider to set it up. Research AI tools and remote service offerings to see which will best support your business vision.
6. IT systems and practice management software
Technologies form the backbone of your business. Your practice management consultant can advise about the strengths and weaknesses of different systems you may be considering. Look for interoperability in practice systems, as this can streamline workflows and improve data accuracy. Having healthcare IT specialists help establish and manage IT systems is important to embed systems that run securely and smoothly.
7. Data storage and cyber security
Patient records must be kept secure. Set up a cyber security framework that includes safeguards such as encryption, access controls, firewalls, and employee training. Cybersecurity specialists can advise on the most suitable methods and technologies and help you implement them.
8. Bookkeeping and payroll
These critical business functions are essential for accurate reports. Accurate employee records must be maintained under workplace laws. Ensure your practice is payroll-compliant, and your bookkeeping is up to taxation standards. Consider outsourcing to our BAS-accredited medical Bookkeeping and Payroll team.
9. Financial handling
It’s important to devote sufficient resources to financial handling within your practice in terms of time and expertise.
Decide how you will receive revenue from patients and insurers and submit invoices to insurers. A well-designed financial handling system makes accounting and revenue allocation simple and transparent. Importantly, it allows you to identify what professional fees haven’t been paid so you can allocate resources to optimise your revenue. Clearly document the procedures to receive, remit, reconcile and report on financial transactions so they are consistent, and not sensitive to single-person knowledge.
10. Business analytics and reporting
Keep track of your practice’s performance through regular financial reporting to understand the state of your business and identify growth opportunities. Set aside time to regularly review your practice reports. For more information, read our article: How to optimise the revenue of your medical practice.
11. Policies and procedures
A policies and procedures manual is crucial for any practice. It’s a guidebook for how your practice operates and the rules governing activities. Examples include an appropriate workplace behaviour policy, a social media policy, procedures to manage data breaches or privacy issues and staff training manuals. Utilising a tool like PracticeHub can be a great way to hit the ground running with all the policies and procedure you require, which are fully customisable for your business vision.
12. Website and marketing
Successful practices market their points of difference. Being specific about what you offer helps attract the patients you want to serve. For example, some practices promote each doctor’s clinical areas of interest. Other differentiators might be your location, opening hours, or on-site allied health services.
A website to market your practice is also crucial to attract new patients and keep existing patients informed. Read our factsheet, Advertising guidelines when promoting your practice.
13. Establishing your team
A great practice team is at the heart of any successful practice. This means investing in hiring and retaining good employees should be a priority. Set the tone by deciding the values and kind of workplace culture you wish to cultivate. A positive workplace culture can often mean the difference between a ‘good’ or ‘great’ practice.
Even the best employees require management and training, so decide how your practice structure will support employees around ongoing professional development and mentorship.
We're here to help
There are many aspects to running a quality practice and automating or outsourcing key tasks can reduce the administration burden and improve operational efficiency.
Our practice finance specialists can help you structure the right funding for premises, fit-out and working capital, with lending terms designed around how medical practices actually grow.
Our HR Advisory services can support you through the entire employee lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding to performance management, and learning and development.
Our team can assess your practice’s in-house capabilities and identify opportunities to automate or outsource tasks via our billing services and remote medical reception support, where it makes financial sense.
For more information on our suite of expert advisory services to support your practice ownership journey, speak with one of our experts on 1800 010 236 or book a meeting.
This article was originally published on 11 October, 2024, and reviewed and updated on 15 September, 2026.
Persons implementing any recommendations contained on this webpage must exercise their own independent skill or judgment or seek appropriate professional advice relevant to their own particular practice. Compliance with any recommendations will not in any way guarantee discharge of the duty of care owed to patients and others coming into contact with the health professional or practice. Avant and Avant Practice Solutions are not responsible to you or anyone else for any loss suffered in connection with the use of this information. Information is only current at the date initially published.