How to manage time w/herbal practice

December 11, 2009

Hi, I'm wanting to get some ideas from others about how they manage their time

if they have a busy herbal practice. I am feeling really overwhelmed. Whenever

I've had a time when I haven't had very many patients taking herbs I've been so

happy and relaxed because when I get done at the end of the day I am done; I

don't have to stay and engage in the tedious process of making a bunch of

formulas (designing formulas=fun. making formulas=tedious boredom!).

But I do have a passion for practicing herbs and I've reached a point

where a large percentage of my patients are taking herbs. I really don't like

the idea of hiring someone to assist me. I have a very small office. It just

wouldn't work. I did recently buy a second pharmacy for home with the thought

that it would help to be able to make formulas from home. I " m glad I did it,

but so far it has only helped a little.

Part of my problem is that my patients and I talk a lot. Its hard to break that

habit because a lot of the time I enjoy talking (it feeds my former social

worker self).

Lately I have been avoiding taking new patients because i feel so overwhelmed.

The amount of money that I make from the herbs does not come close to making up

for seeing fewer patients. So I am doing extra work for less money. It sucks.

But my patients benefit...I sure am able to treat a lot of things that I

couldn't with acupuncture alone.

Do others charge extra for the office visit along with charging for the herbs

when you do both acupuncture and herbs7 Of course that's not an option when you

are billing insurance. I am considering doing simpler acupuncture treatments if

I am doing herbs--but I don't like the idea because I think the acupuncture is

so important (and I do have a passion for acupuncture too).

I guess part of my problem is that I am so deeply in debt with student loans

that a huge chunk of my income goes to my student loan payment--$1300 a month.

So I feel like I am doing this very challenging job working as a doctor and just

getting by financially, which really bites.

Any advice/ideas anyone?

Laura

December 11, 2009

When I had a raw herb formula, I assembled all the formulas while the needles

were in place. I charged $5 per bag, while my cost was about $1, so it

effectively prevented me from scheduling a second client in that hour, but the

cost kind of worked out. Without staff, 25 to 30 clients a week seemed the max

for me; to see more clients I had to go to a different business model, now I

don't do raw herbs any more and see 2 clients an hour; I definitely make more

money, but certain results really require that the client consumes several bags

of raw herbs and it just doesn't work in my current setting. I think we all

would like to believe that you make more money when you are dedicated and do the

best for your clients, but I am not sure that is entirely true - although it's

not untrue either, you need to be dedicated AND have a time efficient business

model. Also, I stretched my student loans to about 20 years and it really lowers

your payments, and the interest is really not an issue, because it's less than

on all other loans you ever have in your life.

Regards,

Angela Pfaffenberger, Ph.D.

angelapfa

www.InnerhealthSalem.com

Phone: 503 364 3022

-

heylaurag

Chinese Medicine

Friday, December 11, 2009 2:44 AM