Independent practice over the long haul
© Jacob Wackerhausen via Getty Images
I
n this article, four experienced independent practice owners share what it really takes to build a practice that lasts, and what they wish they had known sooner.
For many occupational therapists, the move from clinician to business owner is rarely smooth. True sustainability requires a fundamental shift in how practitioners view their roles.
The four practitioners featured here have worked independently for eight years or more and successfully scaled beyond themselves with teams ranging from five individuals to more than 30 associates. Their practices are profitable and genuinely sustainable, without running themselves into the ground.
You’ re not just a clinician, you’ re a business owner
Clinical work is only one part of the role, yet many practitioners see business responsibilities as secondary.
Mary McCarran, Connect Neurotherapy Services and former Chair of the RCOT Specialist Section – Independent Practice, describes a shift that the most enduring independent practice owners will recognise:‘ I used to say, I’ m a clinician, not a businesswoman. That was my identity. Now I never say that. I am a clinician and a businesswoman. I need to keep up with both sides of that hat and own both proudly.’
Research links role overload and blurred boundaries with higher levels of burnout( Maslach and Leiter 2016). Sustainability begins when business ownership is recognised as part of clinical professional identity, not an inconvenient addition.
Referrals fill a diary, culture builds a practice
A full diary offers reassurance, but demand alone is not enough. Without connection, independent work becomes lonely, but peer support is a protective factor against burnout( Cohen et al 2023).
Purpose People Ltd operates as a department, rather than a referral agency, and that distinction matters in team selection. Their three core values of collaboration, integrity and compassion run through everything they do, rather than as separate agenda items.
‘ We are looking for people who want to be part of more than just a caseload,’ says Jill Martin, Clinical Director and co-founder.‘ Our values are not aspirational, they are operational, and we expect every associate to bring them into their work with clients and with each other.’
Stop doing everything and start running a business
Knowing what you are not good at is not a weakness.‘ Knowing when to let go, knowing
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