The Well-Managed Mental Health Practice

The step-by-step guide to building and managing a profitable and successful practice or clinic

Beyond your training as a therapist, the skills required to create and build a practice and to supervise others are typically not taught as part of your clinical training. There are myriad decisions you must make, including financial, organizational, and marketing decisions, that will determine the success and profitability of your practice, group practice, or clinic.

The Well-Managed Mental Health Practice draws from author Donald Wiger's vast experience as owner and manager of both small and large mental health practices and clinics. This helpful resource provides sound business practices, immediately useful insights into the accrediting process, and other critical information you will need to avoid legal trouble, ensure payment from individuals and third party payors, and create a thriving practice.

Designed for practices or clinics of any size and at any stage of development--from start-up through mature business--this easy-to-follow book looks at all the issues involved with starting and running a mental health practice and offers:
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Practical advice on how to increase business, develop your professional reputation, and set priorities, as well as helpful insights on customer service, employee relations, time management, and coping with stress
*

Indispensable tools for developing business and management skills to ensure smooth operation and maximum profitability
*

Useful tips for handling problems encountered by clinic directors and clinic decision-makers
*

Numerous sample forms and procedural documents


A vital reference for a wide range of mental health professionals, The Well-Managed Mental Health Practice is an important guide that will equip you with the skills necessary to develop a financially successful practice that survives and thrives. Preface: The Business of Mental Health.

Dedication.

Part A: Building a Practice.

Introduction.

1 Basic Mental Health Care Management Principles.

2 Customer Service.

3 Obtaining Third-Party Contracts and Working with Managed Care.

4 Other Means of Obtaining Referrals.

5 Hiring, Training, Paying, and Keeping Employees.

6 Developing a Positive Professional Reputation.

7 Effective Time Management.

Part B: Administrative and Documentation Procedures.

8 Billing Procedures.

9 Administrative, Clinical, and Safety Policies and Procedures.

10 Documentation Procedures.

End-of-Book Humor.

Index.

Donald E. Wiger, PhD, runs a large mental health clinic in St. Paul and is an adjunct professor at Argosy University School of Professional Psychology. He is the author of numerous books, including Essentials of Crisis Counseling and Intervention and The Clinical Documentation Sourcebook, Third Edition, also from Wiley. The step-by-step guide to building and managing a profitable and successful practice or clinic

Beyond your training as a therapist, the skills required to create and build a practice and to supervise others are typically not taught as part of your clinical training. There are myriad decisions you must make, including financial, organizational, and marketing decisions, that will determine the success and profitability of your practice, group practice, or clinic.

The Well-Managed Mental Health Practice draws from author Donald Wiger's vast experience as owner and manager of both small and large mental health practices and clinics. This helpful resource provides sound business practices, immediately useful insights into the accrediting process, and other critical information you will need to avoid legal trouble, ensure payment from individuals and third party payors, and create a thriving practice.

Designed for practices or clinics of any size and at any stage of development—from start-up through mature business—this easy-to-follow book looks at all the issues involved with starting and running a mental health practice and offers:

• Practical advice on how to increase business, develop your professional reputation, and set priorities, as well as helpful insights on customer service, employee relations, time management, and coping with stress

• Indispensable tools for developing business and management skills to ensure smooth operation and maximum profitability

• Useful tips for handling problems encountered by clinic directors and clinic decision-makers

• Numerous sample forms and procedural documents

A vital reference for a wide range of mental health professionals, The Well-Managed Mental Health Practice is an important guide that will equip you with the skills necessary to develop a financially successful practice that survives and thrives.