Not Every Clinic Needs the Same Wellness Centre

Since the Wellness Services Regulation was published there has been a clear rise in interest from physicians in this field.

Many physicians are considering converting their existing clinic into a wellness centre model. But there is a common point I notice in these conversations: the process usually begins with the question “Which devices should I buy?”

In my view that should not be the first question.

First, these matters need to become clear:

• Which patient group will this centre serve?
• Where will the physician’s existing expertise sit within the model?
• How will the services offered connect to one another?
• What kind of process will the patient experience from the first consultation through to follow-up?

Because the structure built by a physician working in obstetrics and gynaecology cannot be the same as the one built by a physician working in bariatric surgery, ENT or medical aesthetics.

Every clinic has a different patient profile, expertise, team and existing infrastructure.

For this reason, starting with a ready-made device list or a standard one-size-fits-all package does not feel right to me.

First it must be determined what the centre will represent and with what kind of system it will work. Devices, treatments and packages should be built on top of that.

Otherwise what emerges is a structure holding services independent of one another, but with no clear patient journey or follow-up system.

The new regulation has created an important opportunity. But I believe the ones that will make a difference in the coming period will not be the centres offering the most treatments; they will be the centres that combine their own expertise with the right model.

Because the issue is not merely opening a wellness centre. It is knowing for whom, with what need, and with what kind of system it is being built.