As health-care costs are rising expo-nentially, creating an almost insurmount-able burden for some employers, many are seeking wellness solutions in the workplace. Parking a mobile chiroprac-tic clinic beside a factory eliminates em-ployee travel time and reduces waiting to a minimum. This will benefit the staff and make financial sense for the factory’s man-agement. It’s an idea well worth exploring. WHAT WILL YOU NEED IN A MOBILE CLINIC? Required facilities should include an on-board electric power source with ad-equate power outlets; space for work and storage; a waiting area; good lighting; ef-ficient heating and air conditioning; an on-board restroom, stabilizing jacks, and features for easy loading and unloading of equipment. You might also add equip-ment so you can provide a broader range of chiropractic services and a chair lift from the exterior to the interior for per-sons who would have difficulty climbing the stairs required to enter. Decor can be important. You are a professional and you want a profession-al-looking mobile clinic. Patients can be turned off by one that looks like a worn out holiday trailer that was adapted for the purpose. Mobile clinic units should be built individually to the specifications of the customer using commercial grade construction methods, rather than by modifying a lighter weight chassis like that of a recreational vehicle or a school bus. to 12 years of continuous use the residual value would be in the neighbourhood of five to 10 per cent of original cost. There are several manufacturers of vehicles for this express purpose. All will be pleased to supply price estimates, delivery times, finance options and esti-mated operating costs. A perusal of the Internet will provide names, locations and, often, detailed information. Although there are used vehicles available and adaptable to chiroprac-tic purposes, the price for a new, fully a truck. Check with your own province for further jurisdictional requirements and laws. WILL THIS BE WORTH IT FOR YOU? It is important that before making a ve-hicle purchase and venturing into this field you first commission a cost-benefit study. The investigation program should factor in specific locales to be served, fi-nancial projections, staffing needs and required equipment. It should detail the number of people in the geographi-cal area you intend to serve, barriers Although having and delivering to providing that service, distances pa-tients must now travel to reach your chiropractic services from a mobile clinic could provide many benefits for chiropractors clinic, the minimum number of patients required to make the project feasible, and patients, this method of delivering start-up and operating costs. What ser-health care is not for everyone. vices will you provide? What equipment will you need? Which sites will you visit equipped mobile clinic starts at about and how often? THE VEHICLE ITSELF Where the length of the vehicle does $150,000 and shoots upwards from Yes, a thorough and professionally not exceed 12 metres (40 feet) a mobile Ì iÀi°Ê9ÕÊVÕ`Ê«>ÞÊÛiÀÊfÎää]äääÊvÀÊ done cost-benefit analysis will cost a chiropractic clinic is best developed in one that is super-deluxe. This is why, be-few dollars. Still, if you have analyzed a van body built on a truck chassis. Lee fore creating a mobile clinic, it is impor-the situation correctly, it will point out Guse of Life Line Mobile, a builder of tant to undertake a detailed feasibility where and how you could effectively, these units, says that his company builds study. It’s great to be a missionary, but economically and profitably serve a each unit individually to the specifica-you are still running a business. You will market that requires your services. Although delivering and receiving tions of the customer. He adds that need to put a lot of patients through to they use commercial grade construction justify the initial outlay and operating chiropractic services from a mobile clinic could provide many benefits for methods, which has proven to be a far cost. Vehicle licensing is not a major obsta-chiropractors and patients, this method more satisfactory approach than modify-ing a lighter-weight chassis such as that cle. Although to be used as a chiropractic of delivering health care is not for every-of a recreational vehicle or a school bus. clinic there is a difference in vehicle and one. These vehicles cost big bucks and The heavier chassis is far better and can driver’s licensing requirements from one in a limited or restricted market may withstand continual use longer and at a province to the next. All are governed by prove to be a poor investment. Your much lower overall maintenance cost. He the regulations concerning trucks where pre-purchase study should ensure that also advises that depreciation rates vary size, length, width and weight are prime this investment satisfies your objectives per age, use and maintenance. After 10 considerations. And, you will be driving >`ÊÛiÀViÃÊÞÕÀÊVÃÌÀ>ÌðÊUÊ s CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | JULY/AUGUST 2012 www.canadianchiropractor.ca
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor July/August 2012: Page 18
