Proper planning of a practice is the most important criterion for success

In order to open a practice, you must be licensed as a physician or psychotherapist. A distinction must be made between private practices, which treat private patients and so-called self-pay patients, and practices that also treat patients with statutory health insurance (these make up the majority of the population). (who make up the majority of the population). As a rule, doctors must apply for approval as a contract doctor with the statutory health insurance companies. To do this, they must be entered in the medical register and submit a written application for approval to the admissions committee (check the provisions of Social Security Code V and the regulations governing the admission of doctors!). If the application is approved, the doctor receives authorization.

Once the question of whether to set up a new practice or take over an existing one has been clarified, the search for new practice premises can begin. When deciding on a new location, practice operators are usually making a long-term decision, often for their entire professional life. For this reason, the search should be carried out with professional support and with the utmost care. The location analysis lays the most important foundation here. It provides information about location factors such as purchasing power, the structure of the surrounding area, and the age structure of the population. The location analysis refers to the location of the practice and its surroundings. In addition, it is important to investigate which practices and other service providers (other service providers) are already present in the surrounding area.

Connections to public transportation are also very important. Good visibility of the building from the street and easy access by car increase the attractiveness of your new practice. The building should also be easily accessible and have an elevator.
Once a suitable location has been identified, the interior design and treatment procedures must be planned before signing a lease agreement. This has a decisive influence on the well-being of patients and employees.

Once a suitable location for a new practice has been found, the property must be checked to ensure that it meets the various requirements of the respective practice. An attractive practice design creates a pleasant environment for both patients and staff. In addition to the purely design aspects, material requirements must also be taken into account (e.g., requirements for floor coverings: non-slip, easy to clean, etc.). The most important basic principles for practice furnishings are: clean, bright, and friendly. In today's competitive environment, interior design plays an important role for practices. The waiting room should be the focus of attention, as this is where patients spend most of their time.

Proper planning of the practice and efficient workflows in the rooms are important factors for success. The furnishings of the practice also contribute to a positive image. An experienced interior designer should be consulted for this. We would be happy to make a recommendation.

In addition to searching for new premises, our consultants also support you with any upcoming lease extension options, renegotiations, or termination of your existing practice lease agreement. Negotiations regarding the lease agreement are also of immense importance, as the details often lie not only in the rent or the size of the space, but rather in the wording used by the landlord. In these, landlords demand long contract terms, rent adjustments, assumption of renovation costs, VAT damages, etc. In addition, depending on the type of practice, it is important to ensure that the location is secured for the long term and that the rent can be calculated on a long-term basis, or that an exit clause is negotiated in the event of permanent incapacity to work. This is because, under long-term rental agreements, the practice tenant undertakes to pay the rent under all circumstances for the entire term, regardless of the economic situation of the practice.

Before concluding a lease agreement, you should seek advice from a specialist lawyer for lease agreement law. We would be happy to provide you with a recommendation.
In the case of a practice takeover, the practice takeover agreement regulates the details of the transfer of the practice, the employees, the patient base, and the costs of the takeover and the corresponding takeover date.

During our many years of experience in office and practice brokerage, this important point has often been significantly underestimated. When renting practice or therapy space, it is often the case that the practice tenant cannot deduct VAT from the rent. For this reason, practice rental agreements stipulate a so-called gross rent (i.e., including VAT). Please discuss this important point with your tax advisor before signing a practice lease agreement.

As a rule, existing rental space (office space) is converted and expanded into new practice space. Therefore, any necessary conversions and extensions must be discussed when renting. These include, for example, floor coverings, lighting, room layout, media connections (water, electricity, ventilation, etc.), IT cabling, and sanitary facilities. Before the conversion can begin, a building application for a change of use must usually be submitted (in accordance with state building regulations)

Extensive requirements must be taken into account when converting or renovating practice rooms. We have summarized these in a standard schedule:

• Commissioning/creation of a fire protection concept by an architect
• Commissioning/preparation of building application by architect
• Architect submits building application and all supporting documents, including attachments, to the building authority
• Receipt of notification from the building authority that all documents have been submitted in full
• Processing of the building application (usually 3 to 6 months from confirmation of receipt, point 4)
• Receipt of the building permit
• Start of practice expansion with the so-called start of construction notification
• Notification of completion to the building authority before the start of practice operations Inspection on site by the relevant authorities and departments, review of requirements (fire protection, etc.)