Most of our clients are clinicians. They have a strong connection to the work they do to help their clients and families. This is a beautiful thing and we support it fully.
However, being a kind and caring clinician is not going to be enough to stay afloat in the future of caring for the aging generations. As the numbers of those in need rise, there is going to be a call for well-organized, structured, businesses with foundations laid that allow the clinical support to be done while maintaining the business.
ALCA™ was founded in 1985. I didn’t learn about the industry and become involved until 17 years after the founding. When I became involved, care managers were still very much clinical practitioners who were not running businesses. There were a few, very organized and business-oriented practices, who mostly had founders who had business backgrounds. They were laying foundations and infrastructures and when they would talk with me about our software they knew what they wanted and needed. This was not happening consistently in the early 2000’s. Today it is much more common to have a business related conversation.
I believe that every single care manager who decides to start a practice needs to look at it from a business perspective. This does not mean losing any of the humanity or the connection to the clients and it doesn’t mean that the care manager has to be an expert. What it does mean is that the care manager is laying a foundation to provide the best service to their clients and has the wisdom to ask for help or hire assistance in areas that are not their strengths. And, this is the case for every type of business owner, not just care managers.
