Don’t just get in the race… get into pole position.

At Azimuth we offer a range of services to both new consultants entering into private practice and established individuals or groups wishing to improve or expand their practice.

New Consultants
If you have never been involved in setting up a private practice before there are several key things that you require to do and certain services that you need to have in place.

  • Practicing Privileges
  • Indemnity Insurances
  • Registration with National Insurers
  • Secretarial Support
  • Financial Administration
  • Marketing

At Azimuth we have relationships with the major hospital Groups and Clinics across Scotland and we can offer a packaged solution for any new consultant getting into private practice. This includes helping you set up as a sole trader through to being a limited company and putting in place all the financial governance, tax and accounting services you would require to run your business. Also you may need bureau services, such a secretarial support, administration services, marketing and web development, and fees collection and we can offer solutions for all of these.

Established Consultants
Often private practices are established and then just seem to plod along with the consultants picking up business here and there, sometimes from acquaintances they have in the GP community. In many cases these activities never really deliver the return they should, once MDU fees are deducted; secretarial services are paid; room rental to the hospital provider is paid; and then there is tax!

In the last ten years many surgical prices to the end customer have increased yet in many cases consultant fees have reduced yet the costs of running a private practice has also increased inexorably. Why is it that the skill and value of the consultant is being eroded when many “facilities” providers are making bigger margins than ever? Perhaps this is the time for change.

What can Azimuth do for you

  • Business Development Services
  • Commercial Management & Development
  • Cost Management
  • Marketing Service

At Azimuth we can review you entire practice and look at how best to optimise your cash flow, your returns from your activity and your tax position.

If you are looking to develop your practice there may be investment considerations such as premises, equipment, licences, etc. that you may need to have in place to facilitate this again we can organise this for you.

Consultant Groups

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” These are the words of Henry Ford one of the most successful businessmen in the world, but he understood the value of being surrounded by likeminded people with skill, knowledge and the desire to be successful.

This business model is equally as valid in healthcare today as it was a century ago. Consultants work in an environment where they depend on a range of colleagues with different skills to deliver the information, diagnostics and support that allow that consultant to carry out his task.

In a similar vein if you offer a service the customer, be that as an individual, a group or a company, customers are demanding that you are available 365 days a year. Therefore, the groups that will differentiate themselves and succeed in healthcare in the future need to meet these criteria.

For those in an existing group, or wishing to form a group what can Azimuth offer you:

  • Organisation Structure and Development
  • Commercial and Financial Support
  • Marketing Support
  • Business Development

It is important to get the message about your service clear in the market place and what you do, where to contact you and what it is likely to cost specifically in the pay for yourself market.

In a Harvard Business Journal article of a few years back, they analysed Customer Satisfaction in the service industry and found the following:

  • Proven Skills & Competencies
  • Embracing of Technology
  • Easy use and Access, Simple Processes
  • Service Excellence
  • Highest Quality Performance
  • Value for Money
  • Trustworthiness & Ethical Behaviour
  • Motivated & Competent Employees

The customer wants to share in the Experience.

These elements can be used almost as an audit tool to measure how well your service matches the customer’s expectation, both in a Clinical and an Administrative setting. Does you group deliver against these?

At Azimuth our objective is to turn excellent clinicians into to great business people!