Setting up a health center among friends and neighbors is as easy as 1-2-3. Here’s how to do it, step by step with no major costs".
1: Pick a Design Style
A lot has been written about mid-century modern, but what style should you choose? You can like the aesthetics of Art Deco. Find out more about design styles at The Brilliant Blog.
2: Consider Your Budget
The project costs for launching your health center are daunting, to say the least - literally tens of thousands for an onsite renovation and contents, not to mention income streams for staff members.
3: Online Resources for Your Health Center
Some great websites for assisting your planning are:
a) Suncoast Community Health Center (SCHC) Nonprofit Study Guide by the Florida Board of Governors and the Florida Department of Education. Not only will you find all the information you need to start a nonprofit, but it provides an excellent base for researching and understanding how Suncoast Community Health Center operates in St. Petersburg, FL. Read it in PDF format as such a guide.
b) How to Start Your Own Community Health Center by the Florida Board of Governors and the Florida Department of Education. The guide will provide you with everything you need to start your health center, but keep in mind that it is a book - read it online.
c) Suncoast Community Health Center Directory. Get yourself one copy of this booklet, and print out some additional copies for your community center’s staff members. On their new health center brochure, they will use sections 3-5 (the community health staff section) for their organizational chart as well as their board of directors and advisors sections. You can print that out from this book as a guide.
d) How to Write a Business Plan by the Small Business Administration. This is the classic guide on writing a business plan, and if you are serious about starting a community health center you will need one.
4: Identify Your Health Center’s Target Audience and Niche
If you are planning to be a part of the Suncoast Community Health Center model, the target members should be low-income working families with no or limited health insurance and very little in the way of medical care. If this is not your target market, find out what demographic your business plan has to focus on.
5: Start Your Business
Starting a business from scratch is easier said than done. Many people have tried and failed. The Small Business Administration has assembled some helpful resources.
How to start up a business:
a) Guide to Starting, Operating, and Closing a Small Business. This guide will be the one you’ll refer to most often as you begin your business, so get yourself one copy and keep it handy.
b) How to Make Money in a Recession. When markets are challenging, your business plan has got to be even better - this SBA article explains why long-term plans are an important part of getting through tough times. Equally important is reading the information at How to Start Your Own Nonprofit.
c) Small Businesses: How to Choose the Right One. This article will help you pick a business type and location that is right for your skills, personality, and goals.
d) Find a Mentor to Help You Succeed. The SBA lists some of its mentors in this article as well as other people who can help you through your start-up journey.
e) Start Your Own Business, From Idea to Profitable Operation by the U.S. Small Business Administration. This publication explains how to pick a business idea and examines an entrepreneur’s needs at each step of the way from idea generation through rising to become a profitable operation - just about every detail you need to know about operating a small business.
Conclusion
As you can see, the journey to opening a health center for community members in your neighbourhood is not as simple as expected - many people have failed. The important thing is that you persist and learn from those who have. Above all, learning how to start a health center will give you the experience and information necessary to successfully manage any similar project in the future.
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