Starting a private behavioral health practice can be an expensive endeavor.  Between marketing, certifications, and upkeep, you can end up spending a lot of money.  But one area where you can save is on your office space. Read on to see how sharing your space may be right for you.

The Benefits

Whether you are the lease-holder or the tenant, sharing office space can make a lot of sense financially.  Instead of bearing the weight of the lease agreement on your own, you have someone else there to cover the costs.

Chances are, most office locations will have at least one or more rooms going unused.  Renting this space may be perfect for your practice.

If you are the one doing the renting, just make sure the reception staff send your patients directly to you, or have them directly log into Behavioral Health Connection to schedule your patients, verify insurance, and process billing.

Consider a Contract

Establishing a written contract or agreement for sharing office space is always a good idea.  Make sure to spell out exactly what the expectations are.  For example:

• Are all utilities included, or do you share the costs?
• Is rent a flat rate, or based on a percentage of revenue collected?
• Are hours flexible, or strictly set?
• Who is responsible for cleaning the office location, emptying trash, etc?
• How long is the agreement good for?

And always remember to include an "escape clause".  This is a section of the contract which lets you out of the agreement, should you feel the need to.