Nutrition Professional in Private Practice

1. Nutrition Professional in Private Practice

2. Private Practice • Reasons for the growing trend • Loss of jobs • Desire for autonomy • Set work schedules (work-life balance) • Greater interest from general public in nutrition • DC has consulting dietitians network and private practice manual

3. Private Practice • Which skill areas will help someone in private practice to gain the “competitive edge”? • Marketing! • Marketing strategy or business plan needed • How to sell service – create image

4. Private Practice • What qualities needed for future private practitioners? • Entrepreneurial approach • Determination, perseverance, and initiative • Self confidence and speed in decision making helps manage • Self-directed, action-oriented, energetic, tolerant of uncertainty

5. Private Practice • Possible work settings? • Everywhere! • Private office, medical centre, nursing homes, schools, private home, etc. etc. • Possible practice roles? • All! • Group education, research, evaluation, program design, individual counseling. . .

6. Starting a Private Practice • Know potential location • Willing to pay for service? • Acquire marketing skills • Ensure sufficient funds • Up to 3 years to establish practice

7. Starting a Private Practice • Know how to create contracts • lawyer needed? • Set fees and hours of work • Network! • Don’t limit practice to one nutrition area

8. Setting Fees • 3 categories of business costs • Salary • Benefits • Business and office expenses • Competition charges?? • Use fee schedule as guide • Charge fair & competitive fee

9. Required Readings • Hasler, Brown, & Burns. (2009). ADA Position paper. Functional Foods. • Ryan-Harshman, & Vogel. (2009). Nutritional genomics: A new frontier. • Morin, & Castle. (2009, April). Nutritional genomics: Are Canadian consumers interested? • Morin, & Castle. (2009, June). Knowledge and perceptions of nutritional genomics among Canadian healthcare professionals.