The allopathic community has a set precedent for reaching a “practice capacity”. Many MD’s will reach a designated number of patient files, and then no longer accept new patients, particularly in regions where health care is publicly funded.

Since most CAM practices run on a private sector business model, my suggestion is that you never stop accepting new patients. Here are a few reasons why.

Practices Shrink Over Time
Over time, your clients will die, move, change practitioners and undergo a limitless list of life changes that result in them no longer coming to see you. If you’ve shut down the new patient engine of your practice, it takes some time and money to start it up again.

Your existing patients and colleagues will have grown accustomed to you not accepting new clients, and will have forged new referral relationships. These are often hard to undo. You may have limited signage, advertising, etc.

You Don’t Have to See Them Yourself
Many practitioners stop accepting patients because they’re just plain busy. That’s fine – all work, no play is a valid argument, particularly if you’re a CAM practitioner promoting life-work balance in your practice.

However, before you turn them away, consider getting an associate. Then each additional patient grows your income, but not your workload.

You Can Increase Your Rates
The principles of supply and demand can work wonders for alternative health practitioners, as they can for any business. When you have more patients than you can handle (high demand), you can raise your prices without fear of losing clients.

And although many practitioners are not interested in associates, I have yet to meet a CAM doc who wouldn’t like to charge more for their services.

If and when your practice is full, consider new patients not as increased workload, but as a way of working your way to the next level in your business, where you don’t have to put in time for every dollar earned.