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Licenses and permits for a physician practice
Q: I am opening a physician practice. Which licenses, permits and registrations may apply to me?
A: Let us walk through what your physician practice may need, piece by piece, so nothing surprises you on opening day. It also lists the personal license or trade license of the person doing the work, because a business license alone does not cover that.
1. Business license: A business license for a physician practice MAY ask about the exam rooms, the number of providers, your hours and whether lab tests or minor procedures are done on site.
2. Professional or trade license: Medical assistant certification: Assistants performing clinical tasks like injections or blood draws may need a personal certification or phlebotomy credential.
3. Medical license: Practicing medicine requires each physician to hold a personal license with training, exams and continuing education.
4. Clinical lab registration: Running tests on site may require a lab registration and quality checks.
5. Medical waste agreement: A contract with a service that safely removes needles and biohazards may be requested.
6. Patient privacy plan: A written plan for protecting patient records and electronic data may be asked for.
7. Employer registration: Hiring changes the list: an employer account, payroll tax setup and workers' compensation insurance MAY join the pile before the first paycheck.
8. Company papers: Depending on how you want to own and name the business, an LLC, a DBA or a tax ID number may come next; we prepare those too.
Need two licenses? Pay our service fee once. Order the business license and, if a home occupation permit or another license is also required, we obtain both under that single service fee. The govt's own annual tax and application fees are separate and are not included; finding and filling out the applications is what we do.
Why it is worth the paperwork
Running your own practice means you set the pace of care, and the calm of a clean exam room smelling faintly of soap is a good place to build trust.
Opening day, imagined
Dr. Priya ties a ribbon on the front door of Meadowlark Medical and welcomes her first patient.
What can go wrong
If a patient claims a mistake in care and sues, an LLC may not remove a physician's personal responsibility, but it may keep business debts away from your home.
The numbers behind it
Business code (NAICS): 621111. This page lists 8 paperwork items for a physician practice, and each one is marked as something you MAY need, since we confirm which apply.
Tip: Document every visit with clear notes and keep patient records locked and backed up.
Good to know: Practicing medicine is lawful only for licensed physicians, and clinics must follow strict privacy, safety and record keeping rules.
A physician's favorite phrase is it's probably nothing, followed by a long test.
Ready when you are: start your order and we will find out what applies to your physician practice, fill out the applications and keep the paperwork moving. |