Course Description
There are two ways to participate in this live stream event (BOTH count as LIVE CEUs!):
- in the LIVE STUDIO audience in Gulf Breeze, Florida - Studio audience seats are limited - so register today!
- via LIVE STREAM around the world - Live stream participants will login to access the event from their computer and interact with the instructor.
Course begins: 9:00 AM Central (10:00 AM Eastern; 8:00 AM Mountain; 7:00 AM Pacific)
Please contact our office if you have any questions. 850-916-8886.
This seminar will provide a road map to assist the professional who is interested in becoming a private practitioner. Private Practice is not for everyone and takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears. Before you begin the process, you need to examine the decisions necessary to build a strong foundation for a successful business. Many options are available for your practice - part time, full time, solo and partnerships and each has advantages and disadvantages to sort through. Many new businesses fail because owners failed to prepare themselves for the financial costs of start up and failed to formulate a strong business plan. Resources will be identified to assist you in writing a business plan and determining an appropriate business structure. Even though start up funds are limited, business consultants are important to your success. Referral sources, marketing and determining a fee structure will be addressed.
Course Level: Intermediate
Assessment Methods: Q&A, Self-Assessment on Evaluation
For events that are Live Streamed, the streaming participants will verify attendance through codes given throughout course and complete a multiple choice quiz (80% passing score) and evaluation at the end
AOTA Classification Codes:
Professional Issues: Administration & Management, Legal, Legislative & Regulatory Issues, Supervision
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- examine your motivation for starting a private practice.
- list your business and professional strengths and weaknesses.
- identify the information necessary to complete a business plan.
- write your business policy and procedures for operation.
Denise Dougherty
MA, CCC-SLP
Denise Dougherty, MA, CCC-SLP
Denise owns and operates a private practice in Indiana, PA, where she conducts therapy with both children and adults. She is a legal consultant/expert witness in wrongful death/negligence lawsuits involving dysphagia. Denise is a co-editor of Private Practice Essentials: A Practical Guide for Speech-Language Pathologists, published by ASHA Press. She has presented workshops and written numerous articles appearing in the ASHA Leader on the topic of private practice. Denise served as a consultant for The Arijah Children’s Foundation in Anguilla, BWI, providing evaluations and therapy programs for special needs children. Ms. Dougherty was an adjunct faculty member at York College of Pennsylvania and Wesley College in Dover, Delaware. She is a past President of the American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology and Audiology (AAPPSPA), and received the Academy’s 2007 Honor Award and 2014 Award of Excellence for her achievements. Ms. Dougherty is a member of the Technical Experts Panel for Quality of Insights of Pennsylvania, working on initiating quality measures for CMS to improve effectiveness, efficiency, economy and quality of services delivered to Medicare beneficiaries. She received her bachelor’s degree in communication disorders from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania; a master’s degree in communication disorders from St. Louis University. Ms. Dougherty is certified in VitalStim® therapy and is a VitalStim® instructor, has completed additional training in orofacial myology, is a member of the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association and has received numerous ASHA ACE Awards. For more information, please visit www.dldspeechpath.com.
Financial Disclosure Denise receives honoraria from CIAO for the presentation of her live courses and royalties for the sale of her online courses. Denise is in private practice and receives legal consultant/expert witness fees
Non-Financial Disclosure: There are no non-financial relationships to disclose.
09:00 - 09:30
Why Private Practice Now? What is your motivation? Is it for me?
09:30 - 10:15
Navigate the Maze of Start Up and Pitfalls to Sidestep
10:15 - 10:45
Consultants: why they are important and questions to ask
11:00 - 11:30
Business Plan Preparation – what’s involved?
12:30 - 01:00
Office Staff, Independent Contractors vs. Employees – which way should I go?
01:00 - 01:30
Fees and Payments
01:30 - 02:15
Nuts and Bolts of Referrals and Payors
02:15 - 03:15
Why are Policies and Procedures Important – especially if I’m a sole proprietor? What should I consider?
03:30 - 04:00
Open for Business but now what?
04:00 - 04:30
Yikes, something isn’t working – what do I do?
04:30 - 05:00
Questions and Answers!
Delivery VIA:
- Live Stream - This course is offered from our Live Stream studio. Watch and interact with the instructor from wherever you are or join us as part of the studio audience in sunny Gulf Breeze, FL. Included with each Live Stream registration is access to the course recording for the 14 days immediately following the broadcast.
Contact hours pre-approved for:
- 0.7 CEUs (7.0 Contact Hours)
- CIAO is an AOTA Approved Provider #4119 (OT/COTA)
- This course meets PDU requirements for NBCOT (7.0 PDUs)
- CIAO is an ASHA Approved Provider #AAWA (SLPs) requires bubble sheet submission
- This course is offered for 0.45 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level, Professional Area)
- 8.0 Hrs. OT/COTAs in FL (CE Broker #20-697436)
This course is offered for 0.7 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate Level, Professional Area)
The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.
CIAO is recognized on the NBCOT Provider Registry (meets PDU requirements for NBCOT)
"Course was very well run, except for end of session- none of the questions were addressed. Otherwise, coursework was informative and presenter was well organized."
- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Mar 2019