When most people think of coworking, they think of entrepreneurs and freelancers who are paying a membership to work out of a communal office building. Did you know that folks in the healthcare world are also taking advantage of the coworking model?

In this article, we will cover what medical coworking is, the benefits, and some of the best medical coworking spaces worth checking out.

What Is Medical Coworking?

Medical coworking involves a group of independent medical practitioners sharing office space without sharing their core business. Physicians have access to waiting rooms, consultation spaces, and exam rooms, but one physician is not responsible for handling and overseeing things like administrative work, cleaning, and purchasing equipment.

Instead, the coworking company oversees these aspects of the business. The main goal here is to make sure that day-to-day operations are happening in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible.

Private practices are on the decline throughout the United States. In fact, less than 50 percent of practicing physicians own their own practice. Collaborative medical coworking spaces provide a viable alternative and save physicians from many of the challenges that come with trying to run a practice of their own.

Medical Coworking Benefits

There are lots of reasons to consider medical coworking. The following are some of the greatest advantages physicians report experiencing after switching to the coworking model:

Focus on Patients

Medical coworking eliminates a lot of the daily drudgery associated with running your own medical practice. Office management tasks are delegated to someone else, as are most operational and logistical problems.

Medical coworking spaces are designed so that you can spend less time worrying about managing the practice and more time caring for your patients. You can provide them with additional attention and help them feel seen and heard, without having to worry about other parts of your business are starting to lag behind.

More Financial Efficiency

It costs a lot of money to start your own medical practice, and it takes even more money to keep it running. When you choose to take the medical coworking approach, you can save a lot and use the resources you do have in more efficient and cost-effective ways.

With medical coworking, you don’t have to spend a ton of money marketing your practicing and buying or renting office space. Everyone who’s part of the coworking space pitches in and helps to keep the place running without putting huge holes in their pockets. This frees you up to spend your money in other ways, ways that better benefit you, your patients, and the other healthcare professionals who might be working with you.

Independence

Remember, the majority of physicians do not own their own practice. Currently, control over the healthcare industry is concentrated in the hands of a few big-name players.

If you want to remain independent of these players and unbeholden to their rules and regulations, medical coworking is the way to go. It allows you more financial independence and creates more opportunities to provide care in a way that you best see fit.

Flexibility

Another great benefit of medical coworking is the amount of flexibility it offers to healthcare providers. When you’re first getting started, medical coworking is a great way to build up your clientele and make a name for yourself in the medical field without having to go even further in debt. It allows you to focus more on providing great patient care and less on the logistics of running your own practice or dealing with office politics at a larger practice run by someone whose values are different from yours.

Medical coworking spaces offer a lot of flexibility in the plans they provide, too, so you can choose an option that fits with your budget.

Networking Opportunities

When you join a medical coworking space, you’ll be surrounded by health care professionals of all kinds. From doctors to massage therapists and sports medicine experts, you’ll have opportunities to network and learn from the best in a variety of fields.

This allows you to expand your knowledge, which, in turn, makes it easier for you to provide your patients with a higher level of care. You can share the information you’re learning with them, or you can refer them to other practitioners in the same space to give them more well-rounded treatment.

Top Medical Coworking Companies

Are you interested in checking out the medical coworking scene? Medical coworking isn’t everywhere (yet), but there are lots of coworking spaces popping up across the country. The following are some of the most popular ones:

DropDesk Astoria

Pricing:

½ day : $500 per month

Full-Day $1000 per month

Amenities: DropDesk Astoria Medical Coworking Space is a boutique collaborative care environment. The space includes 1,100 sq ft of medical space, a waiting area, consult room, two exam rooms and one bathroom. There is a small outdoor patio and options to book for the half or full day!

Website: https://drop-desk.com/medical-coworking-space-astoria

WeShareMD

Pricing:

Virtual office: $150 per month

4 hours: $300

40 hours: $2,700

20 half-days: $4,800

Monthly membership: $2,000 per month

Amenities: Front desk assistance, common areas for practitioners, office essentials (high sped internet, copying, scanning, mail, etc.), complimentary drinks and snacks

Website: https://wesharemd.com/

Clinicube

Image via LinkedIn

Pricing:

Dry room: $3,000

Room w/ plumbing: $3,500

Studio space: from $3,000/provider

Amenities: 24-hour access, mail service, fast internet, EHR and billing support, digital marketing support, private phone lines and voicemail

Website: https://clinicube.co/

Cowork Medical

Image via Facebook

Pricing:

Option 1: $259/month + room rates (access to common areas and personal work desk)

Option 2: $285/month + room rates (access to common areas and personal work desk PLUS personal mailbox and locker

Room Rates:

Exam room (½ day): $275

Procedure room (½ day): $395

Consultation room (½ day): $145

Conference room (per hour): $100

Amenities: Spacious waiting rooms, large nurse’s station, cloud-based security access, wireless internet, printers and scanners, complimentary snacks and drinks

Website: https://coworkmedical.org

Check Out Medical Coworking Today

Now that you know more about what medical coworking is and the benefits it has to offer, are you ready to give it a try? Check out some of the medical coworking spaces listed above so you can start to enjoy all the advantages of this new way of practicing medicine today!