Heal Balestier Clinic

I met up with an old friend from Raffles Junior College days... He's doing well now, as an investor dealing with private funds. It's quite amazing how they can deal with so much money, money I can only dream about at this stage!

Anyway... what started out as a get together turned out to be a mini business discussion. It was quite an eye opening experience talking to someone who is purely into number crunching the the business end of things. Unlike myself, when it comes to the clinics I admit getting a little sentimental about them and feel bad about letting patients down or missing out on potential business.

So what he told me was that based on figures and the current situation, it wasn't ideal for me to be running 2 places. 48clinic hours with only 24 dr hours. The drive to and from the clinic also took time away from the business. Finally, the actual figures that were needed to keep the clinic running.

He listened to my sentiments and then suggested that it would be better renting the premises at Joo Chiat out and collecting the cash then to have to worry about it making money. It was the priorities, he said. If I had a choice, what would I choose? The clinic business? My family? The answer was obvious. In that case, then I should not try to use all my energy and time to try and make 2 clinics succeed. The Balestier clinic made sense since it is close to home and also has the added advantage of the dental business.

After talking to him the decision to transfer the Joo Chiat clinic to Balestier was made alot clearer and easier.

And of course as soon as I made that decision patients started popping out to see me at Joo Chiat!

But my mind is made up. We are also doing some minor adjustments to the clinic at Balestier so that workflow is more streamlined. Then the machinery can be moved over into the spare areas. Am thinking of doing some clinic advertising too, once the renovations are complete.

I feel more confident and less stressed now that I know I only have to concentrate on one location everyday from now on. I was getting quite down worrying about 2 clinics doing well, and having to do the terrible commute everyday, sometimes twice a day to Joo Chiat. Traffic is getting from bad to worse on the expressways and roads here.

I think if the decision feels and sits well after it is made, it is probably the right one. No one will ever know otherwise, because the alternative is not done. Here's to the Heal Balestier Clinic!