The health club industry has recognized the need for creating a physician-based presence in its facilities. This not only gives clubs more prestige and credibility in the community, but also the competitive edge against rehabilitation centers and hospitals.

Chiropractors are ideal for filling this niche.

Building a practice within a major health club is a sure-fire way to attract new patients and build a higher level practice that generates more income. Health clubs have the potential for being a "new patient machine," as most clubs get 50 new members a week – who, ultimately, can become your new patients.

You can build your new patient base several ways, but most of your new patients will come from new memberships.

Upon paying the membership fee, a coupon can be given for a free comprehensive health and fitness evaluation by the health doctor in that facility (you). Health club personnel explain to new members that this certificate will enable them to assess their current health condition and get a tailored fitness plan, and allow them to take advantage of health club trainers at no additional cost.

As part of your agreement with the health club, you need to have access to membership lists so you can market your practice.

Within three days of a new membership, you would make a follow-up phone call to remind the individual about the certificate. While on the phone, you would ask about the person's overall health condition, and see if he or she is interested in the free evaluation and exam.

If the individual does acknowledge a health concern, address it and explain how that problem could be related to stress on the nervous system – and how chiropractic may be able to help.

If the new health club member already has a chiropractor or is not interested, don't force the issue. You don't want the reputation that you are trying to get all the members as your patients, just that you are available and accessible to club members who need help in addressing a health condition. Your target should be in the range of signing up 50% of the new members each week.

How do you get existing members as new patients?

You need to offer free seminars, lectures and screenings to club members that address current health issues (such as fibromyalgia) and schedule each event once every two weeks. This not only educates club members about their health and chiropractic, but enables you to market to existing members, thus giving you the opportunity to interest them as new patients.

At the close of the workshops, offer the same certificate that is given to new members. Tell the attendees who are interested in the complementary evaluation that you want to make sure they really want to get the exam, that you don't want to sign them up if they are not certain this is something they want to do. This will get them to tell you to sign them up for a specific appointment time and will ensure they arrive for their appointment.

You should also use your free time to make yourself known. Walk around the gym and introduce yourself to people. Tell them you are the in-house doctor and invite them to your office. Let them know you are there to help them and are available to them if they ever have a problem or health concern.

Practicing in health clubs enables you to reach a lot of people who are health-oriented and motivated to improve their health and well-being. Once you've set up your practice, you already have your foot in the door to building a practice that will flourish with quality patients, a greater source of revenue – and one that provides a growing, lifetime investment.