Opening Your Own Practice: It Doesn’t Have to Look Like Everyone Else’s

When most nurse practitioners imagine opening a practice, they think of a standard primary care clinic: several exam rooms, a receptionist, insurance billing, and a full schedule of back-to-back patients. That model works for many, but it’s far from the only option.

Owning your own practice means you get to design it around your strengths, interests, and lifestyle. You can choose a business model that supports the kind of care you want to give — and the life you want to live.

Here are five distinct types of NP-owned practices, each with its own structure, benefits, and patient experience:

1. Concierge or Membership-Based Practices

• What it is: Patients pay a recurring fee (monthly, quarterly, or annually) for direct access to their provider.

• What it looks like: Fewer patients, longer appointments, no insurance billing.

• Why it works: Improves patient-provider relationships, reduces burnout, and supports predictable revenue.

• Best for: NPs who want to focus on quality over quantity and reduce admin burden.

2. Telehealth-Only or Hybrid Practices

• What it is: Care is delivered via secure video platforms, either fully remote or combined with limited in-person visits.

• What it looks like: Low overhead, flexible hours, state-wide reach.

• Why it works: Reduces startup costs, accommodates travel or home-based work, and improves access for rural or mobility-limited patients.

• Best for: NPs who value location freedom and digital tools.

3. Integrative and Holistic Health Clinics

• What it is: Practices that focus on root-cause healing using a mix of conventional and alternative approaches.

• What it looks like: Services may include functional medicine, nutrition, herbal therapies, hormone balancing, and pelvic care.

• Why it works: Patients are seeking personalized, preventative, and whole-body solutions.

• Best for: NPs with additional training in integrative or functional medicine who want to take a whole-person approach.

4. Coaching, Groups, and Programs

• What it is: Educational or wellness offerings outside of traditional clinical care.

• What it looks like: Online courses, group coaching, retreats, women's health circles, or self-paced programs.

• Why it works: Scalable, flexible, and impactful. Allows you to reach more people while reducing 1:1 demands.

• Best for: NPs who want to expand into mentorship, education, or lifestyle wellness.

5. Specialty-Focused Practices

• What it is: Practices built around a specific clinical interest or population.

• Examples include: Mental health, aesthetics, gut health, fertility, LGBTQ+ care, weight-neutral wellness, chronic illness, and more.

• Why it works: Builds authority and referral networks. Patients seek out specialists for specific problems.

• Best for: NPs who are passionate about a particular niche and want to stand out.

The truth is: there’s no one right way to open a practice. Whether you're building a micro-clinic, a virtual wellness brand, or a membership model with retreats, what matters most is that it reflects you.

This is the heart of the mentorship I offer through The Flourish Way™. Whether you’re still dreaming or ready to launch, I’m here to help you design a business that aligns with your values and goals.

You don’t have to follow someone else’s blueprint. You get to create something that fits.