The RD Entrepreneur Symposium

Monica Auslander Moreno, MS RDN

Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RDN is the founder of Essence Nutrition, a group practice of seven registered dietitians, and oversees all of Essence’s private client work while focusing on Essence’s corporate wellness programming, speaking engagements, non-private client nutrition consulting services, school wellness programming, and marketing. She is the dietitian for the Miami Marlins and is the visiting dietitian specialist at Ocean Reef Resort and Club. Before opening her practice, she completed her undergraduate education at the University of Florida and earned her Master’s of Dietetics and Nutrition at Florida International University. Monia maintains membership within the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetics Practice Group, Integrative Nutrition Dietetics Practice Group, Collegiate and Professionals Sports Dietitians Association, and Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group. She has been a member of the Junior League of Miami since 2011, serves on the advisory board of Thrive Performance Arts Enrichment Program, is the Diversity Liaison for the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, and is a past co-chair and current board member of Jewish Community Services of South Florida’s Young Alliance. She recently won the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Businesswoman in Healthcare of the Year award.

What we’ll cover:

Preliminary steps to launching a group private practice

Real world issues and considerations

Getting your organizational ducks in a row

Highlights:

Preliminary steps to launching a group private practice

Real world issues and considerations

Getting your organizational ducks in a row

3:54 Why expand. Challenge, collaboration, scalability, balance, satisfaction.

10:23 How are you going to recruit RDs? LinkedIN, word of mouth, alum network, social media.

Special credentials? Your practice’s needs.

17:08 map out your practice’s needs and outline the gaps in your own care abilities

17:46 The interview. Confirm must haves, vibe, ease the tension, take notes.

Outline the role/responsibilities. Familiarize with interview laws. Career aspirations, practice philosophy. Create a list of questions.

23:31 Job description – detailed, clerical responsibilities, clinical, meeting, social media, bcc/cc on all correspondence. The more specific the better.

26:33 After interview: references, move resumes to next round

30:30 after hiring: w9 on file (exact name), contract vs salaried (lawyer). Issue contract.

32:06 Contracts: have a lawyer. Create a “bible” based on what’s important to  you. Non compete, NDA, IP protection? Social media mandates, responsibilities, blog, salary/fees/commission, indemnity, termination, bonus commissions, payments, minimum requirements, philosophy expectations., RD coverage.

35:42 Onboarding: ½ day to full. EMR, charting, billing, email, set up tasksheets, client materials, WhatsApp or Slack, issue employee handbook (roles, responsibilities, correspondence, physical space, dress code). Create policy. 

Shadowing period, probation, minimum hours. Issue business cards after shadow. Sit in on first few sessions.

38:40 Group: hive that thrives. Don’t micromanage, support. Review notes, provide feedback. Learn and grow from team. Strategy sessions to foster new ideas,  treat them to conferences, webinars, etc. Feel like part of team.

43:01 Resolving disputes. 

45:07 Managing payroll. Quickbooks, stay on daily. How will you pay, how often? Refer to contract. Consider incentivizing commission based practices if they recruit their own clients

46:13 Staff meetings. Create a positive culture.

Role of interns. 

Ingrain motto into employees.

51:00 Delegating roles and capitalizing on talent: who is good at what.

52:00 Employee evaluations – as issues arise, often as you see fit vs standard.

Continued growth.

Group Private Practice Worksheet