Thinking about starting your own wound care business or becoming a wound consultant? Here’s what you need to know.

(Editor’s note: this is Part One of a two-part series on starting your own wound consulting business. Part Two will explore how to get started.)

Being a wound consultant is a dream for so many clinicians. It can be exciting and rewarding to start a wound care business, but it can also be overwhelming, confusing and risky. So before you take the plunge, here are some serious questions and factors to consider.

What Is a Wound Care Consultant?

A consultant is an expert who is called on for professional or technical advice or opinions. Therefore, a consultant’s job is to consult. It’s that simple.

Businesses aren’t always able to identify problems or improve performance on their own, and they need a fresh pair of eyes to do it for them. And that’s where you come in. As a wound consultant, you will provide an outside and objective perspective.

Do You Have What It Takes?

Successful consultants have many qualities in common. First of all, they have skills, knowledge and experience that companies are willing to pay for. With that in mind, take a look at the list below and see if you fit the profile.

Wound care consultants:

  • are experts at recognizing problems and finding solutions.
  • have excellent time-management and networking skills.
  • don’t mind long hours and odd schedules (and for an unknown length of time).
  • are willing to take financial risks.
  • have self-discipline and know that building a business is a process – it takes time.
  • remain flexible and know things can change quickly.
  • can get along well with a variety of people.
  • have experience giving presentations and navigating office politics.

Have You Explored Your Options?

While the definition of a consultant is rather simple, the business side of wound consulting is a whole different ballgame. Before getting started, find out what types of businesses typically hire consultants, and what services they look for. You’ll also need to identify your target market.

Businesses or organizations typically hire consultants to help:

  • Identify problems
  • Supplement staff
  • Institute change
  • Provide an objective viewpoint
  • Conduct single-patient reviews
  • Compliment an existing wound-care team

Once you know what local businesses need, you can next define your services. In addition to the list above, consulting services can include:

  • Making comprehensive wound assessments
  • Teaching
  • Developing protocols
  • Trouble-shooting
  • Working in a variety of settings, like long-term care, home care, long-term acute care, rehabilitation hospitals, acute-care hospitals, insurance companies, and primary-care provider groups

Finally, you’ll need to assess the wound-consulting market in your region. You should:

  • Identify your target market, like home care, long-term care or acute care, and where the highest needs are for your services.
  • Learn about local competitors.
  • Talk with other wound consultants – or with those who hire them – to find out more about the specific needs in your area.
  • Research regulations and laws for forming a business in your state.

What’s Next?

Are you currently a wound care consultant, and do you have experience starting your own wound care business? Or have you been thinking about testing the waters, but you just don’t know where to start? We’d love to learn from your experiences – please leave your advice, stories, questions or comments below.

And look for the next installment in this series coming soon – Wound Consulting Business: How to Get Started.

Wound Care Education Institute® provides online and onsite courses in the fields of Skin, WoundDiabetic and Ostomy Management. Eligible clinicians may sit for the prestigious WCC®, DWC® and OMS national board certification exams through the National Alliance of Wound Care and Ostomy®(NAWCO®). For details, see wcei.net.

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