How to open an IV Hydration Clinic in Florida? We are Physician's Attorney bringing you valuable information.
An IV hydration Clinic is a Business that offers hydration therapy which is a simple treatment based on delivering fluids into your bloodstream that might include vitamins, electrolytes, antioxidants, and even medication in the mix.
There are many things to consider if you are a healthcare worker ( Physician /Nurse /Dentist…) or simply an investor who is thinking about opening an IV Therapy Business in Florida. The following is an 8 Points Checklist that would help you walk safely through your business planning.
If you wish to get some relevant legal input, but you are not ready to retain an attorney; you may consider making a 1-hour appointment to discuss the specifics of your situation, for a prepaid legal fee of $475 for a Physician's Attorney, click here
1) What is the best Business Structure for a Florida IV Hydration Center ?
There is a variety of options when it comes to building and IV Hydration Business in Florida. However, the most used structure and the safest so far is a Limited Liability Corporation(LLC). It's providers favorite option since it helps them protect themselves from Lawsuits .
2) What are the required documents to start an IV Hydration Business in Florida?
- Preparing a Business Plan
- Incorporating your business
- Filing a Florida DBA (doing business as), also known as a Florida fictitious name
- Obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) also referred to as the Federal Taxpayer's ID (TIN)
- Business and Professional Liability Insurance Policy
- State Permit and Building Approval (for your office)
- Business License
- Employment Agreement (offer letters) with the right level of supervising medical director
- Operating Agreement for LLC or Bylaws for Corporation
- Online Terms of Use (if you have a website)
- Online Privacy Policy Document (basically for online payment portal)
- Reviewing and negotiating supplier agreements
3) What type of Certification is needed to open an IV Hydration Business in Florida?
In Florida, you do not need any special certification to start an IV hydration business. However to administer IVs you do need to have an appropriately certified professional, someone who is trained in IV therapy.
4) What type of License is needed to open an IV Hydration Business in Florida?
- General business license
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) IV hydration Therapy Pharmacy Accreditation
- Unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) License
- Health and Safety Permit
- Zonal Permits
- Director's License
5) What Medical or Clinical Director do you need (RN, PA, MD, DO) ?
A medical director is required by law to be a licensed healthcare practitioner in Florida who holds an active and regulated license as a medical physician, osteopathic physician, chiropractic physician, or podiatric physician.
It is necessary to have a medical director who is employed or contracted by the clinic licensee and who provides medical supervision for daily operations and training, including appropriate quality assurance but not administrative and managerial functions. Furthermore, a health care practitioner may not serve as clinic director if the services provided at the clinic are not within the scope of the practitioner's license.
6) What license is required for the person performing the IV?
A. Understanding IV Therapy administration is a MUST before you start any business:
The administering professionals must have the necessary certifications and training, most Florida licensed Medical Doctors, Osteopathic Doctors, Physician Assistants, Advanced Nurse Practitioners, and Registered Nurses (maybe under the right conditions) can provide IV therapy to patients; in Florida Paramedics and Medical Assistants cannot provide IV Therapy in general, for they lack the requisite training. Several of these practitioners are required to complete a 30-hour IV certification course. Regardless of who you hire to provide IV therapy, they should have several years of experience, and a solid understand of the types of IV therapies (for example: peripheral IVs, IV push and piggyback) your business provides. However, if your business involves more complex therapies, or putting vascular access devices (VADs) in a central lines, or infusion pumps, or volume metered systems, you will need to retain a supervising physician.
B Paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians, provided they are administering simple peripheral IVs, and should have a medical director.
C. A minimum of a Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs ) is required if administering any of the following:
- Beginning or administering cancer chemotherapy.
- Beginning or administering plasma expanders.
- Beginning or administering investigational drugs.
- Mixing IV solution.
- IV pushes, except heparin flushes and saline flushes.
7) What determines an IV Hydration Business profitability in Florida?
- The IV therapies they can administer: Because different IV therapies may necessitate specialized equipment, training, and licensure, an IV therapy center may not be able to provide all IV therapies
- The number of patients they can treat simultaneously: Because IV therapy centers may have a limited number of staff and treatment rooms, the number of patients they can treat at one time may be limited.
- The operating hours: IV therapy centers may have set operating hours during which they can provide services.
- The insurance policies they accept: Certain types of insurance may or may not be accepted by IV therapy centers, limiting the patients they can treat.
- The payment methods they accept: IV therapy centers may only accept certain forms of payment, such as cash or credit cards, limiting the number of patients they can treat.
8) What Factors influence the cost of establishing an IV Hydration Business in Florida?
- The location you plan to cover
- The necessary licenses and permits
- The type of the working space
- The cost of the type of medical supervision needed to administer the IV therapy
- The cost of IV hydration business branding, promotion, and marketing
- The cost of the insurance policy
- The cost of registering the business
- The cost of training your employees
- The cost of purchasing and customizing uniforms
List of Forms and Agreements you will need to setup your IV Therapy practice - click here
If you wish to get some relevant legal input, but you are not ready to retain an attorney; you may consider making a 1-hour appointment to discuss the specifics of your situation, for a prepaid legal fee of $475, click here
Ben Mirza is not only an attorney but was formerly a CPA, with a masters of public health. There are over 100,000 attorneys in Florida, less than 500 of whom were ever Certified Public Accountants, and even less have the trifecta combination of law/finance/strategic healthcare background. The benefit of this combined and layered skillset works well for clients who want an advocate to approach the issues holistically. Whether you are a Healthcare Practitioner or Investor, to find out more on how you can put Ben's team to work for you:
Ben Assad Mirza, Esq., LLM, MPHA, formerly CPA, CHC Partner
