Renting a medical office space is a different ball game compared to renting other commercial properties. The office has to be set up according to the needs of your medical practice. Long-term commitments work well in these cases. Clauses like exclusivity could help protect your practice from the competition.
Many such clauses come into play when renting a medical office space. With the help of healthcare real estate experts like Health Pro Realty Group, you could find and negotiate the best possible real estate deal for your medical practice.
Let us take a look at some of the reasons why you should enlist the help of a healthcare real estate pro when renting a medical office space.
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After Hours Access
All medical spaces do not fall under the same working hour slots. You might be available from 9 am to 5 pm, or you could be running an emergency medical clinic wherein you see patients throughout the night. The rent agreement of your medical space should not be a hindrance to your practice.
You should have the proper authorization to enter the premises after hours. Utilities should also be available for you to run your clinic efficiently. Check these details beforehand as you do not want to end up paying additional costs for after-hour access.
Exclusivity Clause
Even as a healthcare provider, competition is a factor that you should pay attention to. For example, as per the American Dental Association, 210,117 dentists are working in some form of dentistry in the US. The dentist to patient ratio stands at 61.04 to 100,000. The competition is high. You do not want to have other dentists working in the same complex as you.
With an exclusivity clause, the interests of your practice are protected. The landlord cannot rent out space in the complex to another dentist, thus helping you retain patients.
Compliance with the ADA
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, public spaces must provide access to an individual with disabilities. This includes elevators, wheelchair ramps, and disability bathrooms, among others. The space that you lease for your medical office should be compliant with this federal law. Failure to do so could bury your practice in lawsuits.
Either you ensure the property complies with the ADA before you sign the contract, or you could add the physical changes required under the tenant improvement clause and have the owner pay for them.
Landlord Inspection and Privacy
Landlords usually have the right to inspect their property or access the property to make repairs and so on. It might seem acceptable for a commercial space, but you do not want to have your landlord or other third-party workers showing up when you are treating patients during your working hours.
Adding a clause in the rental agreement could limit landlord access and help protect patient privacy.
Apart from the aspects mentioned above, you should also know about anti-kickback issues, tenant improvements, the death and disability clause, and more. As a medical professional, it is difficult to have an exhaustive understanding of these real estate factors. Thus, engaging the help of a healthcare real estate pro like Health Pro Realty Group for renting a medical space could help you get the right deal for your practice.