Physiotherapy Clinic Running Costs
Expect monthly running costs for a Physiotherapy Clinic to start around $46,000 to $50,000 in Year 1 (2026), heavily weighted toward payroll This estimate includes $8,050 in fixed overhead (rent, utilities, software) and approximately $34,583 in base salaries for four full-time employees Payroll accounts for over 75% of your operating expenses initially Your variable costs—like payment processing (20%) and billing fees (30%)—add another 50% to revenue Given the initial ramp-up, the model forecasts a 26-month period to reach break-even (February 2028) You must budget for significant working capital the minimum cash requirement peaks at $525,000 before the clinic becomes self-sustaining This guide breaks down the seven critical recurring expenses you must track to manage cash flow effectively
7 Operational Expenses to Run Physiotherapy Clinic
| # | Operating Expense | Expense Category | Description | Min Monthly Amount | Max Monthly Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Payroll Expenses | Fixed Labor | Base salaries for the Clinic Director, Staff PTs, and administrative staff total $34,583 per month in 2026. | $34,583 | $34,583 |
| 2 | Clinic Facility Rent | Fixed Overhead | The fixed monthly rent expense for the clinic space is $5,000, representing a major non-negotiable fixed overhead cost. | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| 3 | Revenue Processing Fees | Variable | Variable costs tied directly to revenue include Payment Processing Fees (20%) and Billing Service Fees (30%), totaling 50% of monthly collections. | $0 | $0 |
| 4 | Utilities and Cleaning | Fixed Overhead | Essential operating costs like Utilities ($800/month) and Cleaning Services ($400/month) total $1,200 monthly, regardless of patient volume. | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| 5 | Technology Subscriptions | Fixed Overhead | Critical software expenses include the EHR Software Subscription ($500/month) and Website & Digital Tools ($200/month) for patient management and scheduling. | $700 | $700 |
| 6 | Medical Supplies (COGS) | Variable | Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) covers Medical Supplies (10% of revenue) and Therapeutic Consumables (05% of revenue), totaling 15% of monthly sales. | $0 | $0 |
| 7 | Compliance and Retainers | Fixed Overhead | Mandatory fixed costs include Professional Liability Insurance ($300/month) and the Accounting & Legal Retainer ($600/month). | $900 | $900 |
| Total | All Operating Expenses | $42,383 | $42,383 |
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What is the total monthly operating budget needed to cover fixed and variable costs before reaching profitability?
The Physiotherapy Clinic needs $708,100 in monthly revenue just to cover all operating expenses before it earns a single dollar of profit; for context on how to structure this requirement, Have You Considered Including Market Analysis And Financial Projections For Your Physiotherapy Clinic Business Plan? This calculation balances the heavy fixed costs, primarily payroll, against the 50% variable cost structure. So, before profitability, your total required operating budget is exactly that $708,100 target.
Calculate Breakeven Revenue
- Total fixed costs hit $354,050 monthly.
- Payroll ($346k) is the main fixed driver here.
- Variable costs consume 50% of every dollar earned.
- Contribution margin is 50% ($1.00 revenue minus $0.50 variable cost).
Operational Levers to Pull
- To break even, you need $708,100 in monthly billings.
- If the average patient visit yields $150, you need ~4,721 treatments monthly.
- That’s roughly 157 treatments every single day (assuming 30 days).
- If onboarding takes 14+ days, churn risk rises defintely.
Which single cost category represents the largest recurring monthly expense, and how can its efficiency be optimized?
The largest recurring monthly expense for the Physiotherapy Clinic is payroll at $34,583, which means labor efficiency—how much revenue each dollar of salary generates—is the primary lever for profitability. Understanding these costs is critical, especially when planning for growth, which is why reviewing benchmarks like How Much Does It Cost To Open A Physiotherapy Clinic? is a smart first step. Honestly, if you don't nail staff utilization, every other cost gets magnified.
Labor Cost Ratio Check
- Monthly payroll stands at $34,583.
- Projected revenue target for 2026 is $58,800 monthly.
- This sets the labor cost ratio at 58.8% against that target.
- Payroll consumes almost 60 cents of every dollar earned at that revenue level.
Efficiency Levers
- Focus on maximizing revenue per therapist hour.
- If revenue per therapist hour rises by 15%, the ratio improves fast.
- Target utilization above 85% of available billable appointment slots.
- Defintely review pricing tiers for high-value specialty services.
What is the required working capital buffer to sustain operations until the clinic achieves positive cash flow?
For the Physiotherapy Clinic to sustain operations until it hits positive cash flow, the required working capital buffer peaks at $525,000, a number you must nail down when you Have You Considered Including Market Analysis And Financial Projections For Your Physiotherapy Clinic Business Plan?. This peak cash burn is forecasted to occur in January 2028, which is two full years after you open your doors. Honestly, that’s a substantial runway to fund before the business starts paying for itself.
Working Capital Peak
- Total capital needed peaks at $525,000.
- This cash requirement hits its maximum in January 2028.
- That date is exactly 24 months post-launch.
- This buffer covers all initial negative cash flow periods.
Funding Strategy Focus
- Secure funding covering 24 months of runway.
- Don’t let cash reserves dip below $525k.
- Focus initial efforts on securing consistent patient volume.
- Every month underperforming on revenue projections raises this figure.
If patient volume targets are missed by 20%, what immediate cost levers can be pulled to avoid severe cash depletion?
If patient volume targets for the Physiotherapy Clinic are missed by 20%, you must defintely cut non-essential fixed costs like the $600 accounting retainer and immediately renegotiate the 30% billing service fee to stop cash depletion, which is why understanding What Is The Primary Goal Of The Physiotherapy Clinic? is critical before making cuts.
Stop Non-Essential Fixed Spend
- Review the $600 monthly accounting retainer for pausing options.
- Can the $400 cleaning service move to a bi-weekly schedule?
- These fixed overheads offer no immediate patient benefit when volume lags.
- Every dollar saved here directly supports working capital when revenue drops.
Pressure Variable Service Fees
- The 30% fee charged by the billing service is a major variable cost.
- If you are seeing fewer patients, this fee percentage needs immediate challenge.
- Ask the service provider for a tiered rate based on lower monthly collections.
- Look into bringing simple claims processing in-house to cut that 30% bleed.
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Key Takeaways
- The initial monthly operating budget for a new physiotherapy clinic begins near $46,000 in Year 1 (2026), heavily weighted toward personnel costs.
- Payroll represents the largest recurring expense, consuming over 75% of initial operating costs at $34,583 per month.
- To cover early losses, a substantial working capital buffer peaking at $525,000 is necessary before the clinic becomes self-sustaining.
- The financial model projects a 26-month timeline, requiring significant upfront capital commitment to reach the break-even point in February 2028.
Running Cost 1 : Payroll Expenses
Fixed Payroll Base
In 2026, fixed payroll overhead for core clinical and management staff is budgeted at $34,583 per month. This figure covers the Clinic Director, two Staff Physical Therapists (PTs), and necessary administrative support roles. That's a significant fixed cost floor.
Payroll Breakdown
This $34,583 monthly figure represents primary fixed labor costs for 2026. It includes the $130k/year salary for the Director and two PTs earning $90k/year each. The remaining amount covers essential administrative staffing needed to manage scheduling and billing operations.
- Director Salary: $130,000 annual base.
- PT Salaries: $180,000 total annual base (2 staff).
- Admin Cost: The remainder covering necessary support roles.
Managing Staff Costs
Base salaries are fixed, but total compensation drives the real expense. Avoid immediate hiring pressure; use part-time or contract PTs initially to test volume before committing to full-time W2 salaries. Watch out for benefit creep inflating the true cost above the base rate.
- Test volume with contract labor first.
- Model total compensation, not just base pay.
- Delay administrative hires until patient volume demands it.
Overhead Leverage Point
Since this $34,583 is fixed overhead, achieving profitability requires high patient utilization fast. If the Clinic Director and PTs aren't fully booked, this high fixed cost severely pressures contribution margin, making revenue growth critical to cover the base burn rate.
Running Cost 2 : Clinic Facility Rent
Rent Fixed Cost
Your clinic facility rent is a fixed cost of $5,000 per month. This expense hits your bottom line before you treat a single patient, making it a critical component of your minimum required revenue base. Honestly, it’s non-negotiable overhead that you must cover every thirty days.
Rent Inputs
This $5,000 figure is the base lease payment for your physical space. To budget this, you need the signed lease agreement specifying the monthly base rent amount, ignoring initial tenant improvements or variable Common Area Maintenance (CAM) charges for now. This cost is static, regardless of how many patients walk through the door.
- Use the base rent from the lease.
- Confirm if utilities are included.
- Factor this in before revenue starts.
Optimizing Rent
Since rent is fixed, managing it means ensuring utilization justifies the spend. If you have two Staff PTs earning $90k each, you need enough patient volume to cover that $5,000 plus payroll. Avoid signing leases longer than 36 months initially, as flexibility matters when volume is uncertain. You defintely want favorable exit clauses.
- Ensure patient load covers fixed payroll too.
- Negotiate tenant improvement allowances upfront.
- Keep initial lease terms shorter, say 24 months.
Rent's Role in Overhead
That $5,000 rent is a major piece of your fixed burden, which must be covered by gross profit margin before you hit break-even. If payroll is $34.5k and other fixed costs add about $7.4k (Utilities, Tech, Compliance), your total fixed overhead is roughly $46.9k monthly. Rent makes up about 10.6% of that structure.
Running Cost 3 : Revenue Processing Fees
Revenue Collection Drag
Your revenue collection process immediately eats half your top line before operational costs hit. Payment processing and billing services combine for a substantial 50% variable cost against all monthly collections. This high rate demands immediate attention to billing efficiency.
Inputs for Collection Costs
These fees are direct costs of getting paid, not running the clinic. You need your expected monthly collections figure to calculate this expense defintely. If you collect $100,000 in a month, $20,000 goes to payment processors and $30,000 goes to billing services. This 50% drag hits before payroll or rent.
- Payment Processing Rate: 20%
- Billing Service Rate: 30%
- Total Variable Rate: 50%
Optimizing Payment Fees
Reducing this 50% burden requires negotiating processor rates or bringing billing in-house. Most clinics fail to shop their payment processor every 18 months. If you are processing over $150k monthly, aim to cut the processing fee below 2.0%. Bringing billing in-house saves the 30% service fee entirely, but adds administrative overhead.
- Shop payment processors annually.
- Negotiate volume discounts now.
- Evaluate internal billing staffing costs.
Margin Impact Warning
Remember, this 50% cost is applied after you account for the 15% in medical supplies (COGS). If your gross margin before overhead is 60%, these variable fees cut it down to just 10% contribution margin immediately. This makes controlling service pricing crucial.
Running Cost 4 : Utilities and Cleaning
Fixed Facility Overhead
Essential facility overhead for your physiotherapy clinic includes $1,200 monthly for Utilities and Cleaning. These costs are fixed, meaning they hit your profit and loss statement every month whether you see one patient or one hundred. Managing these baseline expenses is crucial for hitting early break-even targets.
Cost Inputs
This $1,200 covers the baseline operational needs of the physical therapy space. Utilities are budgeted at $800 monthly, covering power and water. Cleaning services are budgeted at $400 monthly to maintain the hygiene standards required for clinical settings. These are non-negotiable inputs for your initial model.
- Utilities estimate: $800.
- Cleaning estimate: $400.
- Fixed monthly spend.
Optimization Tactics
Reducing these fixed costs without harming quality or compliance is hard, but small operational wins help over a year. Look at energy-efficient lighting upgrades to potentially lower the $800 utility bill long term. You should negotiate cleaning service contracts annually to ensure the $400 fee remains competitive for the required scope of work, defintely.
- Audit utility usage yearly.
- Benchmark cleaning quotes.
- Avoid service creep.
Volume Impact
Since Utilities and Cleaning total $1,200 monthly, you must generate enough patient revenue just to cover these baseline facility costs before accounting for staff salaries or rent. If your variable costs (fees and supplies) average 65% of revenue, you need about $3,428 in gross monthly collections just to cover this $1,200 fixed overhead.
Running Cost 5 : Technology Subscriptions
Tech Overhead
Technology subscriptions are fixed monthly overhead totaling $700, covering critical patient management and scheduling systems. This cost supports the clinic’s patient-centric model by ensuring efficient data handling and digital access. Missing these tools stops patient intake dead.
Cost Breakdown
These subscriptions cover essential digital infrastructure for patient records and booking. The EHR Software costs $500/month for secure patient management, while Website & Digital Tools cost $200/month for scheduling functions. This $700 total is non-negotiable fixed operating expense.
- EHR: $500 per month
- Digital Tools: $200 per month
- Total Tech Overhead: $700
Optimization Tactics
Optimizing this cost means reviewing feature creep annually, not cutting core functionality. Since patient data security is paramount, cheap alternatives often introduce compliance risk. Negotiate multi-year contracts for a slight discount, maybe 5% off the $700 base; it's defintely worth the effort.
- Audit features every 12 months
- Avoid under-featured, cheap systems
- Check for annual discount options
Budget Impact
These $700 in tech costs must be covered before you hit contribution margin targets. If you need 100 patient visits monthly just to cover fixed overhead, these subscriptions are baked into that baseline calculation. It's a necessary cost of doing modern healthcare business.
Running Cost 6 : Medical Supplies (COGS)
COGS Snapshot
Your Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) for direct patient care items totals 15% of monthly revenue. This covers Medical Supplies at 10% and Therapeutic Consumables at 5%. Managing these usage rates defintely impacts your gross margin right away.
Cost Drivers
This 15% COGS category covers items used directly during treatment sessions. You need to track the actual dollar cost of Medical Supplies (10% share) and Therapeutic Consumables (5% share) against gross monthly collections. Accurate inventory tracking is key to validating this percentage.
- Medical Supplies: 10% of revenue
- Therapeutic Consumables: 5% of revenue
Margin Defense
Controlling supply usage prevents margin erosion, especially since these are variable costs. Avoid overstocking expensive items, which ties up cash unnecessarily. Standardize treatment protocols to ensure therapists use only necessary quantities per session. If you see usage creep above 15%, investigate waste immediatly.
- Negotiate bulk pricing tiers
- Audit high-use item counts
- Track usage per therapist
Benchmark Check
Compare this 15% COGS rate against industry benchmarks for physical therapy clinics. If your rate is higher, you might be paying too much for bulk purchases or suffering from high shrinkage (loss or waste). Negotiate supplier contracts based on projected patient volume growth.
Running Cost 7 : Compliance and Retainers
Fixed Compliance Commitment
Your core compliance overhead requires a fixed commitment of $900 per month. This covers essential Professional Liability Insurance ($300) and the necessary Accounting & Legal Retainer ($600). These costs hit your bottom line before seeing the first patient, so budget for them now.
Cost Inputs
These retainer costs are non-negotiable fixed overhead, not tied to patient volume. You must budget $300 monthly for Professional Liability Insurance to protect against malpractice claims. Add another $600 monthly for the Accounting & Legal Retainer, ensuring timely tax filings and contract reviews.
- Liability Insurance: $300/month
- Legal/Accounting Retainer: $600/month
Controlling Retainers
You can’t skip liability coverage, but you can manage the legal retainer effectively. Negotiate fixed scope for the retainer rather than hourly billing to control the $600 monthly spend. Shop your liability quotes every two years; raising deductibles slightly might cut the $300 premium if your risk tolerance allows.
- Negotiate fixed scope for legal work.
- Shop liability quotes every two years.
Fixed Cost Context
Compared to the $5,000 facility rent and $34,583 payroll, the $900 compliance spend is small but crucial. If you need to cut costs fast, this is hard to reduce immediately. However, if your legal needs spike due to rapid expansion, that fixed retainer might balloon unless you defintely structure the agreement upfront.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Monthly running costs start near $46,000 in 2026, encompassing $34,583 in payroll and $8,050 in fixed overhead like rent and software Payroll is defintely the biggest expense;