How to Start a Cash-Pay Telehealth Practice, with Dr. Ashley Caravelli

In this episode, Dr. Nisha Mehta is joined by Dr. Ashley Caravelli, a family medicine physician and menopause specialist who recently launched her own cash-pay telehealth practice, Axis Precision Health. She shares a behind-the-scenes look at going from an idea to actually seeing patients via telemedicine in just six months—and the business, legal, operational, and marketing decisions she had to make along the way. They discuss: How to take a telehealth practice from idea to launch in 6 months, including setting up a business entity, choosing an EMR, building a website, securing malpractice coverage, and navigating licensing, local telehealth, and legal requirements How to keep startup costs and overhead low by determining what you actually need, shopping around, negotiating, and deciding what to DIY versus outsource How to structure a cash-pay patient experience, from discovery calls and transparent pricing to memberships, labs, prescriptions, and ongoing care Why word of mouth and your existing network can be more powerful than paid marketing when finding your first patients—and how social media, email lists, and physician directories fit into the strategy The financial realities of starting a telemedicine practice, including startup costs, calculating your break-even point, and using other income streams to reduce the pressure to become profitable immediately This episode is brought to you by UpToDate®. Grounded exclusively in peer-reviewed UpToDate content, Expert AI delivers evidence-based AI recommendations with clear reasoning and traceable sources. * Plus, as a PSG clinician, you can save 15% with code PODP, and as a PSG resident, you can save 20% with codePODR when you purchase an annual or longer personal subscription. † Visit https://utm.io/pod to subscribe.   * Products are not available in all countries.  † These offers are valid for a limited time and are subject to change.  Find more of our content at https://www.physiciansidegigs.com, our Facebook communities, and our Instagram account!