Business

5 Tips for Virtual Private Practice Success

Discover tips for private practice success at Healthie. Learn best practice to keep in mind when running a virtual private practice.

Published on Sep 12, 2017
Updated on Feb 23, 2024

We created Healthie with the goal of making it easier for nutrition providers to help their clients. From our easy to use online electronic health record that helps practitioners manage their practices from anywhere in the world to our patient-friendly mobile app that boosts client engagement and improves accountability, we’ve developed the tools that every private practice practitioner needs to successfully run their business.

Healthie’s mobile-friendly app allows providers to…

  • Video conference and host telehealth appointments from anywhere in the world
  • View and interact with your clients photo food logs
  • Securely message with your clients
  • Document client goals
  • Schedule, confirm and cancel appointments
  • Increase client accountability
  • Increase flexibility of your private practice

With all of these great benefits, you may be wondering how to get the absolute best results from your clients when using these incredible tools!

So today we’re sharing five best practices to keep in mind when using Healthie’s patient-friendly mobile app:

If you want to access all of these features offered on Healthie’s mobile app risk-free, click here to sign up for a Starter Account!

1. Set client expectations upfront

Be open, honest and upfront about how you use Healthie, and especially Healthie’s mobile app, in your practice. We suggest customizing your initial welcome email that new clients receive when they join Healthie with a few points about your interactions.

Here are some questions to consider:

  • How often will you be monitoring your client’s food log?
  • Will you comment on every entry or only periodically in-between sessions?
  • How quickly do you expect to respond to messages?

Setting expectations upfront lets your clients know what to expect. And trust us, it’s 100% okay if you don’t comment on every single entry your clients make in Healthie’s photo food log — just be clear so your clients do not expect you to!

Make tracking food journals easy for you and your client by signing up for a Free Starter Account with Healthie!

2. Include something positive in every comment

You are a nutrition professional, but also a cheerleader to help your clients do their best to reach their nutrition goals. We encourage you to find something positive in every entry, photo or metric you comment on because your clients are leaning on you for that support.

For example, we were recently asked by a dietitian how to best comment on blood sugar readings that did not improve after weeks of working together. Instead of exclusively focusing on the number, we suggested highlighting the fact that the patient was checking their blood sugar frequently (a new behavioral improvement). Then, at the next session, you can address the reasons why blood sugar readings did not improve.

3. Be confident in saying, “We’ll discuss this at your next appointment.”

If a client messages you with a complicated question that warrants more than 1-2 sentences in response, it’s OK to defer the question until the next session, if safe.

4. Keep your feedback simple, and direct

When it comes to commenting on a clients photo food log, less may be more! Remember that one time you misinterpreted your friend’s text message? The same thing can happen here, so keep your comments simple and easy to understand. There’s no need to overcomplicate or over think your comments.

5. Explain all costs associated with services

Some Healthie users charge their clients for use of the mobile app and others include their time spent on the app messaging clients and checking their food logs in their original package costs. Either way, be upfront with your clients and let them know all costs associated with the service.

Whether your practice is large and well-established, or a digital health startup, Healthie’s EHR platform can help you navigate this process. To set up a free Starter Account, click here.


We created Healthie with the goal of making it easier for nutrition providers to help their clients. From our easy to use online electronic health record that helps practitioners manage their practices from anywhere in the world to our patient-friendly mobile app that boosts client engagement and improves accountability, we’ve developed the tools that every private practice practitioner needs to successfully run their business.

Healthie’s mobile-friendly app allows providers to…

  • Video conference and host telehealth appointments from anywhere in the world
  • View and interact with your clients photo food logs
  • Securely message with your clients
  • Document client goals
  • Schedule, confirm and cancel appointments
  • Increase client accountability
  • Increase flexibility of your private practice

With all of these great benefits, you may be wondering how to get the absolute best results from your clients when using these incredible tools!

So today we’re sharing five best practices to keep in mind when using Healthie’s patient-friendly mobile app:

If you want to access all of these features offered on Healthie’s mobile app risk-free, click here to sign up for a Starter Account!

1. Set client expectations upfront

Be open, honest and upfront about how you use Healthie, and especially Healthie’s mobile app, in your practice. We suggest customizing your initial welcome email that new clients receive when they join Healthie with a few points about your interactions.

Here are some questions to consider:

  • How often will you be monitoring your client’s food log?
  • Will you comment on every entry or only periodically in-between sessions?
  • How quickly do you expect to respond to messages?

Setting expectations upfront lets your clients know what to expect. And trust us, it’s 100% okay if you don’t comment on every single entry your clients make in Healthie’s photo food log — just be clear so your clients do not expect you to!

Make tracking food journals easy for you and your client by signing up for a Free Starter Account with Healthie!

2. Include something positive in every comment

You are a nutrition professional, but also a cheerleader to help your clients do their best to reach their nutrition goals. We encourage you to find something positive in every entry, photo or metric you comment on because your clients are leaning on you for that support.

For example, we were recently asked by a dietitian how to best comment on blood sugar readings that did not improve after weeks of working together. Instead of exclusively focusing on the number, we suggested highlighting the fact that the patient was checking their blood sugar frequently (a new behavioral improvement). Then, at the next session, you can address the reasons why blood sugar readings did not improve.

3. Be confident in saying, “We’ll discuss this at your next appointment.”

If a client messages you with a complicated question that warrants more than 1-2 sentences in response, it’s OK to defer the question until the next session, if safe.

4. Keep your feedback simple, and direct

When it comes to commenting on a clients photo food log, less may be more! Remember that one time you misinterpreted your friend’s text message? The same thing can happen here, so keep your comments simple and easy to understand. There’s no need to overcomplicate or over think your comments.

5. Explain all costs associated with services

Some Healthie users charge their clients for use of the mobile app and others include their time spent on the app messaging clients and checking their food logs in their original package costs. Either way, be upfront with your clients and let them know all costs associated with the service.

Whether your practice is large and well-established, or a digital health startup, Healthie’s EHR platform can help you navigate this process. To set up a free Starter Account, click here.


Launch, grow & scale your business today.

Business

5 Tips for Virtual Private Practice Success

Discover tips for private practice success at Healthie. Learn best practice to keep in mind when running a virtual private practice.

We created Healthie with the goal of making it easier for nutrition providers to help their clients. From our easy to use online electronic health record that helps practitioners manage their practices from anywhere in the world to our patient-friendly mobile app that boosts client engagement and improves accountability, we’ve developed the tools that every private practice practitioner needs to successfully run their business.

Healthie’s mobile-friendly app allows providers to…

  • Video conference and host telehealth appointments from anywhere in the world
  • View and interact with your clients photo food logs
  • Securely message with your clients
  • Document client goals
  • Schedule, confirm and cancel appointments
  • Increase client accountability
  • Increase flexibility of your private practice

With all of these great benefits, you may be wondering how to get the absolute best results from your clients when using these incredible tools!

So today we’re sharing five best practices to keep in mind when using Healthie’s patient-friendly mobile app:

If you want to access all of these features offered on Healthie’s mobile app risk-free, click here to sign up for a Starter Account!

1. Set client expectations upfront

Be open, honest and upfront about how you use Healthie, and especially Healthie’s mobile app, in your practice. We suggest customizing your initial welcome email that new clients receive when they join Healthie with a few points about your interactions.

Here are some questions to consider:

  • How often will you be monitoring your client’s food log?
  • Will you comment on every entry or only periodically in-between sessions?
  • How quickly do you expect to respond to messages?

Setting expectations upfront lets your clients know what to expect. And trust us, it’s 100% okay if you don’t comment on every single entry your clients make in Healthie’s photo food log — just be clear so your clients do not expect you to!

Make tracking food journals easy for you and your client by signing up for a Free Starter Account with Healthie!

2. Include something positive in every comment

You are a nutrition professional, but also a cheerleader to help your clients do their best to reach their nutrition goals. We encourage you to find something positive in every entry, photo or metric you comment on because your clients are leaning on you for that support.

For example, we were recently asked by a dietitian how to best comment on blood sugar readings that did not improve after weeks of working together. Instead of exclusively focusing on the number, we suggested highlighting the fact that the patient was checking their blood sugar frequently (a new behavioral improvement). Then, at the next session, you can address the reasons why blood sugar readings did not improve.

3. Be confident in saying, “We’ll discuss this at your next appointment.”

If a client messages you with a complicated question that warrants more than 1-2 sentences in response, it’s OK to defer the question until the next session, if safe.

4. Keep your feedback simple, and direct

When it comes to commenting on a clients photo food log, less may be more! Remember that one time you misinterpreted your friend’s text message? The same thing can happen here, so keep your comments simple and easy to understand. There’s no need to overcomplicate or over think your comments.

5. Explain all costs associated with services

Some Healthie users charge their clients for use of the mobile app and others include their time spent on the app messaging clients and checking their food logs in their original package costs. Either way, be upfront with your clients and let them know all costs associated with the service.

Whether your practice is large and well-established, or a digital health startup, Healthie’s EHR platform can help you navigate this process. To set up a free Starter Account, click here.


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