When was the last time you really thought about succession planning for your practice?
Not just a vague «someday» idea, but something concrete? With a plan, a timeline, and a next step?
Most practice owners answer honestly: «Not really, ever.» It’s understandable. Anyone who treats 15 to 20 patients a day, manages a team and has to keep the accounts in order rarely has the time to spare for issues that seem far off. Until suddenly they’re no longer so.
The great thing is: if you start today, you have a choice. If you wait too long, you lose options. A lead time of three to five years is not a luxury. It is the buffer that makes good solutions possible in the first place.
Three options – which one suits you best?
The most important thing to remember about practice succession is that there is no single right solution. In Switzerland, three models have proven their worth. Which one suits you best depends on your goals, your practice, and what really matters to you during the transition.
1. Internal succession
A long-standing employee is taking over. Trust, team spirit and the therapeutic approach will remain unchanged. The challenge: securing funding and taking on entrepreneurial responsibility require careful preparation. It can work. But only if you start early.
2. External succession
Less common than you might think. And when it does happen, it’s almost always a local affair. A neighbour takes over – quite literally. A shared market, familiar structures, short lines of communication. What matters most is the chemistry. If it’s right, things can work out very well. If it isn’t, you’ll soon notice in day-to-day practice.
3. Partnership within the network
You’re handing over the practice, but not what makes it special. Your name stays. Your team stays. Your patients stay. What changes: recruitment, administration and investments no longer rest solely on your shoulders. You focus on why you became a physiotherapist in the first place. And you decide at what pace you step back. This is the path that more and more practice owners in Switzerland are choosing.
Why so many people start too late
The most common thing people say during our initial consultations is: «I’ve been meaning to tackle this for years.»
Then came family. Day-to-day business. A new colleague joined the team. The succession plan was put on the back burner. Time and again.
That’s not a failure; it’s only human. But it does have consequences. According to estimates by the Physioswiss association, well over half of all Swiss physiotherapy practices will need a successor over the next ten years. The demand for effective solutions is growing. Those who start discussions early on will have the freedom to make decisions.
And now here’s the key point: if you start discussions early on, you’ll have time to find the right model without having to make a decision under pressure.
What makes for a good succession plan
Three things consistently emerge from our discussions with practice owners:
Firstly: Local identity is preserved.
The name of your practice, your team and your therapeutic approach. This isn’t just a minor detail – it’s at the heart of what you’ve built.
Secondly: A transition plan that suits you.
Whether you decide to step down immediately or continue practising for another five years, both options must be possible. One-size-fits-all solutions don’t work when it comes to practice succession.
Thirdly: Safety for your team and your patients.
Clear communication, a smooth transition, no surprises. This protects your life’s work. And the trust you have built up over the years.
What sets us apart at Swiss Physio Partner
First, we listen. We want to understand your goals and what matters to you. Only then do we discuss whether a solution from our toolkit is the right fit.
What this means for you as a practice owner: no pressure, no empty promises, no standard packages. A conversation on equal terms. And then you decide.
More about the partnership with SPP
Succession is about relationships
The best solution emerges when both sides have time to get to know each other. When trust can grow. When it becomes clear that the practice is in good hands.
You’ve probably experienced this in your own work. Effective therapy also requires time, trust and the feeling that you’re being understood.
The conclusion is clear: those who start today have a choice and gain greater freedom of action.
Let's have a chat. In confidence, as equals.
Let's talk about your future
Partnership
Personal, trusting and on an equal footing with Julian Weber.
