MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.
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The medspa then added a new employee to provide childcare services, but did not have enough demand to justify the extra staffi ng. "We just didn't have enough traffi c in terms of childcare to have a staff member specifi cally devoted to it," says Norris. "We charged a nominal fee— $5/hour per child, but we didn't have the volume to keep her busy. We didn't view childcare as an additional source of revenue—it was offered as a courtesy to our clients—but we still felt we needed to at least break even." An even bigger issue was the noise level in the small space. "If the children were seven or older, it wasn't a problem. But with the little ones—fi ve years old and below—it was a challenge, especially for the longer treatments that were more than an hour," says Norris. "There were moments when our massage therapists could hear the client's child crying, because they were right down the hall. We realized after six months that to really make this work, we would need a big enough space and enough volume of usage to create a really separate area for the kids." PARTNERING FOR CARE Practices that do not have enough space or patient volume to justify creating a separate area can still offer childcare services through strategic partnerships. Kim Vondra, owner of Natural Symmetry MedSpa in Cookeville, Tennessee, works with a drop-in childcare center located less than one mile from her facility. "There is a facility near us called Smart Play and they do hourly drop-in childcare," she says. "The owner is a friend of mine and my grandchildren went there, so we worked out a policy where my clients get a discount to drop their children off for the time that they're here." Natural Symmetry offers childcare as part of its gift certifi cates and promotes the service on its website. "The cost to the parent is $7.50/hour, and a lot of our clients do take advantage of the childcare," says Vondra. "It's primarily sold through gift certifi cates. So if a husband comes in and buys a package for his wife or a friend comes in and buys a service for a friend who's had a baby, they'll © GETTY IMAGES buy a treatment package plus childcare for the length of the services." As an added benefi t, Smart Play promotes Vondra's services within the childcare facility. A second option for physicians who are launching a new practice or medspa is to look for locations that provide childcare services on site, such as gyms and health centers. Oasis Spa & Salon is located within a large healthcare facility called the Princeton Club in Madison, Wisconsin. "The club sits in the middle of an upper mezzanine level where we are located. There is also a physical therapist's offi ce and a laser hair removal facility, so it's kind of like a small mall," says Myranda Phelps-McGuire, spa director. "Our clients can use the Princeton Club drop-in childcare facility for a small upcharge of $10, and that provides 2.5 hours of childcare for up to two children. It's a really great benefi t that we can offer our clients, since most of our services can be completed in that time." The spa purchases 25 childcare passes at a time and offers them to clients. "We've been offering this for 13 years, and it's very popular with our clients. Often people don't get out to take care of themselves because they have small children who need care. This is a wonderful way for new moms and dads to take an hour for themselves so they can get refreshed and rejuvenated." She recommends keeping childcare in the back of your mind as you consider locations. "If you are renting, see if a space nearby has a daycare in it or think about whether the facilities you're looking at would have room to add a daycare," says Phelps-McGuire. "You can even offer childcare on a certain day of the week, where you have a provider come in for just that day." If you are considering partnering with a local facility to provide childcare services, Vondra cautions: "Be very sure of the person with whom you are partnering. If you're linking your name to someone else, you have to be sure they are providing the same level of care that you provide." Inga Hansen is the executive editor of MedEsthetics. CHILDREN ARE WELCOME 34 MAY/JUNE 2016 | Med Esthetics "This is a wonderful way for new moms and dads to take an hour for themselves so they can get refreshed and rejuvenated."