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.
Issue link: https://medesthetics.epubxp.com/i/123304
LASERS, LIPO AND LIFESTYLE TRY A TURNKEY PROGRAM Some practitioners may not have the time, funds, employees, energy or expertise to build their own lifestyle or nutrition program. That's why, rather than reinvent the wheel, some aesthetic professionals prefer partnering with an existing or turnkey program. The SlimPlate System Bootcamp (slimplatesystem.com) is one example of a turnkey program. Myo Nwe, MD, who is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Bariatric Medicine, invented the SlimPlate System and uses it in her own Rock Hill, South Carolina-based practice. It's been such a success she now helps other physicians set up and run the program. "Starting a weight-loss program from scratch requires a great deal of time, which may not be feasible for busy doctors," she says. "But most primary care MDs can start running the Slimplate System Bootcamp from day one. Based on our model, they can add a new revenue stream and diversify their income without giving up their clinical practice and with little overhead." 28 MAY/JUNE 2013 | MedEsthetics Gregory Laurence, MD (left), added a custom kitchen to his practice, which offers a nutrition program led by physicial assistant Katie Gresham (center) and chef-nutrition coach Lori Garaffa (right). The highly structured program includes individual counseling, group sessions, prescription medicine when appropriate, physical activity, behavioral modification techniques and weight-loss aids, such as portion-control plates, bowls and cups. Dr. Nwe developed the SlimPlate System, when she and her partner, Sandeep Grewal, MD, decided to augment their primary care and aesthetic injectables practice with a weight-loss program. "I tried low-carb diets, Optifast and Medifast. I even tried calorie-restricted frozen meals, like Healthy Choice," she says. Time and again, patients lost weight and then regained it all. Determined to find a long-term solution Dr. Nwe, who is also a diplomate with the American Board of Obesity Medicine, created the four-stage SlimPlate program. "Eating less is not the solution for losing weight," she says. "Eating right is." Elizabeth Foley, MD, and Judith Hondo, MD, cofounders of The Vein & Aesthetic Center of Boston, decided to partner with an existing program, rather than create their own. They work with Kinetic Fuel (kineticfuel.net), a Boston-based wellness and nutrition PHOTO COURTESTY OF GREGORY LAURENCE, MD The lifestyle/education components enhance the results of the aesthetic services and vice versa, Bleue says. "Although we offer all services a la carte, we give everyone a full, free treatment after their initial consultation," he says. "After they see how powerful the whole process is, nobody wants just pieces." Internal medicine physician Jan Trobisch, MD, similarly merged lifestyle, weight loss and aesthetics at his Synergy Lifestyle Center in Bakersfield, California. His program includes prescription appetite suppressants, lifestyle counseling, nutritional products, meal replacements, a strict calorie-controlled diet and i-Lipo laser treatments—as well as treatments for drug addiction. The weight-loss program—which is geared to anyone over the age of 16, with pricing starting at $99/month—is his most popular offering. He runs the program with three full-time employees who are trained to administer the i-Lipo, and he plans to hire a nutritionist and possibly a psychologist. "As a medical practice, we [can offer] more weight-loss tools than [would be available] through a nutritionist or at a gym," says Dr. Trobisch. " And the calorie-restriction diet improves the results of the i-Lipo, which I see as a tool for targeted fat reduction and body shaping." Using television, radio and print ads, Dr. Trobisch markets weight loss and i-Lipo together. "We discuss the patient's options during the first consultation," says Dr. Trobish. "Once I explain the laser to them, they often get interested and use one of our low-cost trial offers." Similarly, some patients who are initially interested in the i-Lipo decide to first try the weight-loss plan.