Medesthetics

NOV-DEC 2013

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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ESTHETICIANS AND THE MEDICAL PRACTICE Promoting Skincare Services Dermatology and plastic surgery practices are at a distinct advantage when it comes to introducing and promoting skincare services. "People who come into these practices have an interest in appearance," says Dr. Werschler. "They may come in for hair loss, but they are already open to things like facials and hair removal." When he first brought estheticians into his practice, he focused primarily on internal marketing. "We used table-top tents to come through the spa to enter the dermatology section, and when they exit, they walk by a board with spa specials," she says. Additional avenues to promote esthetic services include offering mini-facials and product giveaways as part of open house events and posting monthly specials on skincare kits in your retail section, according to Cheryl Whitman, CEO of Beautiful Forever Medical Spa Consulting (beautifulforever.com). skincare services as a separate business, Dr. Werschler advises physicians to hold spa personnel to the same standards as medical professionals. "Don't treat esthetics as a separate business. You need to make a commitment. Treat it as a medical practice, and hold all employees to the same standards," he says. "The estheticians and other non-medical personnel must view themselves as medical providers in that they cannot gossip about one patient to the next Dr. Klein sends out eblasts to her mailing list every month with introduce our esthetician and put flyers at the front desk. We put flyers into the bills, back then the billing was still in envelopes," he says. Dr. Klein sends out eblasts to her mailing list every month with one spa special and one medical practice special. "And they come from me, Lorrie Klein, MD. We also mention the spa in our blog and on our Facebook page," she says. The day spa is located within the same building as her dermatology practice. "When patients enter the practice they 48 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2013 | MedEsthetics There are two strategies used to incorporate esthetic services in cosmetic practices. Some doctors hire estheticians as employees to work within the medical facility. In these cases, Whitman recommends building esthetic services and postprocedure care products into your pricing for surgical and laser procedures. This not only helps to improve outcomes, it introduces patients to homecare regimens. Other physicians have created separate spa facilities in which these services are offered. Even if a practice organizes its patient, and they must respect all infectious control standards. You do not want to do anything to cheapen the level of service." Though Dr. Klein launched her spa as a separate corporate entity, she cautions doctors against building out a separate spa business right away. "Start by hiring one or two estheticians to work in the practice and see how that goes before adding a separate spa," she says. "Spas have a lot of overhead, and they are not money-makers compared to a dermatology practice." –Inga Hansen © ISTOCKPHOTO.COM one spa special and one medical practice special.

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