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/301341
BEST PR ACTICES 10 MAY/JUNE 2014 | Med Esthetics Like all machines, laser devices can malfunction. Hence, practices need to put protocols in place to recognize faulty equipment before it causes any adverse events. George J. Hruza, MD, described common equipment problems—and how to prevent them from causing harm—as part of his Laser Complications presentation at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Laser Medicine & Surgery. The most common issues include: calibra- tion failure, beam profi le not uniform, and cooling failure, causing burning, hot spots or ineffective treatment. He advises operators to always test lasers before treatment: check that the contact cooling is functioning; perform regular, periodic maintenance on all devices; and report problems to the manufacturer. "Market to the right people," "Track Re- sponse," "Build Word-of-Mouth." Market- ing adages abound. And while they may be true, they don't mean much unless an owner or manager knows how to put those truths into practice. In her new book, DRIVE: The Power of Execution, medical aesthetics industry veteran Tracy Drumm (If Marketing, ifmark.com) offers step-by- step guidance—including complementary workbooks and videos—for practice own- ers and managers who want to boost their practice's profi ts. Drumm, who describes the book as a "how-to guide for continued growth," draws on her own experience in the industry to share real stories of successes and failures. "I have written this book with tremendous passion and respect for the thousands of providers I have had the pleasure of meeting over the past 10 years," she says. "I hope the information shared in DRIVE refl ects my genuine gratitude to the industry and ignites a deep passion for aesthetic marketing within your team." Available at amazon.com. The American Medical Spa Association (AmSpa, americanmedspa.org) is encourag- ing California-based medical spas to review their business operations in light of an uptick in regulatory action. "We have defi nitely seen an increase in reports of California medical spas being investigated by the State Medical Board in recent weeks," said Alex Thiersch, director of AmSpa. "We are advising all medical spas in California to seek legal counsel to ensure they are operating in strict accordance with the law." The audits, which can result in signifi cant monetary fi nes and criminal penalties, are fo- cusing on organizational structure, governance, and scope of practice concerns, with particular attention to the unlicensed practice of medi- cine. The state is also investigating nurses and estheticians who are exceeding their scope of practice at medical spas. According to Harry Nelson of Nelson Hardiman, LLP, a California healthcare at- torney who advises medical spas on regulatory matters, the unannounced audits are zeroing in on identifying California medical spas that are merely "renting" physicians as medical directors, when the businesses are in fact owned and controlled by either unlicensed persons or allied health professionals, such as physician assistants or nurses. Insider Marketing Tips & Tools Preventing Laser Complications Regulatory Reminder: Check Your Business Structure © THINKSTOCK B e s t P r a c t i c e s M E D 5 - 6 1 5 . i n d d 1 0 Best Practices MED5-615.indd 10 4 / 1 6 / 1 4 4 : 3 5 P M 4/16/14 4:35 PM