Medesthetics

MAR 2015

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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medestheticsmagazine.com | MARCH 2015 53 improve someone's appearance with these new tech- niques," says Dr. Burgess. "I realized that with dermatol- ogy, I had the opportunity to use my art background." Dr. Burgess was one of the fi rst doctors to specialize in using fi llers for HIV patients with facial atrophy. "People with HIV are living 20 to 30 years on medications that cause facial wasting," she says. "Usually these are young people who feel great, but their faces look like a skeleton. They want to look the way they feel. One patient told me it was like wearing a big 'A' tattoo. It bothers them a lot. Whenever I fi nish a procedure with an HIV patient and hand them the mirror, tears fl ow." That kind of blending of cosmetic and clinical derma- tology has become one of Dr. Burgess' top specialties. "I like the medical side of facial enhancement. You really have to know facial structure, and it requires the work of an artist," she says. "A lot of conditions can cause dis- fi guration or asymmetry—lupus, Bell's palsy, lipoatrophy. People often bring in a picture of themselves taken before they had the condition. They just want to get back to normal. It's even more rewarding to restore people than it is to make a beautiful person more beautiful." BUILDING A BUSINESS As founder and president of two Centers for Dermatol- ogy and Dermatologic Surgery, Dr. Burgess works with one other dermatologist, Mwatsveruka N. Munhutu, MD, and oversees a team of eight employees, including a practice manager, patient care coordinator, clinical study coordinator, two certifi ed medical assistants, a master esthetician and two front desk employees. "I personally train my staff because they refl ect me," she says. "And I teach my front offi ce staff that the customer is always right." As part of her employee orientation, she sends new hires to the nearest Nordstrom. Then she has them visit Walmart, so they can see the difference. "My offi ce runs like Nordstrom—we offer assistance from the moment a patient walks through the front door until they leave," she tells new staff members. "Our patients can go down the street for dermatology care, so make them want to come here. We want patients to have a great experi- ence and feel they got their money's worth." Keeping patients satisfi ed is especially critical because Dr. Burgess decided several years ago to stop accepting in- surance. Her reason was simple: "I wanted time to talk to my patients." Previously, she had been forced to book 60 patients a day due to low insurance reimbursement rates. "I didn't have fi ve minutes with each patient," she said. Now Dr. Burgess limits the number of patients to just 20 a day, plus two emergency slots, "so we don't get too bogged down," she says. "I don't overbook. I don't run my practice like an airline." She admits the decision initially caused many sleepless nights. After all, with nearly 20 dermatologists within 15 blocks of her offi ce, she has plenty of competition. "Am I Dr. Burgess stopped accepting insurance so she could spend more time with patients. "We want patients to have a great experience and feel they got their money's worth."

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