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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CHILDREN ARE WELCOME 32 MAY/JUNE 2016 | Med Esthetics © GETTY IMAGES CHALLENGES OF ON-SITE CARE Medspas and practices that would like to offer on-site childcare services must become familiar with their state's licensing requirements. The State Department of Health and Safety, Division of Childcare and Early Childhood Education typically dictates these regulations, which include liability insurance coverage, emergency planning and required adult-to-child ratios that vary based on the age of the children served. But meeting the required regulations is only the fi rst step. Facilities must also consider staffi ng costs and noise. "The main problem we encountered was with clients who came in for services that are geared toward relaxation, like facials and massages. We just didn't have the right setup to have the nursery far enough away from our reception desk, waiting room and massage rooms," says Juliana Norris, director and laser safety offi cer of Carolina Pines MedSpa in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The facility, which is located in a military town, offered childcare services for six months before deciding it posed too many challenges for their patients and staff. "Our clients have small children and their husbands are deployed. They need a break," says Norris. "People would call and say, 'Can I bring my child in?' Clients would cancel appointments because their babysitter cancelled at the last minute." Because the medspa had a back room with sofas and toys for staff members' children, they decided to use that space to offer childcare to patients as well. The original plan for the single-physician facility was to have the receptionist watch the children. "We thought that if someone here or there brought their child with them that our receptionist could go to the back and sit with them, and it was within the state's regulations for us to do that," says Norris. "The problem was that she still had to answer the phones. So she would be in the room playing with the child, someone would call looking for a relaxing experience and they could hear children in the background." Facilities that would like to add childcare services must have enough space to keep noise levels low in the treatment areas.