Primary care providers chose their profession out of a desire to help patients live better and longer lives according to the Hippocratic Oath. But the winds of change are blowing stronger across the landscape of medical practices throughout America. Now, more than ever, practitioners wishing to fulfill their calling are increasingly challenged on all sides by the pressures of time, patient demands, and complexity in the health insurance industry, government involvement and economics.

Many primary care providers (PCPs) find themselves on a treadmill, trying to maintain the highest standards of care while also endeavoring to achieve the rewards they and their families deserve to compensate the years and high cost of medical training and the long hours devoted to this most noble profession. There are several strategies to bring the economics of medical practice back into balance: work more hours and see more patients (not usually possible); raise fees (not practical given insurance industry dynamics); cut costs further (many practices are already close to a point of diminishing returns); or offer new, cash-based medical services.

The first question many PCPs have when they consider the topic of offering aesthetic laser services is: are these procedures medical treatments? All aesthetic lasers currently on the market are federally regulated medical devices under the jurisdiction of CDRH/FDA. Virtually every state regulates the use of these lasers and limits their use to either a medical doctor (M.D., D.O., D.M.D.-M.D.) or to a nurse or physician’s assistant, operating the device under the license and supervision of the doctor.

Since the time of Hippocrates, physicians have focused on healing the sick and injured. During the last 20 years or so, physicians have increasingly turned their attention to patients who were neither sick nor injured in a traditional sense. Consider the dramatic rise in prescriptions for conditions such as clinical depression, anxiety, incontinence, restless leg syndrome, insomnia and many other conditions that are not typically life-threatening. Society has now accepted the idea that part of a person’s health and well-being relates to their emotions and their psychology. And not surprisingly well-being is strongly linked to physical appearance. So it is understandable that once basic health needs of populations have been satisfied, patients want to look and feel better. PCPs can meet this need by offering quality aesthetic services using good marketing and customer care practices. (more…)

We stumbled upon an old (March 7, 2007) article in ABC News – Spa Left Woman With Skin ‘Like Raw Meat’ – a story about a 52-year-old stay-at-home mom who saw the ugly side of medical spas. She went to one in Panama City, Fla., for what she thought was a routine procedure – laser treatments to remove sunspots on her back and chest.

“They put a topical ointment on my skin called Leveline, which intensified the laser,” Miles said. “After it was over, I was already burning. During the treatment, it was very excruciating pain, but I was lead to believe that this was normal.”

The pain, which she said felt like someone pressing hot curling irons in to her back, was not normal. After leaving the spa, she said that her back was on fire and that she was vomiting from the severe pain. When she finally looked in a mirror, Miles was shocked at what she saw.

“It looked like raw meat. I had horrendous blisters all over it. It was in a zebra-stripe type pattern. It was scary,” she said.

See the graphic pictures of what an IPL machine can do in the hands of an untrained medical spa technician.

The aesthetic physician or the head of the group if several doctors work together.

The financial shock we are trying to cope with has made us sharper. The star of the practice is what can make a difference for a cash paying consumer comparing several aesthetic practices during the online research.

What can help you look more impressive in the eyes of today’s web surfing cosmetic patient?

• It’s not about offering the same plastic surgery procedures every doctors offers these days – it’s about daring to work differently and offering innovative presentations of new treatment options with good results and minimum downtime
• It’s not about general marketing with billboards and newspaper ads – it’s about authenticity with style and mostly online
• It’s not about dreaming dreams about “buying an expensive laser system… and they will come” – it’s about educating, engaging and pursuing prospects to come for a free consult
• It’s not about materialism – it’s about wealth of self, inside and out

Comments?