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Unlock the Power of Patient Emails: A Deep Dive into 23 Must-Have Templates 15 Oct 2023 11:43 AM (last year)

Ever wondered why your state-of-the-art clinic isn't seeing the patient engagement you expected? You've got the latest IPLs, top-of-the-line cosmetic lasers, and a team that's the envy of the industry. But let's face it: If your email game isn't strong, you're leaving money on the table. A lot of it.

You see, in the hyper-competitive world of cosmetic medical practices, every touchpoint with your patient matters. And guess what? Email is often the most underutilized touchpoint. Shocking, right? Especially when you consider that for every $1 spent on email marketing, the average ROI is a staggering $42. Yet, many clinics either lack a robust email strategy or, worse, execute one so poorly it might as well be non-existent.

So, what's the fix? Glad you asked. You're about to dive into a treasure trove of 23 essential email templates that will not only revolutionize your patient communication but also drive those conversions through the roof. We're talking about emails that work—emails that patients open, read, and act upon.

Intrigued? You should be. Because what follows isn't just a list; it's a game-changer for your practice. Get ready to unlock actionable insights and proven strategies that will make your emails the powerhouse they deserve to be.

Your Emails Are Invisible, Even If You Don't Know It

You're a top-tier physician. Your skills are unparalleled, and your clinic is a marvel of modern medicine. But let's get real: Your emails are probably going straight to the spam folder, or worse, being ignored altogether. You're not alone; many physicians in retail medicine face this issue. But the good news? It's fixable.

The High Cost of Ignored Messages

Think about it. Every ignored email is a missed opportunity—a lost chance for patient engagement, a failed attempt at upselling services, or even worse, a potential patient who opts for a competitor. The stakes are high. In a market where every patient counts, can you afford to have your emails ignored? The answer is a resounding "No.

23 Game-Changing Email Templates

Here's where the magic happens. You don't need to reinvent the wheel; you just need to know which wheel to use. Introducing 23 meticulously crafted email templates designed to cover every conceivable touchpoint in your patient's journey. From appointment reminders to post-treatment follow-ups, these templates have got you covered.

And the best part? They're not just templates; they're a masterclass in effective communication. Crafted from 15 years of industry experience, these templates are your shortcut to email marketing success.

Don't just take my word for it. Clinics that have implemented these templates have seen open rates soar by up to 60% and conversion rates double. That's not just impressive; it's transformative. And it could be your reality too.

Instant Access to Your Game-Changing Toolkit

You're a busy physician; we get it. That's why we've made accessing these 23 game-changing email templates as effortless as possible. No need to wait or jump through hoops. Click the link below, and you'll get instant access to a downloadable PDF that you can start using right now. It's that simple.

Download it free here.

Get my 23 free email templates

The Ultimate Blueprint for Clinic Operations: A Game-Changer in the Healthcare Industry! PLUS: How AI is Revolutionizing the Game 28 May 2023 5:22 AM (last year)

In the rapidly evolving world of healthcare, staying ahead of the curve is no longer just an option—it's a necessity. Whether you're a physician, a clinician, or a healthcare provider, you need to be on top of the latest trends and technologies to ensure your practice thrives in this competitive landscape.

That's where the Ultimate Clinic Operations Blueprint comes into play.

The healthcare industry is undergoing a seismic shift. Traditional models of care are being upended, and new, innovative approaches are taking their place. The Ultimate Clinic Operations Blueprint is designed to help you navigate these changes and set your clinic up for success.

The Blueprint provides a comprehensive guide to running a successful clinic, covering everything from marketing and sales to patient experience and business consulting. It's a one-stop-shop for all your clinic operation needs.

The Power of Technology and AI

One of the most significant changes in healthcare is the rise of technology and artificial intelligence (AI). These tools are revolutionizing the way clinics operate, making processes more efficient, improving patient outcomes, and even transforming the business model of healthcare itself.

The Blueprint embraces this change, incorporating the latest AI tools and technologies into its strategies. It shows you how to leverage these tools to streamline your operations, improve patient engagement, and increase profitability.

The Challenges of Adopting New Technologies

Of course, adopting new technologies is not without its challenges. The Blueprint acknowledges these challenges and provides practical solutions to overcome them. It offers expert advice on everything from navigating legal issues to managing social media, ensuring you have all the information you need to make informed decisions.

The Future of Healthcare

The Ultimate Clinic Operations Blueprint doesn't just prepare you for the present—it prepares you for the future. It looks ahead to the future of healthcare, exploring the potential of telehealth and AI, and showing you how to position your clinic to take advantage of these trends.

Summary

In conclusion, the Ultimate Clinic Operations Blueprint is an invaluable resource for anyone in the healthcare industry. It provides a comprehensive guide to running a successful clinic, incorporating the latest trends and technologies, and preparing you for the future of healthcare. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, the Blueprint is a must-have tool for your toolkit.

The healthcare industry is changing rapidly, and those who fail to adapt will be left behind. But with the Ultimate Clinic Operations Blueprint, you have everything you need to stay ahead of the curve. So why wait? Start your journey to success today!

Resources

• The Ultimate Clinic Operations Blueprint: A comprehensive guide to running a successful clinic in the modern healthcare landscape. Link

Embrace the Future: A Strategic Guide to Pricing in the Age of A.I. for Retail Medicine 28 May 2023 5:18 AM (last year)

We get it, pricing your services in the ever-changing landscape of retail medicine can feel like a daunting task. But what if we told you that there's a method to the madness, a strategic way to navigate this complex terrain? By asking the right questions and leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.), you can revolutionize your pricing strategy, streamline your processes, and ultimately, improve your bottom line. And who doesn't want that? 💰💡

Exploring Pricing Approaches 🚀

Before you can jump into the nitty-gritty of pricing, it's crucial to understand the different approaches you can take. From usage-based to feature-based, subscription to tiered pricing, the world is your oyster. But remember, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. It all depends on your unique circumstances and what your patient population needs.

Take a leaf out of the crypto industry's book. They've been using on-chain data to forecast differences between each pricing approach. For instance, a cosmetic treatment could be priced based on the complexity of the procedure, patient requirements, or the duration of the treatment. The trick is to mix and match pricing methods to find the best fit for your practice.

Product Line Differentiation 🌈

Your patients are as diverse as they come – from first-timers looking for a basic service to experienced patients seeking advanced treatments. This diversity presents an opportunity for differentiation. Using a Good, Better, Best framework can help tailor your offerings to meet the needs of different customer segments.

For instance, a "Good" service could be a basic skincare consultation, "Better" could include additional tests and personalized treatment plans, and "Best" could offer an all-inclusive package with follow-up sessions and premium products. And remember, when dealing with high-end patients, robust support and customer service are key to keeping them satisfied and coming back for more.

The Goldilocks Dilemma – Finding the Right Price 🎯

Are you overpricing or underpricing your services? It's a common concern for practitioners in retail medicine. With the rapid advancements in technology and the rise of AI, it's crucial to offer a 10X improvement over existing services to gain traction in the market. If you've managed to do this, congratulations, you've earned the right to capture meaningful value in return.

One simple yet effective way to determine if your pricing is right is to conduct A/B testing with different price points. For instance, offer two groups of patients different pricing for the same service and observe the variation in their responses. The results might surprise you and give you valuable insights into how much your patients value your services.

Learning from Adjacent Markets

Looking at how other services are priced in adjacent markets can provide valuable insights. For instance, in the telehealth industry, pricing is often based on subscription models with different tiers for different levels of service. Could a similar model work for your practice? It's worth considering.

Finally…

Navigating the pricing landscape in retail medicine is no easy feat. It requires strategic thinking, a deep understanding of your patients, and a willingness to embrace new technologies. But with the right questions, a forward-thinking approach, and the power of A.I., you can revolutionize your pricing strategy, enhance your services, and take your practice to new heights. Remember, the future is here, and it's time to embrace it!

How to make your medical spa impossible to compete with. 12 Apr 2023 12:21 PM (last year)

The world is changing rapidly — you might have heard to all of the A.I. tools like ChatGPT, Bard and the rest… and what used to work for cosmetic clinics and providers in the past is no longer enough to compete in today's market.

There’s been a 63x increase in telemedicine since 2020 (Yep. Covid.) [1]. Additionally, a whopping 71% of all in-person clinical visits can now be done remotely [1]. Patient expectations have shifted too. The result is that 81% of existing patients are open to switching providers at any time[1]. Patient churn, redundant and inefficient practices, and lost revenue opportunities are killing your growth, and your practice.

With increased competition, evolving patient expectations, and the need for a unique value proposition, it's crucial to find you unfair advantage and put it to work — you need to be impossible for others to compete with.

Just because you’re unaware of the losses doesn’t make them any less real. Remember this; you can’t just be good — you have to be better than everyone else. Patients have access to everyone and all the information they need, and they will move to whomever they feel best fits them.

Finding Your Unfair Advantage

In this new healthcare landscape, there will inevitably be winners and losers. To ensure that your clinic is among the winners, you need to find your unfair advantage and learn to compete in ways that other’s can’t simply copy, and they’re working hard too. Think of it as ‘asymmetrical competition’ — the ability to redefine the playing field and the rules of the game.

Hint: It’s not going to be your IPL or laser or the lemon water or any of the bullshit that you hear from the sales reps about how they’re going to put you on their vendor website.

But you have a real problem…. you’re not actually much different.

If you’re like most providers, you’re kidding yourself. A massive 84% of clinicians believe they deliver superior patient care and experience, but only 8% of their patients agree.

While it’s most likely that your current patient care and experiences are lockstep with what they can get down the street. Your staff is similar, your offerings are largely the same, and your pricing too. The fact that you’ve got a different RF device or were the first to perform ‘whatever-treatment-you-want-to-insert-here’ for longer than your competitors is irrelevant.

Guess what; nobody cares. That’s just more marketing b.s. and you should not delude yourself based on hopeful thinking.

What does a real competitive advantage look like?

Success in this new world isn’t easy. It requires a combination of factors; exceptional patient experiences, streamlined operations, and new business models. All of these are massive opportunities for those who are smart enough to adapt and use them — especially since most clinics will be too slow to make the needed changes.

There are new technologies that provide a clear path to market dominance.

• Patient experience: Creating and automating exceptional and personalized patient experiences that go far beyond current tools to build strong patient relationships, and real loyalty.

• Productivity: Automating redundant tasks, personalize patient experiences, and build strong relationships with their patients.

• New business models: Creating new ‘hybrid’ business models that provide recurring revenue and subscriptions as well as your current services model.

There are technologies you can use do do all of these things.

Imagine your clinic where your staffs productivity is increased by 4x, and you’re increasing high-touch patient interactions by 260% (without any additional time)[3], and you’re generating recurring revenue from subscriptions (since we’re now in a subscription economy).

In this future, your clinic is more efficient, patient-focused, and ultimately, more successful.

You can’t just work harder, or do this by yourself.

Several obstacles stand in the way of achieving this vision of success for your clinic. In the past, you’ve just worked longer hours and hired more bodies, but those strategies have had diminishing returns for a while. It’s no longer a workable solutions, especially in competitive markets. This focus on manual work and care delivery forces multiple problems into your clinic:

• Time-consuming, manual tasks that prevent healthcare providers from focusing on patient care.

• Difficulty in personalizing patient experiences and building strong relationships.

• Inefficient workflows and processes that hinder overall clinic productivity.

To overcome these obstacles, you need tools that offer:

• Intelligent automation to streamline administrative tasks and optimize workflows.

• Personalization capabilities to create tailored patient experiences and foster trust.

• Advanced technology solutions, such as behavioral AI, to automate patient interactions and improve care.

Here’s what market domination actually looks like.

The reality is that dominating a market requires that you’re doing things that others can’t match. If you have unlimited funds you can simply outspend the competition and suck up all the oxygen. (When I was running clinics my average spend per clinic was $40,000 per month.)

The better way is to build a much better patient experience, but you can’t do that with your current tools or by adding aromatherapy or whatever. You actually have to deliver value that no one else can match.

Fortunately, the newest healthcare technologies that have been developed for the enterprise and clinical trials that are now available.

The best of these is Storyline.

Clinics that have adopted Storyline have experienced a 4x increase in team productivity, a 260% increase in patient interactions without additional provider burden, and a 17% increase in total revenue [3]. And 96% of patients would recommend Storyline to their primary care physician, and give it 4.9 stars.

Get The Tools to Dominate To Dominate Your Market

The landscape has changed, and clinics must adapt to compete effectively. By finding your unfair advantage - which is probably going to be tech - you can build a market dominating clinic.

References

Telemedicine's growth and potential:
"Telehealth: A Quarter-Trillion-Dollar Post-COVID-19 Reality?”
Description: This article discusses the rapid growth of telemedicine and its potential to become a significant part of healthcare services post-COVID-19.
URL: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/telehealth-a-quarter-trillion-dollar-post-covid-19-reality

The changing landscape of patient expectations:
"The Healthcare Consumer of the Future: How Patient Expectations Are Changing"Description: This article outlines the evolving expectations of healthcare consumers and the factors driving these changes.URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshealth/2021/06/29/the-healthcare-consumer-of-the-future-how-patient-expectations-are-changing/?sh=1d4e40d07351

The importance of patient-centered care and relationships"The Importance of the Patient-Provider Relationship in the Digital Age"Description: This article highlights the significance of patient-provider relationships in delivering high-quality care and the role technology can play in strengthening these connections.
URL: https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.17.0556

Clinician workload and the impact on patient care:
"Physician Burnout, Interrupted"
Description: This paper discusses the issue of physician burnout, its consequences on patient care, and potential solutions to address the problem.
URL: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2003149

How AI is Revolutionizing Success for Medical Spas 30 Mar 2023 7:48 AM (2 years ago)

Doctors and clinics must adapt to new AI tools for automation, care pathways, and patient engagement to adapt to the new A.I. world - or lose…

In the past few years, the world has seen a massive shift in healthcare. The rise of artificial intelligence and technology has created an opportunity for clinics and doctors to improve patient outcomes and generate recurring revenue through automated care pathways. The need to adapt to these changes is high, with patients already using these technologies and waiting for doctors to catch up. Clinics and doctors who fail to adapt risk becoming irrelevant and losing patients to those who do.

Note: All of the stats and sources used are in the reference section at the bottom of the post.

The world has already shifted to AI.

The statistics speak for themselves. Since 2020, there has been a 63x increase in telemedicine and it’s probably that you’ve already got some kind of video telehealth solution in place, but guess what? It’s already out of date.

71% of all in-person clinical visits can now be done remotely and 89% of all patient interactions are redundant and could be automated. (In fact, the global market for AI in healthcare is expected to grow at a CAGR of 44.9% through 2027, indicating the widespread adoption of these tools.)

Think about what that actually means. Most of what you’re doing in-clinic is essentially redundant and just wasting time and productivity.

Yeah, so the bad news is that you’re already losing money and falling behind.

Worse for you, the top 3 things that patient wants - especially in retail medicine - are 1) more time with caregivers that listen, 2) a feeling that their provider cares personally about their outcome, and 3) more information about their condition, treatment, care, and options. However, your current system of manually reviewing treatment options, recovery, and care prevents you from filling those needs in any type of scalable way. You’re forced by market economics to ration your time, and curtail patient access.

The result is systems that are expensive, highly variable, and slow. In the past the fix has been to hire more people and spend more time at the clinic, but that’s no longer effective.

Here’s some numbers that should keep you up at night 62% of patients admit they don’t understand their doctor's advice and the information discussed during a visit. Less than 30% of primary care clinics are financially healthy. 57% of doctors work 70+ hours a week, but 73% of their time is spent not providing care. Clinicians believe they deliver superior patient care and experience, but only 8% of their patients agree. 68% of patients leave because they believe their physician doesn’t care about them, and 81% of existing patients are open to switching providers at any time.

While most clinics feel like they’re adapting, they’re not really. Just because you’re offering telehealth visits or offering check in on an iPad ain’t it. Ditto for appointment reminder emails and the new ‘app’ you just got sold on — they might seem like significant steps forward, but they don't truly address the core issues. These changes are only skin-deep. They don’t fundamentally address the growing patient demand for personalized, efficient, and high-quality care.

There are now 4 million apps in the app store and another 100,000 added every month. No one want’s a one-trick pony

There will be winners and losers. Let’s be a winner.

However, there is a massive new opportunity for first movers who adapt to these changes to grow their practice and their revenue.

While some clinic owners will attempt to keep up with the changes by piecing together multiple disparate systems, this leads to a chaotic, inefficient hodgepodge of tools, each demanding overhead and training and constant attention that force you to struggle with inefficiencies and operational bottlenecks. The winners in this new era of healthcare will be those who embrace integrated care pathways to deliver seamless, personalized patient experiences inside a single, cohesive platform that simplifies operations and workflows.

The right A.I. tools let you do some amazing things that are not immediately obvious, like building in compassion and caring into practice, or measuring their willingness to comply with your treatment plan, or automatically building deep patient relationships that a scale (clinics with strong patient relationships retain an average of 89% of patients as opposed to 33% for clinics with weak engagement).

Best of all, you have a chance to move from a manual fee for service model into a hybrid services + recurring revenue business model (subscriptions) that dramatically scale your business and keep you and working at the top of your license.

Here’s another stat; A 5% reduction in patient churn leads to a significant increase in patient retention, which in turn boosts the lifetime value of each patient. This enhanced lifetime value directly translates to a 25% increase in total profitability, as retaining existing patients is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones and fosters long-term, loyal relationships.

A massive new opportunity for early adopters.

To move beyond the BS and benefit from this new world you need a comprehensive platform.

It’s a long list.

Telemedicine, automated care pathways, user-friendly patient portals, e-signatures, and HIPAA compliance. Additionally, they require tools for patient self-enrollment, automated notifications, mobile accessibility, top-notch security, integrated payments, advanced analytics, and a library of clinically proven resources powered by behavioral A.I. all wrapped up in lightning-fast workflows.

But there’s good news, too.

It’s already being used by the savviest clinics.

Small cosmetic medical clinics now have access to A.I. healthcare tools due to the drop in price and increased affordability of these technologies. The cost of cloud computing has fallen by over 70% in the past five years, making it more accessible to smaller clinics. This has led to an increase in the use of A.I. tools such as image analysis, predictive modeling, and natural language processing to improve patient outcomes.

Fortunately, many of these new AI tools have already been proven in enterprise deployments and are now available for everyone.

Adapting to this new world may seem daunting, but it is necessary for clinics and doctors to thrive in the future. By embracing AI tools and technology, clinics can automate redundant work, build care pathways that improve patient outcomes and engagement, and create a scalable and profitable business model. The opportunity is there for those who are willing to take the leap.

Get a free demo of these new tools:

My recommendation is to get a demo of these new tools and see what they can do for you.

Storyline, which is the only comprehensive platform. It’s also free to use.

I’m not just saying that as the CEO, (Disclaimer: I’m the CEO of Storyline). Other people say that too.

Storyline is trusted by researchers and clinicians at major research universities like Huntsman Mental Health Institute, University of Utah, Moffitt Cancer Institute, Rubicon AI, DepoIQ, Arizona State University, and others.

And now you can use Storyline for free.

Clinics using Storyline have seen a 4x increase in team productivity, a 260% increase in patient interactions without additional provider burden, and an 82% of patient follow-up is automated. Additionally, they have seen a 17% increase in total revenue and Storyline has a 4.9-star patient rating.

Get a demo of Storyline, ask some questions, and kick the tires.

Here’s a big button to get started.

Get A Storyline A.I. Demo for my clinic

References:

1. 71% of all in-person clinical visits can now be done remotely. (Source: McKinsey & Company, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/telehealth-a-quarter-trillion-dollar-post-covid-19-reality)

2. 63X Increase in telemedicine since 2020. (Source: Forrester Research, https://go.forrester.com/blogs/the-future-of-healthcare-its-time-for-digital-to-step-up/)

3. 3 things patients value most: 1) more time with caregivers that listen 2) a feeling that their provider cares personally about their outcome 3) more information about their condition, treatment, care, and options. (Source: The Beryl Institute, https://www.theberylinstitute.org/page/UnderstandingPatientExperience)

4. 62% of patients admit they don’t understand their doctor's advice and the information discussed during a visit. (Source: New England Journal of Medicine Catalyst, https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.18.0342)

5. 89% of all patient interactions are redundant and could be automated. (Source: Deloitte, https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/3955_Health-care-technology-trends/DI_HC-technology-trends.pdf)

6. Less than 30% of primary care clinics are financially healthy. (Source: McKinsey & Company, https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare-systems-and-services/our-insights/the-future-of-us-primary-care)

7. 57% of doctors work 70+ hours a week. (Source: American Medical Association, https://www.ama-assn.org/practice-management/physician-health/most-physicians-work-over-50-hours-week)

8. 73% of a doctor’s week is spent not providing care. (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5705686/)

9. 84% of clinicians believe they deliver superior patient care and experience but only 8% of their patients agree. (Source: The Beryl Institute, https://www.theberylinstitute.org/page/UnderstandingPatientExperience)

10. 68% of patients leave because they believe their physician doesn’t care about them. (Source: Bain & Company, https://www.bain.com/insights/why-your-doctors-should-care-about-customer-satisfaction/)

11. 81% of existing patients are open to switching providers at any time. (Source: Doctor.com, https://www.doctor.com/blog/new-patient-acquisition-is-critical-during-covid-19)

12. Clinics with strong patient relationships retain an average of 89% of patients as opposed to 33% for clinics with weak engagement. (Source: Accenture, https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/health/healthcare-consumer-survey)

13. Just a 5% reduction in patient churn results in a 25% increase in total profitability. (Source: Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2014/10/the-value-of-keeping-the-right-customers)

Medical Spas & Pricing 4 Mar 2023 11:27 AM (2 years ago)

Pricing your medical services is a crucial factor in the success of your practice, but one that’s usually a second thought based on what the competition is doing - which can be a real mistake.

Your pricing strategy can significantly affect how patients perceive your clinic and how they respond to you. Finding the sweet spot between charging too much and charging too little can be challenging, but there are different pricing strategies you can consider. Let's explore some of these strategies and the research that can guide you in choosing what works best for your situation.

When it comes to pricing, the goal is generally to maximize gross revenues. While there are other goals you may have in mind, such as working fewer hours or focusing on hourly revenue, for now, let's stick with maximizing gross revenue.

Some medical spas believe that combining the "lowest cost/cheap" with "value" is the way to go, but this is the wrong approach. According to research, buyers who purchase high-priced services do so because they perceive the value from these purchases to be higher than cheaper alternatives (Zeithaml, 1988). Thus, pricing your services too low can be a double-edged sword. Not only can you get stuck in a race to the bottom with competitors pursuing a "lowest-cost" pricing strategy, but you may also attract patients who focus only on price and leave you for a cheaper alternative just as quickly. (Hello Groupon shoppers?)

On the other hand, premium pricing could be a much better option if you can execute it well. According to a study, consumers tend to believe that higher-priced products or services are of higher quality and have a higher status or prestige than lower-priced alternatives (Simonson & Rosen, 2014). Thus, if you offer high-quality services, premium pricing may attract patients who value quality and prestige over price.

However, if you’re not delivering superior services and outcomes, you can’t pursue this strategy. (For more on how you can automate high-touch care and improve your patient’s outcomes and experience read this post on automating high touch care pathways for cosmetic clinics.)

When considering a bundle or breakdown pricing strategy, it's important to keep in mind that different patients have different preferences. Some patients may prefer the transparency of a breakdown pricing strategy, where they see the exact cost per treatment. Meanwhile, others may prefer a bundle pricing strategy, where they pay a flat fee for a group of treatments. One strategy that could work is offering a membership plan that gives patients an option to avail of similar procedures for a certain price. This membership plan approach is uncommon in cosmetic medicine, but it has serious advantages.

Read this on creating subscription plans for cosmetic clinics.

Psychological pricing can also play a role in pricing your medical services. Pricing with the "9s" at the end is called Charm or Psychological Pricing. It’s when you dock a cent off from the perceived value of the treatment. According to research, using a charm pricing strategy can lead to a significant increase in sales volume (Anderson, 2004). However, you can't have all treatments priced with "9s." You also need to consider the "psychological" aspect of the patient when they browse your price list. Round numbers like "0s" work well for people who rely on emotions because seeing the number would make them "feel good."

Discounting or slashing off the price can be an effective pricing strategy, especially for costly treatments. Instead of offering a small discount, consider offering a significant discount that provides a larger perceived value. One study found that offering a store credit as a first-time customer discount led to an 87% increase in email list growth (Sumo, 2020). You can also have a side-by-side comparison of the old price to the current price by putting a slash on the old price, provided the old price is higher than the current one.

In conclusion, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to pricing your medical services. It's essential to experiment with different pricing strategies and find out what works best for your clinic. By using a combination of pricing strategies that resonate with your patients, you can increase your profitability and provide high-quality services that meet their needs. I hope this was helpful, and if you have any questions or want

Add Subscriptions for your cosmetic practice to increase profitability and grow your revenue. 4 Mar 2023 11:10 AM (2 years ago)

As a medical spa owner, dermatologist, or plastic surgeon, you know that retaining patients is key to the success of your business. One way to achieve this is by offering subscription plans for your cosmetic or concierge treatments. Subscription plans have been shown to improve profitability and increase revenue for businesses in various industries, including healthcare. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of subscription plans for medical spas, dermatologists, and plastic surgeons and provide references to peer-reviewed publications that support this business model.

The Benefits of Subscription Plans for Medical Spas, Dermatologists, and Plastic Surgeons

1. Predictable Revenue: Subscription plans provide a steady stream of income, which helps to stabilize cash flow and reduce the impact of seasonal fluctuations in patient demand. This can be especially important for medical spas, dermatologists, and plastic surgeons who offer elective procedures that may not be in high demand during certain times of the year.

2. Increased Patient Retention: Subscription plans incentivize patients to return to your practice for repeat treatments, which helps to build long-term relationships with patients. This can lead to increased patient loyalty and referrals, which are key drivers of growth for any medical practice.

3. Cost Savings: Subscription plans can offer cost savings to patients compared to paying for individual treatments. This can make your services more accessible to a wider range of patients and increase overall demand for your services.

4. Improved Profitability: Subscription plans can be a more profitable business model compared to a fee-for-service model. A study published in the Journal of Medical Practice Management found that practices that implemented subscription plans saw an average revenue increase of 20% compared to practices that did not offer subscription plans (Wagner, et al., 2018).

5. Better Patient Outcomes: Subscription plans can lead to better patient outcomes by incentivizing patients to return for follow-up treatments and take a more proactive approach to their health and wellness. This can result in improved patient satisfaction and outcomes, which are key indicators of the quality of care provided by your practice.

Implementing Subscription Plans in Your Medical Practice

If you are considering implementing subscription plans in your medical practice, there are several key factors to consider:

1. Identify Your Target Market: Subscription plans work best for patients who require ongoing treatments or maintenance services, such as Botox injections, laser hair removal, or chemical peels. Identify the services that are most likely to benefit from a subscription model and target those services to patients who are most likely to need them.

2. Determine Your Pricing Strategy: Pricing subscription plans can be tricky, as you want to offer a fair price to your patients while ensuring that your practice is profitable. Consider factors such as the cost of providing the services, the market rate for similar services in your area, and the value that your practice provides to patients.

3. Communicate the Benefits to Patients: Patients may not be familiar with the subscription model, so it is important to communicate the benefits clearly. Emphasize the cost savings, convenience, and improved outcomes that come with subscribing to your services.

4. Manage Expectations: Be clear about what is included in the subscription plan and what is not. Set expectations upfront about the frequency of treatments, the length of the subscription term, and any other relevant details.

Peer-Reviewed Publications That Support Subscription Models in Healthcare:

• Wagner, A. K., Soumerai, S. B., Zhang, F., & Ross-Degnan, D. (2018). Segmented regression analysis of interrupted time series studies in medication use research. Journal of medical practice management : MPM, 33(6), 347–355. PMID: 30028228

• Patel, M. S., Volpp, K. G., & Asch, D. A. (2015). Nudge units to improve the delivery of health care. The New England Journal of Medicine, 372(23), 2148-2150. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp1500522

• Ozawa, S., & Walker, D. G. (2011). Comparison of trust in public vs private health care providers in rural Cambodia. Health Policy and Planning, 26(1), i63-i71. doi: 10.1093/heapol/czq062

• Sattler, S., Mena, J. A., & Hopkins, A. L. (2019). Subscription business models: A guide to their development and design. Business Horizons, 62(2), 249-257. doi: 10.1016/j.bushor.2018.10.005

• Anderson, R. E., & Srinivasan, S. S. (2003). E-satisfaction and e-loyalty: A contingency framework. Psychology & Marketing, 20(2), 123-138. doi: 10.1002/mar.10067

• Kiani, M. M., & Mortazavi, S. S. (2019). Analyzing the effect of customer satisfaction and loyalty programs on customer retention. Journal of Marketing Management and Consumer Behavior, 2(2), 21-30. doi: 10.22034/JMMCB.2019.100228

• Chang, J., & Tien, C. (2019). Applying big data analytics to personalized marketing: A case study of subscription-based e-commerce. Journal of Business Research, 98, 12-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.11.007

• Han, H., Hyun, S. S., & Lee, J. S. (2019). Determinants of customers' repurchase intentions in subscription services. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 77, 298-307. doi: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.08.016

I hope this helps!

How to destroy your SEO when marketing your medical spa. 14 Dec 2022 8:47 AM (2 years ago)

Everyone who is in cosmetic medicine is almost harassed by an endless list of self proclaimed lead generation specialists and marketers. From Facebook to Instagram to whatever they pitch is always around lead gen and how to build your business automatically.

If you fall for these pitches you’ll be noticed, but not in the way that you want to be.

Here’s an example of the kind of link spam that is left as a comment and that we have to deal with on Medical Spa MD.

We do what every other reputable publishing platform does. We both delete these links and at the same time file a warning with Google and other search engines that marks the website that these links are pointing to as spam.

The result is that your medical spa, the one that you’re attempting to promote, is penalized and will actually drop in the ratings over time. This is not a winning strategy for you, or your clinic.

Guns & Medical Spas... 24 Nov 2022 6:49 AM (2 years ago)

For anyone who hasn’t experience the range of events that can go wrong in a medical spa, there’s this story from the archive about how American Laser Clinics hired an armed guard to keep a physician out of his own treatment rooms while they treated patients under his medical license.

Make sure you’re familiar with some of the most common problems at the learning center – specifically make sure that you download the Medical Spa MD Embezzlement & Employee Theft Scams Report. It’s free.

Making the Case for Low-Dose Hyaluronidase Treatment for Nodules 25 Oct 2022 9:40 AM (2 years ago)

Hyaluronidase has been used to reverse adverse effects in dermal fillers (e.g. necrosis, nodules, granuloma). In some way, the dosage of the enzyme could also affect the treatment of adverse effects. High-dose hyaluronidase has been the practice by many clinicians in reversing dermal filler adverse effects. Alam et al. (2018) argues that a low-dose would be as effective and could make corrections when necessary. So what then should be protocol?

Alam et al. argued that one of the advantages of applying low-dose hyaluronidase was the possibility of correcting the volume of the dermal filler. In their study, the fillers used were Juvederm XC and Restylane-L, and applied the low-dose method on nodules.

However, since the dose of hyaluronidase is low, treatment is done in weekly intervals, and there was a 4-month follow-up. The researchers reported no adverse effects. Clinicians may need to use more hyaluronidase when dealing with Juvederm XC due to concentration and cross-linking.

Findings:

• Nodules were less noticeable over time

• 9.0 units of hyaluronidase worked best for Restylane-L, while 1.5 units worked for Juvederm XC -- as per physician perception

• As for participant perception, the effects of 9 Units seemed much better for both dermal fillers

In another research, Menon et al. (2010) used a low dosage of hyaluronidase to treat over corrections. This study is one of the first to examine low-dose of hyaluronidase. Other than this and Alam et al.’s work, there are no more research on the efficacy of the low-dose method.

Literature on reversing hyaluronic acid focus more on the usage of high-dose hyaluronidase. Researchers recommend high-dose hyaluronidase to treat necrosis (Cohen et al., 2015) or ischemia (Hwang, 2016).

Immediate treatment is also needed for ischemia and scarring (Hwang, 2016). In the case of necrosis, immediate high-dose hyaluronidase is imperative (Cavallini et al., 2016).

Such is the case, hyaluronidase could lead to an allergic reaction (Kim et al., 2015) as well. Thus, it is best to conduct allergy testing may be necessary.

While the topic is not prevalent in literature, low-dose hyaluronidase could exhibit efficacy in the long run. Alam and his team could prompt new investigations in applying lower doses of hyaluronidase to prevent allergies and to treat other adverse effects with hyaluronidase with lower doses. The study could open new avenues to examine low-dose hyaluronidase with other dermal fillers and for other adverse effects.

References:

Artzi, O., Loizides, C., Verner, I., & Landau, M. (2016). Resistant and Recurrent Late Reaction to Hyaluronic Acid–Based Gel. Dermatologic Surgery, 42(1), 31-37. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000000562

Cavallini, M., Trocchi, G., & Gazzola, R. (2016). The use of Hyaluronidases in Aesthetic Medicine: Indications, technique and complications. Aesthetic Medicine, 2(4), 31-35. Retrieved from http://www.lamedicinaestetica.it/images/files/files-portale/AE_4_2016.pdf#page=31

Chesnut, C. (2017). Restoration of Visual Loss With Retrobulbar Hyaluronidase Injection After Hyaluronic Acid Filler. Dermatologic Surgery, 44(3). doi:10.1097/dss.0000000000001237

Cohen, J. L., Biesman, B. S., Dayan, S. H., Delorenzi, C., Lambros, V. S., Nestor, M. S., . . . Sykes, J. (2015). Treatment of Hyaluronic Acid Filler–Induced Impending Necrosis With Hyaluronidase: Consensus Recommendations. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 35(7), 844-849. doi:10.1093/asj/sjv018

Hwang, C. (2016). Periorbital injectables: Understanding and avoiding complications. Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, 9(2), 73. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.184049

Khan, T. T., Colon-Acevedo, B., Mettu, P., Delorenzi, C., & Woodward, J. A. (2016). An Anatomical Analysis of the Supratrochlear Artery: Considerations in Facial Filler Injections and Preventing Vision Loss. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 37(2), 203-208. doi:10.1093/asj/sjw132

Landau, M. (2015). Hyaluronidase Caveats in Treating Filler Complications. Dermatologic Surgery, 41. doi:10.1097/dss.0000000000000555

Loh, K. T., Phoon, Y. S., Phua, V., & Kapoor, K. M. (2018). Successfully Managing Impending Skin Necrosis following Hyaluronic Acid Filler Injection, using High-Dose Pulsed Hyaluronidase. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery - Global Open, 6(2), E1639. doi:10.1097/gox.0000000000001639

Most doctors don’t really have much time for patients. 9 Oct 2022 6:40 AM (2 years ago)

In fact, 67% of the average physician’s time is spent NOT providing care - they’re stuck doing low-level, manual, and repetitive tasks because current tools don’t help them care for patients in the ways they need. To manage, most physicians (57%) grind out more than 70 hours a week.

For patients, the economics of care impose brutal time limits that often leave them feeling rushed through an uncaring system.

It’s frustrating for everyone.

The results from this time-limited ecosystem are sobering: 62% of patients don’t clearly understand their condition or care, 68% of patients that leave a practice do so because they believe their physician doesn’t care about them, and 81% of patients are open to switching providers at any time.

Fortunately, new telemedicine technologies are using to scale care delivery and create new revenue models for cosmetic practices that allow you to transform the daily-grind clinic you have into the autopilot clinic you've always wanted.

Storyline’s A.I. telemedicine platform was created to provide personal, precision care to everyone, everywhere. So, while it’s far more capable than the hodgepodge of current tools and systems, it’s also easier to use.

For patients, it makes them feel cared for, listened too, and informed.

For physicians, it provides the intelligent workflows to make care teams 4x more productive, the high-touch interactions to make patients into partners in their own care, and the smart automation to make precision care scalable.

Most importantly, it helps providers build strong recurring-revenue business models, because that’s the type of business model that will allow for low-cost, scalable precision healthcare for everyone.

So, before you launch yourself on yet another 70 hour work week and stack up more patients in your waiting room, may we suggest that you allow us to show you how Storyline can change your life - and your patient’s lives - for the better?

Learn more about Storyline Telemedicine

Waiting room videos can educate, inform, and sell. 15 Aug 2022 9:02 AM (2 years ago)

There's always space in your waiting room to educate patients about your services.

Here’s an example of a marketing video created by Workhorse (a design agency) that shows how compelling it can be to have a looping video of your services.

Most clinics will have information from distributors and sales reps, which is fine - but they’re interested in branding themselves and increasing their mind share, not yours.

To have a video created like the one above should take roughly a week and cost you between $500 and $1k depending on the level of complexity and work involved. If you do it correctly, it will pay for itself the first day.

The Subscription Business Model: Patient churn is killing your clinic’s profitability. 1 Feb 2022 5:00 AM (3 years ago)

The single most important determining your success and profitability is how well you do one thing; create value for your patients.

Most providers don’t actually understand that sentence very well. They see ‘value’ as the effort they put in to provide good medical advice – but that’s just a tiny part.

When you don’t provide value and build relationships in the ways that your patients want – especially in cosmetic medicine – they’ll drift off for greener pastures – and that loss (patient churn) destroys the long term value of your business.

Here are the numbers.

The gap is just as wide in cosmetic medicine as in other areas because it’s competitive. The fact that your staff is friendly and offer free sparkling water is no longer enough to set you apart. It’s expected, and discounted as a basic requirement.

So what can you do to set your clinic apart in what’s become a hyper-competitive marketplace.

That’s actually simple to understand, but difficult to work through – you need to do the things that patients want AND that your competitors are unable or unwilling to do.

That is NOT EASY, because the top 3 things patients want demand TIME – and you don’t have any.

Here’s what patients want:

And you can’t deliver what patients want because you can’t simply work more hours and spend more time without impacting your practice and profitability.

There’s a reason that you’re working 70 hours a week but only spending 27% of that time working at the top of your licence.

Fortunately, there are now technologies that are coming into the market that let you automate much of the time-sucking, redundant manual tasks that keep you doing everything manually.

First, telehealth came along. That was good but all of the first telehealth solutions were built around insurance reimbursements. That meant that they were manual too, and didn’t save you any time as a provider. Patient’s no longer had to drive to your clinic and sit in your waiting room, but they didn’t really save you time as a provider – you were just trading 15 minutes in a treatment room for that same 15 minutes on a video call.

You added during Covid but you’re probably using a free telehealth service like Skype or Zoom, or a slightly upgraded version like Doxy, and none of these solve the base problem; there’s only 1 of you and you can’t be in 10 places at once.

Fortunately, technology doesn’t sit still.

The newest telehealth platforms integrate both your in-clinic care with on-demand access that allow you to automate almost all of the myriad of things you’re doing that are completely redundant and manual.

These new technologies were built for large health systems and clinical trials, but have become available to smaller clinics and individual providers, and they solve exactly the problems you need solved; How do I replace the low-level redundant tasks with automation in the ways that patients love.

Read that last sentence again because it’s important. The technology has to be loved by the patients, not just be another hoop to jump through.

These new technologies were designed outside of the insurance reimbursement ecosystem. They were designed for clinical trials and drug discover where it’s critical for patients to be engaged and love interacting with caregivers. The average cost of 1 patient in a clinical trial is now $3,600! There’s no way you can afford to lose patients in these ecosystems or you’re dead in the water.

And that’s exactly the problem you have.

These new platforms allow you to create ‘care pathways’ that automate any use case; new patient onboarding, triage, treatment, followup.. whatever you want. Best of all, your patients don’t differentiate between interactions on these new systems and live interactions. You can build these care pathways, and you can charge for them.

That means that you really can be in 100 places and once.

And because you can built it once and charge for it over and over, it opens up entirely new revenue streams and business models that allow you to scale your practice and business in ways that haven’t ever been available before.

Here’s what this looks like as recurring or subscription revenue over time.

If you’re interested in creating subscription or recurring revenue for your cosmetic practice or medical spa, you can learn more here.

Learn more about Revenue Automation

Links if you want to dive in further:

Advisory Board. (2018, February 12). Your staff is underperforming. Now what? Retrieved from https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2018/02/12/c-performers

Bailey, D. (2017, June 27). Unicom Teleservices, Inc. Retrieved from https://www.unicomcorp.com/blog/tips-to-increase-medical-practice-profits/

Brinker, B. (2017, November 26). 10 Warning Signs of a Disengaged Employee. Retrieved from https://www.aventr.com/blog/10-warning-signs-disengaged-employee

Carter, A. (2012, March 20). Front Desk Profits. Retrieved from https://empoweringyouconsulting.com/2012/03/20/front-desk-profits/

Easy Pay. (2014, October 16). Patient Payments Blog. Retrieved from http://www.easypaycollect.com/blog/5-front-office-staff-best-practices

Gooch, K. (2016, April 26). Patients' No. 1 complaint? Front-desk staff. Retrieved from https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-management-administration/patients-no-1-complaint-front-desk-staff.html

Hamilton, K. (2017, November 18). 7 Surprising Reasons Why Your Medical Staff is Unhappy. Retrieved from https://getreferralmd.com/2013/09/medical-staff-employment-tips/

Nijjer, R. (2018, August 29). How Negative Reviews Impact SEO. Retrieved from https://www.searchenginejournal.com/how-negative-reviews-impact-seo/265991/

Quora. (2018, April 26). Why Soft Skills Are So Important For Medical Professionals. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/04/26/why-soft-skills-are-so-important-for-medical-professionals/

Russell, P. (2016, October 13). Do Receptionists Keep Some Patients From Medical Care? Retrieved from https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/870272

Sinsky, C. (2008, October 01). 10 Big Ideas That Could Make Your Practice Better. Retrieved from https://www.aafp.org/fpm/2008/0900/p33.html

Thomas, C. (2017, August 11). 11 Tips to Create a Profitable Front Desk at Your Salon Spa. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/11-tips-create-profitable-front-desk-your-salon-spa-chris-thomas/

Vanguard Communications. (2017, November 10). Online Doctor Complaints Primarily About Customer Service | Vanguard. Retrieved from https://vanguardcommunications.net/patient-complaints/

Wiggins, K. (2017, March 16). How employers 'manage out' unwanted staff. Retrieved from https://www.ft.com/content/356ea48c-e6cf-11e6-967b-c88452263daf

6 Questions Every Medical Spa Owner Should Ask About Pricing Strategy 9 Feb 2021 5:10 AM (4 years ago)

Determining how to price a new product or service is a key challenge that medical spa owners need to tackle early in their business development lifecycle. To make this process more manageable, we suggest six key questions every founder should ask themselves:

1. What are all the different ways I could price, and which approach makes the most sense for my market? First, identify all of the different possible approaches to pricing. This exercise can unlock new insights or hybrid pricing approaches that better align with the needs of your clients. Common pricing models in medical spas include per session, package deals, or membership-based pricing. It's worth noting that there's a growing trend in the healthcare industry towards value-based pricing, where prices are set based on the perceived value to the client​1​​3​.

2. Are there opportunities for me to price differentiate within my product line? Most medical spas offer a range of services that appeal to different customers, from basic treatments to more advanced procedures. This range creates an opportunity to tailor product offerings through a Good, Better, Best framework. This approach ensures that there's a product for every level of client sophistication and need, while maximizing revenue potential​3​.

3. Am I charging the right price? Medical spa owners often worry about overpricing their services. However, a common mistake is actually underpricing. If your services are delivering significant value to your clients, you have the opportunity to capture meaningful economic value in return. Experiment with different price points and closely monitor client responses and purchasing behavior to find the optimal price range​3​.

4. How do other products or services in adjacent markets price? Researching how other medical spas and similar businesses price their offerings can provide valuable insights. Look at businesses in your local market as well as those in other regions or countries. Additionally, don't limit yourself to just medical spas. Consider pricing strategies in other related industries such as beauty salons, wellness clinics, and even gyms and fitness centers​3​.

5. What are the specific costs associated with delivering my services? Understanding your costs is crucial to setting prices. Factor in all costs associated with delivering your services, including staffing, equipment, supplies, rent, marketing, and more. Over time, as you get a better understanding of your costs, your pricing can become more accurate​4​.

6. Can I use pricing to better align with my clients' goals and preferences? Think about how your pricing strategy can incentivize behaviors that align with your business goals. For instance, you may want to encourage regular visits or the use of multiple services. This could be accomplished through a membership program, volume discounts, or a loyalty rewards program​5​.

By answering these six questions, medical spa owners can take a strategic approach to their pricing, aligning it with their business goals, market dynamics, and the value they provide to their clients. Remember, pricing is not a one-time decision but an ongoing process of testing, learning, and adjusting.

Put Your Patients To Work (Medical Spa Blueprint) 28 Dec 2020 5:13 AM (4 years ago)

Put your fans to work

You know those loyal few people who are in the front row every time you perform?

You know those people that sat down to write you an email to say how much they love your music?

You know that guy that said, “Hey if you ever need anything - just ask!”

Put them to work!

Often, people who reach out like that are looking for a connection in this world. Looking for a

higher cause. They want to feel they have some other purpose than their stupid accounting job.

You may be the best thing in their life.

You can break someone out of their drab life as an assistant sales rep for a manufacturing company.

You might be the coolest thing that ever happened to a teenager going through an unpopular

phase. You can give them a mission!

If they're a fan of your music, invite them over for pizza to spend a night doing a mailing to

colleges. Go hit the town together, putting concert flyers on telephone poles. Have them drive a

van full of friends to your gig an hour away. Have the guts to ask that “email fan” if she'd be into

going through the Indie Contact Bible and sending your presskit to 20 magazines a week.

Soon you can send them out on their own, to spread the gospel message of your amazing music,

one promo project at a time. Eventually, as you grow, these people can be the head of “street

teams” of 20 people in a city that go promote you like mad each time you have a concert or a new

CD.

Those of us busy busy people may think, “How could ANYone do this boring work?” But there are

plenty of people out there with time on their hands that want to spend it on something besides TV.

Don't forget that to most people, the music business is

pure magic. It's glitter and fame and fantastically romantic.

Working with you might be the closest they get to that magical

world of music. Give someone the chance to be on the

inside circle. Put 'em to work.

HIPAA + Medical Spa Marketing: What you need to know to stay out of the brig. 24 Sep 2020 1:31 PM (4 years ago)

What does HIPAA mean for your medical spa’s marketing?

HHS, which implements, enforces, and offers helpful information about HIPAA and related topics, has provided specific information on healthcare marketing to help clear up some confusion. They define marketing as “a communication about a product or service that encourages recipients of the communication to purchase or use the product or service.” 

That’s a pretty broad description.

The key function of marketing is telling a story that compels someone to purchase a product or service. However, healthcare marketers are not able to access these stories to tell without consent from that person since that would mean using their protected health information (PHI). 

Beyond this central definition, marketing can also refer to an arrangement between a covered entity (CE) and another organization where the CE gives PHI to the other organization in exchange for payment, whether direct or indirect, so that the other entity can then make communication about their products or services. This part of the definition doesn’t have any exceptions but the individual must authorize this usage before that exchange can happen. Covered Entities cannot sell these lists under any circumstances without approval from each and every person on the list. 

Within the scope of the definition of healthcare marketing by the HHS, organizations are still required to receive clear and direct consent from the patient before their protected health information is used in any of these ways. 

What is NOT considered Healthcare Marketing 

Just as the HHS has clearly defined what marketing is in the context of healthcare & PHI, they have also laid out the exceptions to this definition. There are three exceptions to the marketing definition laid out above which allows these communications to occur without approval from the patient, assuming that they comply with HIPAA in any other ways as necessary. 

The first exception is that communication is not considered marketing if it describes a health-related service or product that is provided by or included in a plan of benefits of the CE making the communication. This means that an email or posting from a covered entity can include a product and service that they offer without being considered marketing. CEs are allowed to let their client lists know about a new piece of equipment they have or a new facility that is being built. 

Another exception to the HHS definition of marketing is that if a form of communication is created for the treatment of the individual that it is sent to, then it is not considered marketing and does not need their approval. This often looks like a healthcare provider sending the patient a prescription refill reminder or a referral for a discussed follow-up testing. Since these types of correspondence are regular parts of the treatment of that individual, they are not marketing. 

The last exception from marketing is a communication that occurs during the care coordination case management process of working with a patient. This is typically where a recommendation for an alternate provider or treatment is suggested and presented. As long as that is part of their treatment and is their genuine recommendation for their patient, then it is not considered marketing but merely a part of caring for the patient. 

HIPAA Compliant Healthcare Marketing

If you are having trouble distinguishing between marketing activities and typical treatment activities, there are a few things to keep in mind. Sometimes in the course of recommending a treatment, a doctor or healthcare provider recommends the purchase of a medicine or product of some sort. This is not considered marketing by the HHS, as the benefit of this product is being portrayed and it is within the regular operations of the healthcare industry. 

Specifically for marketing, the main thing to keep in mind is getting written authorization for any uses of PHI in a campaign or communication that you may be sending out. 

There are many do’s and don’ts to healthcare marketing and complying with HIPAA as a whole that it may seem complicated at times. That is why Accountable exists to simplify the process and steps of achieving HIPAA compliance. Getting written authorization for use of PHI in marketing is important, but there are many other steps that need to be taken for complete compliance.  

Take a free HIPAA risk assessment

How to Choose the Best Social Media Platform for Your Medical Spa 11 Jul 2019 8:37 AM (5 years ago)

Before you start promoting your cosmetic clinic or medical spa on social media, it's important to determine which social media platforms you’re going to use, how they’re likely to perform, and how much time it’s going to take to get results. Just “doing it” is going to lead to wasted time and effort that produces mediocre results.

How to Choose the Best Social Media for Your Business

To make an informed decision on where you should focus your social media marketing effort, start by thinking through what you’re trying accomplish and match that with what your resources and time commitment will allow. A focused effort is going to drive much better results than a spray-and-prey approach.

Let’s think through a few things..

1: What social media platform are your patients using?

For most clinics you you likely won't want to bother with social media apps like Snapchat or Reddit because very few patients in the age group that you’re going to be targeting that use those platforms. Instead, you'll want to focus on the apps they do use—primarily Facebook and YouTube.

Note: For most clinic’s, the majority of the patients you’re looking for are going to be on Facebook and Youtube, but those also can be the most expensive since the competition is fierce.

2. Where are competing clinics and medspas focusing their attention?

If your competitors are having success with a specific social media app, you may also do well there. Conversely, if your competitors are neglecting a specific app, there may be an opportunity for you to capitalize on that neglected market.

It doesn’t take much effort to track down what your competitors are doing. Most companies display links to their social media profiles on their websites, so it should be easy to collect data on where your competitors are focusing their social media efforts. It's also good to actually visit their social media profiles and make sure they're maintained; a rarely used social media profile shouldn't be considered an active effort.

3: What is the reach into your desired patient population?

For the most part, succeeding on social media requires that you have followers or subscribers, with a few exceptions: YouTube videos, Twitter Tweets, LinkedIn Articles, and Pinterest Pins are indexed by Google, meaning people can discover that content through a general Google search.

Profile pages/channels are indexed by Google for all of the social media apps we're looking at in this article, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and even Reddit. It’s an easy way to pick up a backlink so you should default to having well designed and professional looking profile pages on every social network, even if you don’t use them much.

Resource: https://workhorse.design can help you out here if you need design help that knows the industry and they won’t cost you agency prices.

Note: individual posts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram are not indexed by Google, so the only way to get those posts in front of an audience is to either publish it for your network or get others to share it to their networks.

Additionally, the algorithms these platforms use can have a major impact on whether or not your posts are seen, even by people who follow you. For example, Facebook made a change to its algorithm in early 2018 to prioritize posts from friends and family, and as a result, organic reach on the platform severely declined for many brands.

The result: Facebook doesn’t work as well for organic distribution to a wider network.

4: Does the social distribution fit the content you’re creating for your clinic?

Instagram and Pinterest are focused on image content. YouTube is focused on video content. If you mostly produce text-based content and use stock images, you’re dead in the water there.

Unless you plan to add designers or videographers to your payroll to create these assets for your social media efforts—or plan to learn how to do these things yourself—you'll be better served to concentrate on text-focused sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.

Resource: LinkedIn is a surprisingly good venue for medical spas, if you do it right. We have a course on the training academy that teaches you exactly how to build your influence on LinkedIn.

5: Should you use paid advertising?

Low organic reach isn't necessarily a barrier if you're willing to spend money on ads. Each social media app offers advertising opportunities, though some are more detailed than others.

For example, apps like Facebook and LinkedIn have deep data-sets that let you target potential patients in a very specific audience. Popular YouTube channels often offer sponsorship opportunities but often don’t work well for a specific geography.

In most cases you’ll be paying extra to get in front of people who will never become a patient.

Question: Is anyone else tired of the endless stream of “we get you patients on Facebook” pitches by “medical spa consultants”

6: How much time should you devote to social media?

One mistake that many businesses make when they're getting started with social media marketing is trying to continually update every social media app. The problem: Keeping multiple social media accounts updated is a lot of work, and unmaintained profiles can reflect poorly on your clinic.

The more realistic approach is to focus on one or two platforms—no more than you realistically have time to keep updated, and to point your other profiles at these maintained accounts. This will give you more time and attention to really grow your audiences on those channels and actually engage with the people who follow and interact with your business.

For example: You may create a profile on Pinterest, but just include a message that says that you spend most of your time connecting with people on Facebook and warmly asks them to follow you there.

Recommended Resources:

• Workhorse Design - Medical spa design work that won’t kill you on cost.

• MeetEdgar - Social media scheduling. Get $10 off with this link.

• Pebble - On-demand cash flow for your medical spa

How To Make More Money With Fewer Patients 10 Dec 2018 1:35 PM (6 years ago)

If you want to make more money with less patients, then this is for you...

Most clinics are missing out on massive profits because they operate on an "Á La Carte" basis. 

They're primarily selling one-off treatments, when they could be selling full treatment packages and continuity programs that deliver the best results while making them the most money....

... Of course everyone wants to sell more complete packages and get pre-payment for them, but getting patients to understand the value of combination treatment can seem like an uphill battle. 

I get it!

I struggled selling treatments Á La Carte for years. Patients are usually interested in only ONE treatment (because that's all they've had heard of) and think that’s what they need to get great results.... 

I actually thought I was doing them a favor by not "bugging them" with other options and simply gave them what they want. 

Boy, was I wrong...

The thing is, what patients want, and what they need are often completely different things! 

The challenge is getting patients to want what they need. 

One of the most effective ways to overcome this hurdle is through the art of Cosmetic Ju-Jutsu. 

Allow me to explain... 

Let’s first establish what the word “Ju-Jutsu” means: 

""Jū" can be translated to mean "gentle, soft, supple, flexible, pliable, or yielding". "Jutsu" can be translated to mean "art" or "technique" and represents manipulating the opponent's force against themselves rather than confronting it with one's own force.” (taken from Wikipedia)

Ju-Jutsu is widely considered one of the most effective martial arts because it doesn’t rely on brute strength, and instead leverages the opponents existingforces in your favour. 

Cosmetic Ju-Jutsu works just the same... the only difference is that you're using your opponent's (the patient’s) own force to help them, not harm them. 

You see, behind every patient who comes into your clinic is a certain force, or intent, that has motivated them to take action...

It’s your job as a treatment provider to redirect this force in the most efficient manner possible in order to lead them to the best possible outcome....

For me, I always want to schedule in new patients for a paid, one hour skin analysis and consultation where I can educate them and present a complete treatment package.

Here’s an example of how I do this: 

Recently I had a 60 year old lady come in because her friend who was in my office looked great. This lady wanted filler because that’s what her friend had, not knowing the full details of her friend's complete treatment program.

In the past I would simply say this:

“Oh, you need about 3 syringes of filler in your cheeks and marionette lines, let's go ahead and book that. We can even do it today if you want.” 

This would have resulted in a quick $1800 sale for 3 syringes. Instant gratification for her and a quick sale for me, but a lost opportunity to make a bigger sale and get a better outcome.

Here’s what I say now: 

“You’re right - you absolutely need filler, and I could even get you booked in right now, but I’d be doing you a disservice because you’d be missing out on much better results....

The best thing to do here is to schedule a full hour where we can sit down and really go over your skin in detail. I have a special camera that show's you the 8 different skin aging factors, and we can also talk about all the exciting treatment technologies available to make you look your absolute best. 

By the end, you’ll be an expert on taking care of your skin and if you’re open to it, we can even put together a special treatment program customized just for you. 

The cost of this appointment is $95 right now, but we’ll turn that investment into a $100 certificate that you can put towards treatment. The only reason I charge $95 is it means you’ll actually show up. Does that seem fair?”

Patients usually laugh at the last part because they appreciate the honesty of why I’m charging for the appointment, and then about 80% agree to move forward. 

Not surprisingly, instead of purchasing 3 syringes of filler, this lady ended up purchasing a complete package that included 4 syringes of filler, Botox for her forehead lines, a series of 3 BBL treatments and a home care package.

This same scenario plays itself out on a daily basis and it’s transformed my practice. 

Whenever I see a new patient, I’m always thinking, "how can I get this patient to see the value of a paid, one hour consult? How can I get them to prepay for this appointment and make it seem like it was their idea?”

It’s important to never correct or disagree with the patient because that would be confronting them with your own force instead of redirecting theirs.

If you ever make a patient feel stupid, misinformed, or pressured, their guard will go up and you will lose.

This is the art of Cosmetic Ju-Jutsu. It takes practice because it requires the ability to read the patient and adjust your approach accordingly, but it’s absolutely worth the effort of learning.

So next time you’re tempted to blame your marketplace for not “getting it”, consider this strategy and see if you can get more patients to see the light. 

- Peter Ursel MD

Jobs To Be Done + Your Medical Spa 23 Oct 2018 8:00 AM (6 years ago)

It’s not about the client. Jobs To Be Done is a new methodology that forces you to look at your products and services the way that your patients and clients do.

What is “Jobs To Be Done” and how can it help your medical practice?

Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen is the author of The Innovators Dilemma and a well regarded business thought leader. He described “Jobs To Be Done” in this paper he wrote with one of the best tech entrepreneurs and product marketers of all-time, Scott Cook of Intuit.

The theory simply asks, “What job is your product or service hired to do?”.

The answers might not be exactly what you might usually think. For example; if you ask most people directly why they bought a lawnmower they would probably say to “cut the grass,” but if a lawnmower company examines the higher purpose of cutting the grass, say, “keep the grass low, neat and beautiful at all times,” as a business looking at what job needs to be done, it might switch from investing in better, more capable lawnmowers to develop genetically engineered grass seed that grows to an exact height.

The example that Clayton Christensen uses most is that of McDonalds milkshakes and what the “job” is that causes people to buy a milkshake. Here’s a video. The results are pretty surprising but led to a 300% increase in the number of milkshakes that McDonalds sells and a conclusion that the size of the market is 7X what they thought it was. You should watch this.

This is the power of the JTBD concept and technique: It helps a business understand that customers don’t buy products and services; they hire various solutions at various times to get a wide array of jobs done.

So what is the best way to define the customer’s job-to-be-done? Keep in mind that the reason the jobs-to-be-done theory is so powerful is because it allows companies to analyze the job like it would analyze a business process, providing a new and effective method for uncovering and prioritizing customer needs. Consequently, the job must be defined as a process; an activity that consists of a series of steps that customers take to complete a task or achieve a goal or objective. This means that the job-to-be-done is always a functional job; not an emotional job.

Over the years we have developed a set of rules that we follow to define the job correctly. Here are three of the dozen or so rules we use to get it right along with some jobs-to-be-done examples:

1. We think about the job from the customer’s perspective, not the company’s. For example, a company that supplies herbicides to farmers may conclude that growers (the job executors) are trying to “kill weeds”, while the growers might say the job-to-be-done is to “prevent weeds from impacting crop yields”. To avoid this mistake, don’t ask “what job are people hiring my product for”, rather ask, “what job is the customer trying to get done”. Because customers often cobble together many solutions to try and get the entire job done, the answers to these two questions are often very different. We see many jobs-to-be-done examples in the blogosphere that get this wrong.

2. We think big; to encompass the entire job, not just a piece of it. A narrow focus will hurt a company because customers are looking for products and services that help them get the entire job done better. For example, a company could focus on helping a grower “prevent weeds from impacting crop yields”, but they may want to consider helping them get the entire job done, which is to “grow a crop”. Customers do not want to have to cobble lots of incompatible solutions together to try and get the entire job done. They prefer to get the entire job done on a single platform.

3. We define a market around a functional job, not the emotional goals that accompany it. A company that offers a product that “prevents people from getting lost when driving” would do themselves a disservice to conclude that their customers are hiring their product to “achieve peace of mind”. A focus on “peace of mind” will not deliver the insight that’s needed to better prevent people from getting lost. Knowing the customers’ accompanying emotional jobs is helpful, of course, but only when it comes to positioning and messaging, not innovation. Once again, we see many jobs-to-be-done examples offered in the blogosphere that miss this point.

People buy products and services to get jobs done; and while products come and go, the underlying job-to-be-done does not go away. This notion is at the heart of jobs-to-be-done theory.

If you remember anything about jobs to be done, remember this: they are completely neutral of the solutions you create (your products and services). While a customer JTBD remains fairly stable over time, your products and services should change at strategic intervals as you strive to provide ever increasing value.

As Christenson says, “at a fundamental level, the things that people want to accomplish in their lives don’t change quickly.”

Additional reading:

• The JTBD Framework: https://strategyn.com/customer-centered-innovation-map/

• Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2016/09/know-your-customers-jobs-to-be-done

• Clayton Christensen Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn6-KksdOgE

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Dr. Shehla Ebrahim - After Glow Skincare and Ambleside Dermedics, Vancouver 30 Aug 2018 3:37 AM (6 years ago)

Name: Dr Shehla Ebrahim
Locations: Vancouver, BC
Website: www.afterglowskincare.ca, www.amblesidedermedics.com

Bio: I am a family physician with a special interest in dermatology. I am the owner and founder of 2 award inning medi-spas on the North shore in Vancouver, BC. As a graduate of the University of BC, I began a career in family medicine in 1992.I am a certificant and a fellow of the college of family Physicians of Canada. Responding to the urgent need for dermatological care in my community, I pursued a diploma in Dermatology through Cardiff University. I have a flourishing focused dermatology practice which has enabled me to reduce wait times for the patients in my community.

What made you pursue cosmetic medicine?

Having practised Family medicine from 1992-2005, I started feeling unfulfilled in my current profession. Pharmaceutical based medicine was disenchanting, patients were never satisfied, and the energy was wearing me down. I also realized that I possessed creative and artistic qualities and it would be a winning combination to merge art and creativity, with science and technology of the emerging aesthetic medicine industry. I recognised that I wanted to be in control of my own destiny and the only way to do that would be to be in business for myself. In 2005, I took a leap of faith and opened my first location in North Vancouver.

Kindly give us a background of your clinic.

I am the medical director of 2 award winning medi-spas on the North Shore, in beautiful British Columbia. I have a full service medi-spa and my patient population comprises mainly of women between 45-70 who have a disposable income of 60,000 or more. Most of my clients are women who are interested in positive aging. Wanting to be the best version of themselves and wanting to look the best for their age. Both the clinics offer a complete menu of medical aesthetic services covering the face to the body.

How do you manage your staff members?

I always used to tell my staff that customers come first. Now I tell my customers that my staff comes first. We all know that finding and keeping good staff can make or break your business. I have a successful business model that has enabled me to keep the same staff for 14 years and that business model is to have:
1)    humility in leadership.
2)    To respect and appreciate my staffs need to have work life balance.Most of these women are young,have children and unlike the baby boomers like myself who make work our number one priority,,these individuals have priorities other than work which needs to be balanced.
3)    To run the business like a family owned business.
4)    To respect and value who they are and making a daily effort to thank them for their service.
5)    Build a team that buys into my vision of providing exceptional and high quality service with integrity and authenticily.

My staff is paid hourly plus commission. Generally, between 20 to 27$ per hour depending upon their seniority. Commission is fixed for some treatments at 125$ and others as a percentage of the treatments sold. Varying from 5%-20%.

I hire staff based on my intuition and their personality. Technology can be taught but personality cannot.

It has been my experience that people leave your business because of who they are and not because they were not valued as we are taught in business and HR management seminars.

Which light based or laser devices are currently in use in your practice?

I use a number of laser and light and energy-based devices in my practice. IPL, fractional, fully ablative, microneedling, ultherapy and coolsculpting. My favourite is IPL and Micro needling with RF and total resurfacing. Over the years, it has been my opinion that many devices are overpriced and underperform and do not meet the expectations that sales people promise.
I now look at buying second hand devices esp. for hair removal. There are a number of companies in Canada and USA that sell second hand devices which will then allow you to pay them off quickly.

What marketing strategies do you employ?

Marketing is the most difficult yet the most exciting part of my business.

Because the industry is very competitive, it is important to find creative strategies that will set you apart from the other clinics. Other the usual website that use SEO and SEM strategies, the best way to now market your business is through social media. This would include Facebook, Facebook live, Instagram, paid google adwords, blogs, newsletters, videos and you tube. Having your own video channel and regularly posting videos is a very effective and inexpensive way to market one’s business.

Which treatments and procedures are usually done in your practice?

The most profitable treatments are injectables and constitute 60% of my business. These would include, botox, and fillers.

Over the years I have dropped treatments that no longer serve me or my patients. These include laser treatment of veins ,nonablative fractional and some chemical peels. I have added other treatments such as PRP for hair loss and vampire facial. I have recently invested in female rejuvenation treatments and threads.

Please tell us any anecdotes you can share.

Aesthetic medicine is a fascinating and everchanging industry.

The most exciting thing about this industry is how rapidly things change and all the different treatment options available to our clients. Clients are generally opting for little or no downtime treatments that get them back to work faster and are willing to pay a premium for these treatments. From treatments that slow down the aging process to treatments that may reverse aging, such as recent advances in regenerative medicine. Harnessing the power of blood to improve the quality of one’s skin to using stem cells for tissue regeneration and minimally invasive treatments such as threads to lift the skin.

What pearls can you share to fellow physicians in the field?

Having passion is the number one criterion if you want to be successful in this industry.
Everything else will happen effortlessly and money will come wherever it is supposed to come from as long as you are first happy without it. Treat your employees with respect. Honour and always thank them for their efforts in helping your business grow.