The Medical Esthetician Training Manual & Study Guide, and the Advanced IPL & Laser Training for Non-physicians is part of your staffs, and your clinics, success.
Written by Paula DiMarco Young RN, leading cosmetic practices use these manuanls to train every new hire on what cosmetic procedures are offered, how they work, and what alternatives there are. These training manuals are a must have for any serious cosmetic clinic.
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From Medical Spa MD Physician Report Volume 1
The majority of physicians responding to the survey have more than 7 years of experience practicing cosmetic medicine.
For purposes of our survey, it is positive to see that just over 60% of our respondents have been practicing cosmetic medicine for more than 7 years.
This skew towards more experienced physicians may be due to concerns by younger, newer, or more inexperienced physicians that they may be helping a competitor in some way. We expect that this result will flatten as more physicians take part in the survey.
Become a Member to receive the Medical Spa MD Physician Report. You can find the report and more freebies here.
Want to contribute to the next report? Learn more >
Have thoughts on this graph? Leave a comment and let's hug it out.
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From the Medical Spa MD Physician Report Volume 1According to the respondents to the first Medical Spa MD Physician Report, the largest number of medical spas is making somewhere between $25k and $100k per month.
Another positive note regarding our sample population; there is a nice variety of business sizes, again offering a wide range of perspectives with the highest percentage of the group falling between $10,000 and $100,000 in revenues per month. This, along with the clinic size (next question) appears to indicate that most of the clinics surveyed are operating with a single physician.
What's also interesting is that we have some very large clinics responding with 6% indicating that they're grossing more than half a million dollars a month. These clinics are probably the same ones that have a staff size of 20+.
Become a Member to receive the Medical Spa MD Physician Report. You can find the report and more freebies here.
Want to contribute to the next report? Learn more >
Have thoughts on this graph? Leave a comment and let's hug it out.
]]>I've never had any real contact with THE Aesthetic Show or THE Aesthetic Report (both are owned by Medical Insight Inc.) but this is quite obviously theft of content from our site and presumably others as well since NONE of the articles in the email were written by them. They were all taken from someone else.
To add insult to injury, these guys post the content that they steal as '© 2012 Medical Insight, Inc. | All rights reserved'. Nice.
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Look, these guys are stealing content from others in order to entice you to sign up to their email list. They don't add any value or offer anything in exchange. They don't ask. They just steal it and then they put a link back to to the original content right at the end with a sucky little 'here' link. It's sleazy. It's plagiarism. It's illegal. AND it's insulting.
In this one email, they've also posted entire stories from: The [UK] Telegraph, New Life Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, and Marketwatch. I don't now about New Life but I can clearly see that both the [UK] Telegraph and Marketwatch explicitly forbid copying entire articles in their terms, as do we. (I'm going to have one of our staff go back and contact all of the original article sources to see if they've ever given permission for their content to be hijacked.)
What would have been acceptable is if they would have asked nicely first, or just posted a single paragraph with a keyword link wich is certainly acceptable, but of course they didn't do that because they want everyone to think that they have permission and that this is their content.
Of course THE Aesthetic Report is doing this so that they can send out their marketing emails under the guise of actually offering something of value. Too bad that they had to steal it rather than just ask.
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By Mickey A. Couvertier, CBET, CLRT
Starting or expanding a private medical or cosmetic practice can be a complicated experience. Location is of the utmost importance, followed by branding, and marketing. Staffing, clinical needs, pricing, advertising- all of these things can be an added headache to the whole process… not to mention acquiring quality equipment, and the follow up service.
While all the other parameters mentioned can be worked, and reworked, the one aspect that can make or break your entire practice is purchasing and servicing used medical lasers. There are hundreds of wholesalers, distributors, and other second source vendors offering as wide a variety of aftermarket options as there are options for new equipment, and even more. OEM’s are also in the market, and while basic supply and demand dictates that so many options should be a benefit to the consumer, the process of choosing which devices to purchase is amongst the most discussed, asked about, debated, and argued about amongst clinicians, salesmen, and repair companies alike. I have written this short guide with the hopes of assisting anyone in the market for a used medical laser in making the right decision.
One of the first things to consider when making a decision to purchase a laser is what, exactly, are your clinical needs. You should have a comprehensive list of possibilities. For some of you, this may just be one sheet of paper with two lines. Something like “hair removal,” and “non-ablative skin rejuvenation.” For others, this question may fill a couple of pages. In any case, you should consider your location, your customer base, your competition, your space and power requirements (more on this later), licenses held by your aestheticians, local and state laws (which determine who can perform what and with what device), staffing requirements, and anything else I may have missed.One thing to remember- and I may get a lot of flak for this from this- IPL/BBL is NOT LASER! Though many of you love your IPL/BBL’s, they are NOT the equivalent of the technically superior true lasers. IPL, or Intense Pulsed Light, usually refers to a device where the treatment medium is the diode or flash lamp with the light slightly collimated through a non-radiating crystal. BBL, or Broadband Light, usually refers to a device which uses filtered white (or broadband) light to acquire a specific wavelength, and usually comes with interchangeable filters to alter the wavelength. Though the argument is constantly made that IPL and BBL are equivalent in treatment efficacy to LASER, this is “physically” impossible… that is, the laws of physics preclude non-collimated, non-amplified, non-(truly) monochromatic light from being the technical, clinical, or logical equivalent to light amplified through stimulated emission of radiation. We can debate this later, as I know many of you will be commenting on this.
Now, I’m not a clinician, so please don’t take anything I say as clinical advice. I am merely presenting clinical questions to be considered when purchasing a laser. And though you can always go to your peers for clinical advice, remember that the OEM should be your PRIMARY source of clinical advice, information, parameters, etc. Only the OEM can be held liable for giving unsound clinical advice for their device, and though many believe they are at liberty to utilize a like device for a procedure they may have knowledge of being performed by a like device, it is important to remember that any laser- cosmetic, surgical, and even industrial- is regulated by the FDA, and you should review whether or not your device is FDA approved for the procedure in question.
The combination of clinical needs and staffing, space and power requirements can be assessed. This is important because it may help determine whether you buy one fully loaded multi-purpose unit, one or two single use units, or a combination of single use and multi-purpose units. One thing to always keep in mind with multi-purpose units is that, often, if you lose one treatment, you are completely down. If you offer hair removal, and skin tightening from a multi-parameter unit, any problem with one can render your unit useless in delivering the other. Sometimes used lasers can be difficult to have repaired, and finding adequate technical service can take several days. Don’t make the mistake of losing days of business from hair removal because your skin tightening laser went out.
Of course, if you only have one treatment room, the point is moot. In this case I would recommend a multi-parameter unit, or in the very least a dual range laser like Nd-Yag (1064nm)/Alexandrite (755nm), Nd-Yag/KTP (532nm), or any of the various laser/IPL platforms. For those of you who have more than one room, remember- if one treatment goes down on your laser, it may put your room out of service. Single parameter, medium, or wavelength units are often cheaper, and easier to service. You have the option of purchasing more units, and even backups with the less loaded systems.
One of the furthest things from your thought process when purchasing a used laser may be (and may not be), but should NOT be, power requirements. A prime setup will allow for 220VAC (no less than 218VAC, and no more than 237VAC, though some lasers will have a lower max), and 30A of dedicated power. Dedicated power is of the utmost importance- no other device should share this power source. Though there are some nice 120VAC systems out there, the 220VAC systems often offer higher power output, and a wider pulse width range. I know 220VAC power is often referred to as 240VAC, and many units operate up to 240VAC. The problem with approaching that power range is that your power supply may be unstable, and I have seen spikes up to 247VAC. What I have never seen is a medical laser designed to be powered at voltages higher than 240VAC. Because of this, stay in the safe range: 218VAC-237VAC. A conditioner may need to be installed at your location, or you may simply have an electrician assess which 240VAC line coming into your building is the most stable.
This is a fairly simple concept that many tend to neglect. You see a popular brand laser- fully loaded, all the bells and whistles, and at a great price… why do you think it’s so cheap? It’s fully functional, had one owner, it’s one or two years old… yet it’s being offered at 33%-60% off of retail. The easiest way to see the folly in this is by juxtaposing your laser for a new (or used) car. If you bought a Bentley in 2009, how much do you think it’s worth in 2011? If the vehicle has been driven at a normal rate- even DOUBLE the normal rate, the vehicle would retain at least 90% of its original value. Most other vehicles retain their value in a similar manner. In fact, most other products PERIOD maintain their value greater than lasers. In fact, when you compare lasers to other medical devices (which are probably the fastest depreciating products sold), they lose their value much faster than any other device.
Why do lasers lose their value quicker than any other device? Is there anything we can do about it? The answers are simple. Lasers lose their value quicker than any other device because the upkeep is much more expensive. The lasing medium is often proprietary, or extremely expensive. Excimer lasers, for example, use proprietary blends of gases that have to be periodically recharged. Yag lasers (Nd-Yag, Er-Yag, Ho-Yag) use a yttrium aluminum garnet crystal doped with neodymium, erbium, holmium, or some other medium intended for stimulated emission of radiation. These crystals are grown in labs, and medical quality crystals cost as much as $7,000 each. KTP crystals, used to double the frequency of Nd-Yag laser and create green light at 532nm (double the frequency, halve the wavelength), are also very expensive, and one popular brand uses a crystal and mount that costs $9,000 to replace. Power supplies are equally expensive. Lasing optics, delivery optics, cooling systems, reflective cavities, and other components and accessories add to the cost of lasers.
With premium components come premium training, experience, and education requirements for technicians. And of course, as with anything premium comes the price. Manufacturers invest millions into developing their devices, approving them for sale, and training their service technicians. They protect this investment by monopolizing service, and access to service information. This practice is not only a blatant violation of FDA law, it is detrimental to their own business. Again, juxtaposing lasers for cars- the top sellers are the easiest to work on. They also retain their value.
So what can we do about this? Well, 21 CFR 1040.10-11, the FDA’s regulation on laser and light based devices, requires the provision of service information to anyone who requests it. One option is to require your seller to provide this service information. This way you can furnish it to your technician or service organization of choice, and you are ensured service pursuant to US law. Another option is to have the seller provide you with contact information to the technician or company they use to service their own lasers. A third option is to find a technician or company prior to purchase, and have them guide you on what they are capable of servicing, and learn your expected costs. You may also find a company that possesses or is willing to request service information for your preferred laser, but this should be done before purchase. The final option is to request the information yourself, and your success would be determined by your persistence.
The ideal purchase to service cost ratio is less than 10% of retail annually. If you run a large operation, your p/s cost ratio should drop to around 5%. If you are paying more, you should reconsider your service provider. If you are in pre-purchase, then you should take this into account when considering the previous paragraph. Full service agreements will generally cost anywhere from 7%-15% of retail cost, and should be strongly considered as the best option when buying used. Believe me, it is much easier to add $10,000 or so to a $30,000-$75,000 purchase (the average cost of used lasers) than it is to be surprised by a $15,000 bill for repair just months after you purchase a used laser.
It all comes down to knowing what you want, what you should pay, who you should buy it from, who should service your new investment, and what your long term investment should be. Know who the industry leaders are, but don’t succumb to mere marketing. There are various resources for helping make this assessment- use every resource at your disposal. Be objective, and remember that technically, any two like lasers are equal. The weak points of one like laser will likely be the weak points of the other. When faced with common misconceptions like “this laser is low in power,” think about the physics, and the law. Though it is perfectly legal for a manufacturer to label a laser as capable of putting out up to 20% less power as actual output, it would render the unit impossible to calibrate to any legal standard. In other words, if your laser is labeled as a 100J laser, and puts out a max of 80J brand new, degradation would take it out of tolerance in no time. No technician calibrates a unit to the lower limit, and units are regularly just outside of the lower limit we DO calibrate them to (usually around 5%). So if any Yag laser set to 50J/cm2 with a 10mm hand piece should read around 39W on an external power meter with slight variations due to the physical properties of the optics, hand pieces, and lenses.
About: Mickey A. Couvertier CBET, CLRT, is a frequent contributor to the Medical Spa MD Forums. He is a former US Army Biomedical Engineer and is President and Senior Technician at CRC Biomedical Services. He is certified by the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation as a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician and by the National Council on Laser Excellence as a Certified Laser Repair Technician. You can learn more about Mr. Couvertier and his company at crcbiomedical.com.
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By Greg Bledsoe MD MPHIn this post, I'd like to spend a little time introducing you to the idea of "lifestyle design," something that has become a bit of a buzz-phrase in the business world but as far as I can tell hasn't penetrated the world of medicine just yet (for a lot of reasons).
I'll begin with a personal story...
When I jumped off the academic track in 2006, I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do as a career but I knew I wanted something unique. My idea was to design a career that was flexible, fun, adventurous, and meaningful, all the while paying my bills and being a responsible spouse and parent. Simple, huh?
I spent months thinking about how to do this as a physician. I searched websites and blogs. I spoke with mentors and colleagues. I read the literature, all to no avail. There seemed to be no conversation about a career like this in medicine. I mean, there were a few articles about volunteer opportunities or non-traditional careers, but nothing really like what I was trying to create.
What I found, though, was that while the medical community was silent about how to develop a very non-traditional and interesting career, the business world had already awakened to the idea. Within the world of business, the idea of becoming a "free agent" and overhauling your career through "lifestyle design" was beginning to pick up steam.
Around this time I picked up a copy of the book Free Agent Nation by Daniel Pink. I'm not sure how I found this book, but it became a sort of manifesto for me. In this book, Dan explains how more and more individuals were escaping their cubicles to become independent free-lancers and living their lives with increasing flexibility and empowerment. It was a great read and it hit me at a very important time. Through this book I realized that I was not alone in my desire for more autonomy, and that a lot of workers who had already yanked themselves off the grid were thriving. I was hooked.
The second book I read was a book that has become a bit of a cult classic already, Timothy Ferriss' text, The 4-Hour Workweek . This book is a basic introduction to how Tim built a stream of residual income and then used his extra time and money to explore his interests and live a more interesting life. It was Tim's book that introduced me to the term "lifestyle design," and while the phrase might seem a bit hokey, it's a very powerful concept. Basically, what Tim discusses in his book is the idea that it is possible to live an incredible life if you prioritize correctly, live frugally, and develop your entrepreneurial side. Some have criticized the book recently, explaining that no productive person-- not even Tim Ferriss himself-- really only works four hours a week-- but I would argue that that's not really the point. The catchy title sells books, but it's the mindset Tim describes that is the reason why the book is an important introduction for individuals who feel helplessly caught in a hamster wheel at work. Tim's point is that you can-- through ingenuity and hard work-- leap off the hamster wheel and into something much better.
So how does all this apply to physicians?
Well, when you have a career discussion with most physicians, it often boils down to whether or not that individual wants to continue practicing clinical medicine or go into a nonclinical job. There's nothing wrong with either, mind you, and I have friends who have great careers in each; however, for me and for many other physicians, I suspect, this approach is just too simplistic.
The fact is, I like clinical medicine. I've spent a of of time getting good at what I do and I'd like to continue to be able to help people by providing good clinical care to patients who need it. I also like many aspects of the nonclinical opportunities available to physicians-- things like consulting, writing, medical device development, and many other niches really appeal to me.
My main question is not whether I want to practice clinical medicine or jump into a nonclinical career, it's how do I design my life to be able to practice medicine, participate in the nonclinical activities I enjoy, and still have the flexibility to pursue life outside of medicine? Discussions about clinical versus nonclinical are at their core too reductionistic for most modern physicians. What most modern physicians really need to be having are overarching discussions about how to design a lifestyle that incorporates the multiple facets of their career interests and also does not overlook the ultimate (and most likely unspoken) goals they have for their lives. This is a much deeper conversation, but one that is desperately needed today in this time of significant upheaval in our healthcare system.
So where do you begin if you're a physician and you are interested in exploring this idea of "lifestyle design?"
Well, don't go to the career advice section of your specialty journal and certainly don't go to the HR person at your hospital or academic institution.
In my opinion, you should begin by checking out the conversations going on in other fields. There are some incredible websites built around some really creative and interesting people who are living fascinating lives and teaching others how to do the same. Check out the following as a starting point:
Once you immerse yourself in this culture you begin to see possibilities that you never would have realized before. What's more, as a physician there are even more possibilities available to you than for the typical person... if only you'll step out and take a little risk.
Over the last few years this idea of lifestyle design has been a focal point of my thinking when it comes to career moves and ultimate goals. I've invested a lot of time, cash, and sweat into learning how to build a unique career, and my hope with ExpedMed is that we can use this website as a vehicle to help other physicians, just like you, succeed in designing a lifestyle and career they truly enjoy.
About: Dr. Greg Bledsoe is has founded a number of startups including ExpedMed, the Medical Fusion Conference and Freelance MD.
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The difference between people who invest in themselves... and people who just whine.
Believe me when I say this; there's an endless list of doctors who "say" they want to make more money, improve their website rankings, revise their staff training or improve their customer service... but never actually DO ANYTHING to get there?
Here's a simple litmus test: If you say you want something but haven't done any systematic work to achieve your goal in the last 14 days, you're deluding yourself. Really.
If you want to get something done your choice is actually very simple; (1) start taking action or (2) acknowledge that your goal really isn't that important to you, and give up.
Of course both of these options are perfectly viable choices. There's nothing wrong with making a coherent decision to give up on something that you decide is actually not that important or that the opportunity cost is too high. For example, I used to kill myself to try and answer my phone or return phone calls immediately (or within an hour) — that was my goal. After a while, I was just unable to keep up with that schedule and it became more of a distraction. So I gave up on it. If someone calls me now it will almost certainly go to voice mail and I'll get back when I can. It's a huge weight off of my shoulders and removes a constant distraction. (In fact, my voice mail says to leave a message only 'if it's important". That one change makes everyone who calls me self-censor and has cut my vm messages by 90%. But I digress...)
The point? Give up on whatever you're not going to do and focus on taking action on those things that you've decided you want.
The best things to focus on are those that deliver the biggest bang for the buck are that you can build out as a system that works over and over again.
If you look around, you'll find that the very highest-achieving people are also voracious consumers of personal-development materials, whether books, podcasts, courses, or personal tutors and consultants... even this community. (By 'personal development' I mean anything that you consume to learn from or improve your lifestyle.)
Personally, I spend thousands of dollars per year on self-development. In the last 12 months I've spent more than $20,000 on online courses, webinars, books, attending conferences, and taking people out to lunch to learn from them.
A specific example: I have a full time staff of seven that work for me personally. I started with one full time hire in India a few years ago. To maximize my productivity with outsourcing I spend thousands of dollars on online courses that teach outsourcing, read any number of books and blogs, and ended up actually building out an entire training site and hiring an additional six full time employees. The up-front time investment and cost was substantial, but I now have a system that allows me to manage my staff and have them performing in a way that SAVES me huge amounts of time and removes a lot of things that I used to have to do myself. An estimate of the total cost to get where I am now? Three months of my full time work and $25,000.
What am I looking to invest in for myself next? Here's a list off of the top of my head.
Of course you don't have to spend money to invest in yourself. At times my budget has been a lot smaller but I still contacted people, attended networking events and joined organizations where I could learn.
Every top performer I know are, without exception, is constantly investing in themselves personally with education, reading, courses, and networking with interesting people.
Well... there's a qualified 'yes' to that, but do you?
Oh, and by the way, information by itself isn't enough (though people tend to take the rational perspective that if we simply had the right information, we'd do the right things. Complete nonsense. If information were enough then no one would smoke or get fat.)
Taking action and making changes is about far more than just getting information. It's about motivation and skill and many, many other factors.
When you pay for a course, or a tutor, or a coach, you're not just paying for commodity information that you can read on Wikipedia. You're paying for access to their skills and expertise... their depth of knowledge in a field that you'll never have the time or inclination to reach. It's about speed and opportunity cost. When I hire a book editor, all they do is book editing stuff. She's far more knowledgeable that I ever want to be.
In addition, when you pay for something, you're also psychologically committing yourself to value the goal more. For example, we're building out both a free deals page for medical spas as well as a paid medical spa marketplace for physician courses, and medical spa products and services. In both cases you're making a commitment to gain access. For the free courses you have to become a Member, and for the paid courses you're going to have to part with some cash. If this were simply to provide this information as a free set of "tips" that I emailed to you, you would just skim it and go back to eating your bagel. But as a paid product, you actually derive more value from it. (And it actually makes sense to produce it for us as a business.)
You're paying, so you're actually motivated to do it. This is why the Princeton Review and Kaplan make so much money from their courses, even though their books have much of the same material.
Are you likely to take action on something in the near future. Just ask yourself this: "Have I actually started to do this in the last month?"
If you're answering that you haven't actually done anything in the last month, you're not likely to put much action in it this month. Next month's not looking too good either.
The best indicator of what you're going to be doing in the future six months is not what you're planning on doing, but what what you've done in the past. (People hate hearing this since it confronts them with the fact that they're not achieving their 'goals'.)
If you're ever faced with taking a lie-detector test you won't be asked questions like, "How often do you work out?" because (1) People will lie by greatly exaggerating their achievements and (2) people will actually believe the lie.
Instead, a better question is, "Tell me every time you went to the gym last week." which will evoke a host of "I couldn't on Thursday because X, and not on Friday because of Y... and you're find that they went once last week.
In every sense, a historic black and white view is far more realistic of what you'll be doing rather than your 'plans'.
Of course you already know this. You know that there are any number of things that you would be doing if you were only motivated enough or had more time, but the smart person asks, "What is realistic?" and focus on taking action only on those.
Investing in yourself, even in what is perceived as a huge amount, is likely to pay off handsomely. There's a reason why successful people don't think twice when it comes to investing in themselves or their businesses. It's because the cost of the right investment is MINISCULE compared to the results.
What's the best investment you could make today, not just with your medical spa or clinic but with your lifestyle? Who could you take out to lunch to pick their brain? Who should you connect with on LinkedIn? What conference could you attend that would improve your skills? Can you hire a tutor for something you want to do? What courses can you take that will let you make better business decisions?
What's the take-away here? Here are two damn simple steps:
Step#1: that you should get away from all of the junk that you know you're never going to take action on. Just kick it to the curb and free your mind. You'll sleep much better and you'll be able to move on to step #2 which is...
Step#2: that you should actually invest in (and by invest I mean pay for) those things that you want to take action on. Paying for it in any form will mean that you'll act faster, lowering your opportunity cost, and be more motivated to take action. The most successful people know that acting with speed (In business they use the term 'velocity') is absolutely critical for success. If you're not willing to spend money on something kick it up to step #1 and get rid of it.
I'm anxious to learn from you. Please share your thoughts or experiences with this in the comments.
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There comes a time... whend we heed a certain call... when the world must come together as one.
This is NOT one of those times.
But it is the Holidays, so we should probably take a moment to think of those less fortunate than ourselves. People who go hungry while others feast. People without a single shred of hope remaining. I’m talking about healthcare workers taking call during the Holidays.
It’s not enough to give lip service to their sacrifice. That’s why Dr. Harry challenged me to put my mouth where my mouth is and DO SOMETHING this year.
Hence the genesis of a grand telethon to benefit these poor needy souls. The main draw: a collection of pop music’s finest stars, gathered together as Band-Aged to belt out a stirring tribute to the selfless heroes of medicine. Sure, the pop stars all look vaguely like me. And sure, British amalgamation Band-Aid did something vaguely reminiscent in the 80′s. But everyone knows that no one speaks British anymore. It’s time for a remake. It’s time to feed the wards
This video isn't about medical spas or even medicine, but it's right on target with it's message about cutting all of your ideas in half and getting the basics of your business running well.
Jason Fried is the founder and CEO of a company called 37 Signals that makes business software for things like project management and customer relationships. They've had a lot of success and have a large following among techies.
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Medical Spa MD Members only pricing with code DOC1166
Use technology to consult online and set your own consultation rate, without any paperwork! 2nd MD is now a Select Partner of Medical Spa MD and is offering our Members special pricing. Watch the video below to learn more.
Creating an account is free and without obligation. You can set your own schedule, set your own fees, and set yourself at the forefront of medical technology.
(You must be a board certified US specialist to accept this offer.)
Who are the specialists are using 2nd MD right now?
Richard Andrassy, MD
Chairman, Department of Surgery
UTHealth Medical School &
Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center
Stanley Fisher, MD
Board Certified Neurologist
University of California San Francisco
Director of the Division of Transplantation
Former President of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons
University of California Irvine - Department of Urology
Routinely appears on "The Doctors Show" and "Dr. Phil"
Studied at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University
Pediatric Oncology, Hematology, and Stem Cell Transplant
Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Childrens Hospital of Boston
Trained at: University of Chicago, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Dermatologist. Studied at Duke and Yale
A world-renowned lecturer, having often appeared on national TV
A recipient of Presidential Volunteer Service Award
National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Trained at Dartmouth and Massachusetts General Hospital
Executive Director of the National Center of PTSD since 1989
Written over 200 publications and 19 books
It appears that Sciton is happy where they ranked in the first Medical Spa MD Physician Report
Download the Medical Spa MD Physicians Report #1 here.
I received a copy of a press release that Sciton sent out a few days ago that details their placement in the report. Here's the release:
Physicians Rank Scition #1 In Cosmetic Lasers
PALO ALTO, Calif., November 18, 2011 – Sciton, Inc. was ranked First in Class among aesthetic laser manufacturers in a survey of Medical Spa MD’s 5000-member physician community of plastic surgeons, cosmetic dermatologists, medical spas, and laser clinics.
In its first “Physician Report” (http://medicalspamd.com), Medical Spa MD asked physicians which technology they would recommend and respondents overwhelmingly selected Sciton, ranking it highest among the 16 manufacturers represented in the report. Physicians also identified five Sciton systems as their top choice for aesthetic medical applications in their clinics, including the JOULE, SkinTyte, ProFractional-XC, BBL, and Profile, in a demonstration of “remarkable brand loyalty,” and awareness. The Sciton systems identified are used for skin resurfacing, skin firming and tightening, laser hair removal, treatment of vascular and other skin conditions, body shaping, among other procedures.
Sciton is the leading manufacturer of high quality, modular, multi-application medical laser and light systems for the aesthetic market that can be tailored to a practice’s specific requirements. Additional confirmation of the quality, reliability and robustness of these laser- and light-based devices lies in the fact that over 95% of all the lasers ever manufactured by Sciton during its 14 year history are still in use. Dan Negus, President of Sciton, commented, “While we take great pride and care to design and manufacture outstanding and long lasting laser devices, it is extremely gratifying to see this recognition of our products’ quality and value by the clinicians in the Med Spa MD survey. We are elated that such a prestigious group of physicians has validated Sciton’s longstanding commitment to the quality and utility of its products.”
Medical Spa MD operates a premier online resource for providers of cosmetic medicine. This is the first year the organization has published its Physician Report, highlighting Sciton as the most utilized and recommended laser device manufacturer.
The survey also showed that treatments and applications made possible by the company’s technology are among the most profitable that cosmetic physicians offer, a circumstance promoted by Sciton’s commitment to well-built, high-quality products that pay for themselves over time without requiring an ongoing investment in consumables.
Now, the press release is carefully worded but I can't fault Sciton for putting their best face on with this. For example, the last paragraph says that, "treatments and applications made possible by the company’s technology are among the most profitable that cosmetic physicians offer", but those are the same treatments that are made possible by other techonology companies. Still, it reads well and is factual.
We're working on the next report now and I hope to have it out shortly.
I have no idea where anyone will rank in the new report since the questions are all different.
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Thinking of adding evidence based nutritional supplements to your medical spa?
Dr. Dean Raffelock has been teaching physicians how to benefit from evidence based nutritional supplements for years.
Register for this webinar here
In this webinar, Dr. Dean Raffelock will teach you how you can add an extra $50,000 - $100,000 in profits to your existing medical practice each year.
What you'll learn:
Dr. Dean Raffelock has been practicing evidence based nutritional medicine for 35 years and he's going to hold your hand and get you started. If you're in solo or group clinical practice and you want to take greater control of your business and your career, this is a webinar that you won't want to miss. Register right now!
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Julie Silver MD at Medfusion 2011
I got back from the Medical Fusion Conference last night and I wanted to set down my thoughts while they're still fresh in my mind, so here are some of my take-aways kind of as a stream of consciousness.
Anyway, those are a few of my initial thoughts. I look forward to finding out what some others think of their experiences.
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If you're looking for a used IPL, Thermage NXT or cosmetic laser, check out the cosmetic lasers classified ads section.
Current listings include:
If you want to read about or discuss any of these cosmetic lasers you can do so in the Cosmetic Laser & IPL Reviews forum.
Other cosmetic lasers and IPL forums:
If you're a physician and would like to contribute to the survey, you can sign up to contribute to the physicians survey right here and we'll get you on the list.
We're asking all of the responding doctors to take the survey in the next 72 hours or so and then it will take a few days to compile the results and get the report out and send it to all of our Members.
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