Medical Tourism Survey

Medical tourism is one of the topics covered in a new survey of outbound US travellers.

The ‘Ypartnership/Harrison Group 2010 Portrait Of American Travelers’ is a survey of the travel habits, intentions and preferences of Americans living in the USA.The national survey of 2,524 US households who are active travelers was conducted in February 2010. The results provide an in-depth examination of the impact of the current economic environment, social values and media habits on the travel habits of Americans with an annual household income of $50,000 or more.

Ypartnership is a leading marketing services company serving travel, leisure and entertainment clients. The agency's Insights group is a leading source of market intelligence on emerging business and leisure travel trends. Harrison Group is a leading market research and strategy consulting firm specializing in market strategy, market analytics, survey and forecasting services. This year’s survey was an in-depth examination of the impact of the current economic environment, prevailing social values and emerging media habits on the travel behaviour of American travellers. It seeks the underlying motivations with an emphasis on how they plan, purchase and share travel experiences; rather than a simplistic view of past travel habits. For the first time, the annual survey investigated medical tourism.

The survey is only about attitudes and the figures do not reflect anything on actual numbers who have travelled. In consumer research, attitude/intent is not necessarily transferred into actual purchase in any meaningful way. 50% of leisure travelers are now familiar with the concept of medical tourism, and 17% would consider having a medical procedure done outside the U.S. assuming it is perceived to be of comparable quality. 22% are not sure, suggesting they would also be open to considering this as an alternative to treatment at home if certain conditions were met.

Among adults who would consider traveling outside the U.S. for major medical care, 84% cite the lower cost as the primary reason why. 66% mention comparable or a better quality of care, while 43% cite access to medical treatments or procedures that are not covered by their insurance at home, and 41% mention shorter waiting periods to access care .22% cite access to experimental or non-FDA approved treatments and 20% mention concerns about privacy

Among countries measured in the survey as possible medical tourism destinations, Canada reigns as the number one choice. The top eleven countries:

• Canada (42%)
• United Kingdom (32%)
• Germany (31%)
• Sweden (28%)
• France (24%)
• Mexico (13%)
• India (11%)
• Singapore (10%)
• Costa Rica (9%)
• Brazil (7%)
• Puerto Rico (7%)

These figures are on the basis that they are paid for by health insurers, financial incentives from insurers and/or employers are at least comparable to treatment in the USA, and quality of care is also equivalent. The figures do not reflect intent or willingness to travel for self-payers.

These results are another confirmation of a trend that many medical tourism experts accept, but others continue to deny, that travel time and nearness of destination are key to where medical tourists are prepared to go, not cost alone. American preference is within the American continent, followed by Europe, with Asia much less popular.

Article

Financial Planning For Physicians

From the Medical Spa MD Podcast, episode 3 on Financial Planning for Physicians with Dr. Setu Mazumdar

We added a new podcast episode with Dr. Setu Mazumdar recently in which we discussed how physicians tend to underperform the market with their self-directed investments. Here's an excerpt from the podcast that I thought was pretty relevant.

Question: What are the physicians who are more successful with their financial planning? What do they have in common?

Dr. Mazumdar: First of all, I think it’s a very small group. Most of the people I’ve met… Sure they might make high income [inaudible – 00:50:27], but having high income and being successful I think are two separate issues. If you’re spending all the money that you’re making, you’d probably not accumulate enough assets where you can call yourself financially successful. But the common traits that I see are one having a [inaudible – 00:50:47] of plan and place.

The second thing that I’ve noticed are people who basically say: “You know I’ve realized that I can’t pick the winning stocks. I can’t time the stock market. I can’t pick the winning managers. The best I can do and what all the academic research says I should do is, match the market.”

The third, of course, is staying disciplined enough to stay with the good times and bad. As well as kind of taking the approach: “You know, I really don’t know what the future holds. It’s completely uncertain. I don’t know what my income is going to be. I don’t know if I’m going to be disabled. So I’m going to leverage time on my side and, of course, increase my savings to make sure that I have enough to retire on.”

So it all sounds kind of basic, but you’d be surprised that most physicians don’t do those things.

Jeff: So you brought up another interesting point, which is matching the market. Why would I need a financial adviser? And why wouldn’t I just invest the money that I’m willing to put in the market, whatever percentage that is going to be, and have them match the S&P 500 or invest in a matching index fund?

Dr. Mazumdar: That’s a good question. I think if you look at all the data that’s done in this issue… exactly answering this question… OK, here’s a great study. It actually comes about once a year, maybe once every two years. It’s called the [Dalbar Study?]. Here’s what it basically says. It says: If you take the past 20 years and if you just stuck with the market, this includes 2008 & 2009 and all the bad things that happened in the past decade, if you take the past 20 years, you’re just basically stuck with everything. You still will have a pretty decent rate of return, around 8% a year.

It turns out that the average individual investor… their return in the past 20 years, and the way that it’s calculated is based upon mutual fund cash flows across tens of thousands of different accounts and different custodians, the average individual investor got a rate return under 2% a year. The market return of about 8% a year… the average individual investor got a return about 1.8% a year. It turns out that inflation is about 3% a year.

So basically the conclusion there is that investors, when they do it themselves, are getting in and out in the market exactly at the wrong time. They’re essentially buying high and selling low. And so one of the value of an adviser is basically discipline. And people tell me: “Do I really want to pay for discipline?” And my answer is: “Actually that’s the number one thing you should be paying for because your own worst enemy is usually yourself. And all the data show that.”

But then there are always other issues like: Investment is one thing, but how do you integrate that with state planning? How do you know if you have enough life insurance? How do you if you’re saving enough? How do you know this from the other? And it’s kind of like medicine. It’s too vast of a field for somebody who kind of sit down and have the inclination to do so and really figure it out.

Listen to the entire interview on the Medical Spa MD Podcast.

Medical Spa MD {4} Mr. Adrian Richards MBBS, MSc, FRCS (Plast.) - Cosmetic Medicine In The UK

A real eye-opener for physicians in the US... In this episode of the Medical Spa MD Podcast we discuss cosmetic medicine in the UK with plastic surgeon Mr. Adrian Richards.

Listen to this episide here.

Mr. Richards qualified as a Doctor in 1988 and for the last 12 years has specialised in plastic surgery. He has full registration with the General Medical Council No. 3286812 and is a Member of both the British Association of Plastic and Reconsructive Surgeons (BAPRAS) and the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), the leading British professional bodies for plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery. He is an author and has written a best-selling textbook ‘Keynotes on Plastic Surgery’. He is founder of Cosmetic Courses, a company accredited by the Royal College of Physicians, which provides training to medical practitioners entering the aesthetic market and was the lead investigator in recent clinical research into the use of Botulinum Toxin A (Botox) for cosmetic purposes.

In this episode we're discussing cosmetic medicine in the UK with Adrian Richards. It will probably come as something of an eye-opener for physicians in the US to learn that; most cosmetic surgeons in the UK don't really worry too much about informed consent, being sued by a patient is a rarity, filler injections are unregulated, and that physicians are routinely employed by non-physicians. I found the differences to be striking.

We also discuss how Adrian markets his services through social media, videos, and podcasts of his own as we delve into cosmetic surgery across the pond.

Some of what we talked about in this episode.

• Mr. Adrian Richards MBBS, MSc, FRCS
• Aurora Clinics UK
• Facebook Marketing for Physicians

Our New Facebook Group: Physicians + Facebook Marketing - How to do it correctly!

Join our Facebook group: Physicians + Facebook Marketing - How to do it correctly!

Facebook now has more than 500 million accounts.... and if you're not using it to promote your services and build a community around your medical spa or clinic, you're missing the point.

Rather than just discuss Facebook marketing here on this site, we've decide to actually show you how to do it by using Facebook.

The new group that we just started, Physicians + Facebook Marketing is only a few days old. So far, we've got 30 people to join and we're going to grow this group while showing you exactly how we're doing it... on Facebook.

We'll have a number of our staff who are responsible for our social network marketing on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter in this group to answer any questions you may have, or just learn from the case studies and articles.

You'll also want to listen to some of our new podasts since we've been discussing social marketing on there.

As always, if you like the content that you find here on Medical Spa MD, please give us a small pat on the back by clicking the new 'like' button that you'll find at the bottom of each post.  ; )

MedSpa MD on Facebook

Medical Spa MD on LinkedIn

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Medical Spa MD Members get a Podium patient review marketing account and save $1,257

Protect your reputation. Get new patients. Medical Spa MD Members receive a special, full service Podium account that includes: no setup fee (save $300), a 10% discount forever (save $330/year) and on-demand patient review marketing training for your entire staff ($597 value).  This offer is not available anywhere else.

Botox vs Dysport: Which one is more effective?

Botox vs Dysport? Well, Dysport as another few arrows in the marketing quiver with a new study that says that Dysport is more effective than Botox in treating glabellar lines.

Here's a release from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) that claims thta Dysport is actually more effetive than Botox.

The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) today announced positive clinical results demonstrating a significant efficacy advantage with Dysport™ (abobotulinumtoxinA) over Botox^® Cosmetic (onabotulinumtoxinA) for the treatment of Crow's feet. The data were presented Friday, September 24 at a scientific session at the AAFPRS 2010 Annual Fall Meeting, taking place September 23-26 in Boston.

Downloadable photos, fact sheets and other supporting materials available here: http://www.multimedianewscenter.com/aafprs/dysport-data-shows-superiority-versus-botox-cosmetic

The 90-subject study, titled "Internally Controlled Double-Blind Comparison of Onabotulinum and Abobotulinum Toxin Type A (Nettar, Kartik D., M.D., et. al)," met its primary endpoint (p=0.01) of greater efficacy of action with Dysport™ as defined by investigator assessment of maximum contraction at Day 30 post injection compared to Day 0. Additionally, a secondary endpoint -- subject assessment at maximum contraction at Day 30 compared to Day 0 -- also demonstrated statistical significance with Dysport™ (p=0.027).

"Botox has long been considered the gold standard of injectables, so this data showing Dysport's stronger efficacy is compelling," said Corey S. Maas, M.D., F.A.C.S., AAFPRS Group Vice President for Public and Regulatory Affairs. "Since injectables are the non-surgical cosmetic procedure rising fastest in popularity, it is important to continue honing new applications for existing treatments. Dysport's potential here is exciting as Crow's feet are a common concern for many men and women."

The study concluded that Dysport™ offers a quantifiable and demonstrable advantage in wrinkle effacement (shortening) and hyperfunctional frown lines compared to Botox^® Cosmetic in the treatment of Crow's feet. Study investigators recommend further studies in additional facial regions to confirm the data.

Both Botox^® Cosmetic and Dysport™ are FDA approved for treatment of moderate-to-severe glabellar lines (vertical lines between the eyebrows); neither product is presently indicated for treatment of Crow's feet. The study was funded by an educational grant from Medicis Aesthetics.

Additional Study Information: The randomized, double-blind, internally-controlled (split face) study was conducted at the Maas Clinic in California. Ninety subjects (75 females, 15 males) with moderate-to-severe lateral orbital rhytids (Crow's feet) were enrolled in the study. Participants received equivalent doses of both treatments: 10 units of Botox^® Cosmetic on one side of the face and 30 units of Dysport™ on the other side. Investigator and subject gradings of Crow's feet at relaxation and maximal contraction were obtained using the published validated dynamic and static Merz Crow's feet grading scale before injection (Day 0) and then two, four, six, and 30 days post injection. All patients were photographed in standard five-view series at rest and at maximal contraction in a dedicated photo lane recorded by Mirror software. Additional secondary endpoints not met in the study include investigator assessment at rest at Day 30 (p=0.41) and subject assessment at rest at Day 30 (p=0.28).

Medical Spa Advertising: Keeping it Legal - PART 2

State and federal regulations centering on medical spa advertising can often be daunting to navigate through.  How can you make sure your ads are within the “legal” realm?   Read on through Part 2 of Medical Spa Advertising - Keeping it Legal. 

Read: Medical Spa Advertising: Keeping it legal Part 1

The ever increasing number of State and Federal laws that can pertain to the use of photographs of patients has triggered a lot of questions from the medical community.  Below are some frequently asked questions and answers from Michael Sacopulos, General Counsel for Medical Justice Services.  Note these are general answers and are not State specific.  You should consult local licensed counsel to address laws, regulations and prohibitions specific to the State in which you practice.

Question #5: What concerns should I have if I want to implement an e-campaign to my database?

Answer: You will not be surprised to learn that there are specific Federal laws related to the use of e-mail campaigns for commercial purposes.  Specifically, the CAN-Spam Act sets forth the Federal requirements for those wishing to promote goods and services by e-mail.   Before you start to send those e-mails, check out the Federal Trade Commission’s website on this act:  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/tubs/business/ecommerce/bus61.shtm  

Question #6: What should I know before I start a Facebook account?

Answer: From the legal perspective, information that you place on Facebook is treated exactly the same as information that you would place on your practice’s website.  However, some have found Facebook to have a more intimate feel.  People tend to make statements and do things on Facebook that they might not otherwise do on a typical web page.  We have all read the accounts of individuals losing a job because of some posting on Facebook.  I recommend that you keep two separate Facebook accounts.  You may have one for your practice and one for personal use.  I believe it to be a mistake to mix your personal and professional activities in one Facebook account. 

Question #7: Can I give a referral patient a gift card to use towards services?

Answer: Yes.  Few problems arise from giving a gift card or a discount to a patient that has been referred to your practice.  It is more difficult to compensate patients for the promotion of your practice.  As we discussed above, should you wish to compensate a patient for the use of his or her before and after photographs on your website, this fact must be disclosed. 

Question #8: If all these are legal requirements, why don’t more doctors get prosecuted?

Answer: This sounds like a practical question from a risk taker.  The answer to this question rests in the limited resources for enforcement.  Most people driving above the speed limit don’t receive a ticket, but it is clearly a possibility every time someone exceeds the speed limit.  One more word of caution: The penalties for violating some of the rules and regulations described above can be quite harsh.  Your smartest move is to try to comply with all rules and regulations regarding online advertising.                 

One final word of caution about online advertising and the use of patient images…Many professional societies have ethical guidelines that members are to follow when advertising.  These guidelines may be stricter than State or Federal laws.  The AAFPRS has some well reasoned guidelines that should be known by members prior to initiating an advertising campaign.  Members of the ACS should consult that society’s Code of Professional Conduct which can be found at http://www.facs.org/fellows_info/statements/stoprin.html. The AMA has an extensive document entitled “Principles Governing Advertising in Publications of the American Medical Association” which provides guidance.  This document can be found at http:/pubs.ama-assn.org/misc/adprinciples.pdf .

Mr. Sacopulos is a practicing attorney in Indiana.  This article reflects his opinions and perspectives on advertising and legal issues set forth in this article. 

Submit a guest post and be heard.

Allergan: $600 Million Poorer, but Closer to New Botox Uses

Sounds like Allergan may have been getting a little greedy and got busted....

Allergan, the maker of Botox, will pay $600 million in fines and civil settlements after pleading guilty to marketing their product for uses for which it hasn't been FDA approved.

The Justice Department accused Allergan of encouraging doctors to use the powerful neurotoxin through kickbacks and by teaching them how to forge drug reports.

"The FDA had approved therapeutic uses of Botox for only four rare conditions, yet Allergan made it a top corporate priority to maximize sales of far more lucrative off-label uses that were not approved by the FDA," U.S. Attorney Sally Yates explained.

Botox is most famous for its use by dermatologists to temporarily diminish the appearance of facial wrinkles, but the drug, which is scientifically known as Botulinum toxin and works by temporarily paralyzing nerves, has been approved for rare conditions like eye muscle spasms since 1989.  In March, the FDA approved Botox use to treat muscle spasms in elbow, wrist and finger injuries among adults.

According to the suit, Allergan paid doctors millions and taught them how to miscode the drug to avoid being caught, all so that they would use Botox for "off-label" treatments – uses for which it has never been approved, though it may be effective. Botox was promoted for migraine relief and juvenile cerebral palsy, for which observational data suggests it is effective.

When a drug has been approved for a certain medical use, it cannot be marketed to treat other uses, even if patients report those other uses as a side benefit. Still, marketing drugs for side benefits is common. In 2008, Bayer ran afoul of the FDA when it over-emphasized the acne reducing benefits of its popular birth control pill, Yaz.

Though off-label usage is legal and often beneficial for patients, it can be dangerous. In April 2009, after repeated reports of side effects among children with cerebral palsy that mimicked botulism poisoning, the FDA ordered Botox to carry "black box labeling," the strictest possible warning for a product.  Doctors reported respiratory problems, muscle weakness, loss of bladder control and double vision among their young patients, along with hospitalizations.

Currently, the FDA is reviewing Allergan's application to approve Botox for migraine headaches. The agency is not reviewing information on juvenile cerebral palsy and no known tests are in the works, though CBS is reporting that Botox is being tested in countries like India, Poland, Serbia and Turkey for a host of ailments, including Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injuries, excessive perspiration, depression and something called "curvature of the penis."

If any of these studies abroad provide conclusive data, they could potentially spur bids for approval of new uses of Botox in the United States.

Breast Reduction Surgeries on the Rise.......for Men

Men feeling self-conscious about the size of their breasts is nothing new—as members of the Seinfeld generation will recall, the episode in which Kramer invents "the Bro," or the "Mansierre" to tame oversized "man boobs" first aired in 1995.

This can't be good.

According to the BBC, in recent years discomfort over what are colloquially known as "moobs," is prompting increasing numbers of men to go under the knife. According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, the number of men who underwent breast reduction surgery in the U.K. increased from 323 in 2008 to 581 in 2009, a jump of 80%. Yet, instead of reflecting a surge in gynecomastia, the medical condition in which hormonal changes result in abnormal enlargement, swelling and discomfort in men's breasts, experts suggest that the uptick in cosmetic surgeries is more likely a reflection of both obesity, and increased media scrutiny of "man boobs." (Case and point, several gossip sites have entire photo galleries dedicated to male celebrities' fleshy breasts.)

Of course, for some men, surgery may provide relief from what can be an embarrassing and uncomfortable condition. Yet, as plastic surgeon Rajiv Grover points out to the BBC, for many men, it's not a hormonal imbalance, but simply being overweight, that is the root cause of bigger breasts. "Quite a few cases are caused by obesity, and we often say to men to look at their lifestyles before thinking about the scalpel," Grover said.

Medical Spa MD {3} Dr. Setu Mazumdar & Physician Wealth Management

Episode 3 of the Medical Spa MD Podast: Dr. Setu Mazumdar of Lotus Wealth Solutions discusses physician wealth management.

The interview in this episode is with Dr. Setu Mazumdar of Lotus Wealth Management. Dr. Mazumdar is an MD who's now changed careers to become a financial and wealth management advisor specifically for physicians who are looking to get their house (and medical practice) in order.

We discuss how physician training does not equip docs with the knowledge and skills that they need to actually accumulate wealth, and how you can make some changes that give you control over your finances. Dr. Mazumdar details common mistakes that docs make and how they can be avoided.

If there's anyone who you'd like to hear interviewed or you think should be a guest on Medical Spa MD, please let us know or just leave a comment.

Medicams Reputation: Cosmetic Lasers & IPLs

Medicam is an IPL & cosmetic laser company in Canada that I don't have any first-hand knowlege of since I've never had any experience with them... but someone doesn't like them.

We've always allowed anyone to post their own opinion, but some individuals with a grudge will attempt to abuse that by posting negative (or positive) reviews and comments under different names. 

Here's a number of comments about Medicam and their cosmetic lasers and IPLs:

Dear friend! Whatever you do - do not buy a Medicam Inc. IPL or have any business with this people! You might as well just put money straight to the garbage. Be very aware of [name removed], sales representative. He will lie and cheat, and took advantage of you and your money. He will sell you the machine in Canada - even though it is not FDA approved, and it is illegal to sell it in Canada. He will sell you hand peaces that are dangerous for health. Medicam claims their parts are from Canada. ALL MEDICAM PARTS ARE FROM CHINA. I know to separate independant people who know industry very well, and they are well informed. This people will go some day to jail, because the way they run business in Canada is illegal. I live in Mexico, but I have friends who live in Ontarion, and I hear nothing but the nightmare stories, about this company. If you still want to go ahead, and have business with them, May God help you, my friend.
-JJ

Dealing with Medicam Inc, Montreal based company offers the worst customer service. They talk and promise a lot, but do not deliver. What a waste of money. There are so many great US and Canadian companies, and on average the great IPL machine cost 35 000$. Their machine cost around 40 000$, but they lie by telling you that machine cost close to $60 000, and than they pretend they offer the deal. Somebody wrote above that machines are made in China. Everybody knows that. All the parts are form China, they just put parts together in Canada.
-John

Medicam is a lie! It is a bullshit company! They talk big, but do not believe anything they say. I wanted to see their factory, but they always had excuse.. they never wanted to show me. Why? Because they do not have factory in CAnada!
They do not have licence to sell their machines.
If you are in trouble, they will not take care of you.
All the people that have trouble with Medicam should do something together to shut them down, before they still more money from people.
- Joana

It is poor quality IPL. It will break down, and it is not possible to fix it
- xx

The trouble is, the Medicam rep is right. All of the comments above were posted by the same individual. They're all from the same IP address (96.49.115.160), using the same computer in Vancouver British Columbia.

While I make it a point to try and never stifledissent or real opinion, it's obvious that the comments above are neither. It's greatly irritating when someone uses Medical Spa MD to comment under different names in order to damage an individuals reputation and this makes me pretty damn mad.

While I don't have any real opinion about Medicam one way or the other since I've never owned one of their IPLs or lasers, the fact that the comments above were obviously made with the explicit desire to mislead rather than just post a legitimate gripe anonymously means that the individual wasn't really trying to share any knowledge. For that reason I've modified them.

Oh, and there's this from the Medicam rep named above that was posted as a response and I found quite persuasive.

To everyone concerned,

I was asked to visit this site this morning and must say that I am extremely surprised to find what is mentioned in certain posts.

First of all, MEDICAM is an ACTUAL manufacturer. ANYBODY who wishes to visit our offices and factory are more than welcome and it'll be my personal pleasure to give the tour myself.

Secondly, all posts shown on 09/26 are by the same person. Jake, you do not fool me with the JJ, Joana (your manager) or 'xx'. I frankly find it ridiculous that you would attack me personally. Believe me when I say I sleep on both ears at night, knowing everything than I have done for you. These attacks just show how unappreciative and unreasonable you actually are. One last thing in regards to this, mention or attack me personally one more time and you will be hearing from my lawyer. Your childish games end here. I could simply state point by point how wrong you are and allow everyone to come to their own conclusions, but exposing your dirty laundry isn't something I will do. The only thing you accuse us of that is actually true: the art exposed in our office isn't related to lasers! I hadn't received the memo from the National Art Institute stating that art shown in an office has to represent what is sold within. Completely ridiculous!

Lastly, and more importantly, I appreciate these blogs as they provide potential clients with an unbiased point of view. This being said, certain clients will never be satisfied and we know of certain competitors who lie since they have nothing else to counter our prices and services. All information must be analyzed with this in mind. We have absolutely nothing to hide. The Chinese manufactured, unsafe, no service, certification approvals and other ridiculous comments are all LIES.

Once more, I invite anyone wishing to get clarification to call our offices: 514-737-0404. I'll me more than happy to take the call myself.

Best regards,

[Name Omitted]
Sales Director
MEDICAM INC.

Now Medicam could have been stupid, but they weren't. The individual singled out just posted a comment underneath the others. I'd point out that this is the kind of response that actually protects your reputation and makes you seem reasonable.

It's also a good reminder to take everything you read with a grain of salt.

I'm going to leave the comments up for a short time and then remove them. There are others who want some real cosmetic laser reviews and opinions without the drama.

I just wonder who Jake is.

The New Medical Spa MD Podcast

Medical Spa MD now has its own podcast for physicians and medical spas and the first couple of episodes are now live.

I've been looking to start a podcast for Medical Spa MD for a while now, and we've finally launched.

With each new episode, we'll talk about cosmetic medicine, plastic surgery, cosmetic lasers, clinic operations, management, marketing, sales, treaments, cost controls and everything else you'll want to know. We'll be asking (and hopefully answering) the tough questions. How do different cosmetic lasers compare? Which IPL company provides the best service? How should you compensate and motivate your staff? How to market your clinic? Where to spend your advertising budget? How to get started. How to grow. How to compete. Finally, what does that mean for your business and lifestyle?

To start, we're interviewing physicians who discuss their own concept of personal brand and how they've managed their careers outside of clinical medicine. 

In the first episode we talk to Dr. Greg Bledsoe about the Medical Fusion Conference and his desire to help physicians control more of their career. Greg's speaking from experience here. He's a leader in expedition medicine and organizes his other businesses to facilitate the lifestyle and income that he wants.

In episode 2 we're talking with Dr. Elliot Justin of Swift MD about telemedicine and the efficient delivery of medical services remotely. Elliot talks candidly about Swift MD and how company got started and functions operationally. He's also got some views on the state of US healthcare that resonate with almost every other physician I know.

We've already got another few episodes being edited and a long list of physicians and others who are scheduled to appear. My goal is to get out at least one every other week for the foreseeable future.

This new podcast will focus on providing relevant information for physicians, with a special emphasis on cosmetic practices, techniques, marketing, operations and just about everything you'll want to be aware of the field of nonsurgical cosmetic medicine. While we'll have plenty of physician interviews, we'll also be talking to technology companies, marketing gurus, and others about what it takes to run a successful medical practice, and exactly how to use these tactics and operations inside your own clinic. We'll be providing broad overviews as well as delving down into specific treatments and 'how tos'.

The Medical Spa MD Podcast is a permenant addition. You can find it by clicking on the link in the main navigation at the top the page. You'll also be able to subscribe to the RSS feed directly or subscribe via iTunes as soon as they index the feed.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. What topics would you like us to cover in the future? What guests would you like us to interview?

Zinc & Phytase As Botox Supplements?

In one of the emails I received today I was asked about an article in which Dr. Charles Soparkar claims that using Zinc and Phytase as Botox 'suppliments' increase how long Botox treaments last.

Evidently, Dr. Soparkars findings shows this combination improves the results of Botox injections when taken four days before treatment.

Oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Charles Soparkar found that 41 of the 44 patients to whom he gave the zinc and phytase pairing displayed a better outcome. This was especially noticeable in those suffering from blepharospasm, a form of eyelid twitching.

As a result of his findings, Dr. Soparkar plans to market a dietary supplement combining the element and enzyme, which will be called Zytaze.

"Surprisingly, the results showed that in over ninety percent of the patients studied, the zinc/phytase combination resulted in a remarkable improved responsiveness ... using the same amount of botulinum toxin as previously used," Dr. Soparkar explained. "The toxins seemed to have greater effect and last longer. Potentially, this could mean using less toxin, offering patients financial savings, greater safety, and more consistent results."

Always makes me a little leary when a new study gives someone the idea to create a product offering exactly what the study promotes.

Has anyone else heard of this? Anyone already promoting this for their Botox treatments?

Artemis Medical Group: ER Physicians & The Medical Spa Franchise

I got an email mentioning the launch of a new medical spa franchise put together by a couple of former ER docs.

Here's a link to the 'story' about the launch of this new medspa franchise from Artemis Medical Group. (Of course it reads more like a press release.)

Two EPs transitioned seamlessly into cosmetic surgery. Now they’re offering the golden key to others...

...But in the midst of the image-obsessed atmosphere and the slick marketing, the Artemis co-founders consider their work on a grander scale: they are advancing medicine and changing the way doctors learn cosmetic surgery. Their “natural” breast augmentation, for instance, involves taking excess fat from the patient’s body, mixing it with stem cells that will “regrow” the patient’s breast.

“I like to believe it’s the state of the art of medicine,” Debourbon said. “The other disciplines have been out there and have matured.” He said his work with stem cells, which play a role in several procedures Artemis offers, is a small part of the larger effort to use stem cells for transformative purposes like regrowing limbs. “We’re trying to improve the human condition,” he said.

Human condition aside, Debourbon and his practice are also making money. Lots of money. Fete described Artemis’ profits as “astounding,” and the next phase of their business is carefully prepared to explode their income. Artemis is becoming a training facility where doctors can learn multiple procedures in one place, a process that will help them start their own practices more quickly than ever.

And Artemis will be happy to help. For a 6.5 percent annual commission, newly minted cosmetic surgeons can buy their business plan, which outlines the process down to the layout of the office. It will help doctors new to the field get accredited in a discipline increasingly wary of outsiders, and predict their profits: for an investment of around $300,000, a new practitioner can expect to make at least $1 million in his first year.

“That’s being a slacker,” Debourbon said. “If you work hard, it’s probably several million. It’s a hell of a living.”

Wow. There's trouble if I've ever heard it.. That looks like an income claim... and you do not want to be making income claims if you're a medical spa franchise. It's also somewhat surprising that they wouldn't know this.

Special Offer: If you're a Medical Spa MD Member, I will pay for you to go to the Medical Fusion Conference!

If you're a Medical Spa MD Member and you go to the Medical Fusion Conference, I'll pay for you to go.

There's just a couple of small catchs to this offer. First, you'll need to tell them that you're a Medspa MD Member at the time of your booking to get this deal. Second, there are a limited number.

(Listen to the new Medical Spa MD Podcast, episode 1, in which Dr. Greg Bledsoe talks about the Medical Fusion Conference.)

I'm really excited to have you hear because in this video I'm going to talk about exactly how you can start to take control of your medical career and leverage you medical training in ways that you never thought possible. And then at the end of this video you're going to receive a personal offer from me that's exclusively  to Medical Spa MD Members in which I'm going to pay your way to attend the conference. That's right. I'm so passionate about this conference and it's philosophy that I'm going to personally pay if you attend this conference in Las Vegas. You're going to want to stick around for this.

But first up, let me introduce you to the Fusion Medical Conference while I tell you what's  got me so fired up and energized about it.

First you'll be up for two days of intense learning from physicians who have already made the decision to take their careers in the directions that they choose.  These docs will teach you how they've succeeded, and let you learn from the mistakes they've made. From concierge medicine to  pharmaceutical consulting, you'll learn from doctors who are already walking the walk.

Medical Fusion Conference is about taking control of your career, and your lifestyle. While other conference are packed with vendors and technology companies, Medical Fusion is filled with physicians who have decided to leverage their training and skills to create the career course that they want, from consulting , to writing, to film making. These guys are filled with information that you can use no matter what you current situation is. 

Secondly, Medical Fusion isnt about walking the isles of a sales floor and listening to sales pitches, it's about doing. The difference is glaring. Look, I've been to all the conferences in NY, LA, Miami and Vegas. While the larger expos and conferences are selling you fish, Medical Fusion is handing  you a fishing pole and teaching you how to use it.

Best of all, the thinking around Medical Fusion fits perfectly with cosmetic practices. As a physician practicing cosmetic medicine you need a host of skills, from marketing, to operations. You're in 'retail' medicine after all and the reason that you got in to cosmetic medicine was to gain some control of your practice and your life style. This is exactly the thinking that Medical Fusion is all about.

Ok, so let's talk about what you're going to get and why you'd be smart to step up snatch this offer before it's gone.

You get 2 days of rubbing elbows with physician entrepreneurs who can help you make smart and move your career in the direction that you choose.

You also get this generous bonus of 20 free hours of Category 1 CME credits through ExpedMed, the leader in expedition and wilderness medicine. It's al lot more fun than most CME courses and it's included for all attendees.

But, that's not all. Since you're a Medical Spa MD Member, I'm going to make you an offer that you'd be a fool to pass up on.

If you're a Medical Spa MD Member attending Medical Fusion and you let them know when you sign up, you're going to receive a full month of full service business SEO from Frontdesk. If you haven't looked at Frontdesk before, you should do it right now. There are already a number of Members who use Frontdesk to promote their search engine rankings and market their clinics online. And the business account is Frontdesk's flagship product that they usually charge $1,259 for.

And the reason that you're going to get that free month from Frontdesk is that Medical Spa MD is going to pay for it. That's right. I will pay for you to receive a full month of business services from Frontdesk and it won't cost you a dime.

There are a couple of caveats of course. You'll have to register by phone (866-924-7929) and identify yourself as a Member. And since I'm paying for this out of my own pocket I'm going to limit my total costs to $100,000 retail.  (Yes, I'm getting a discount. No, it is not free. No matter how supportive a business is, they still have to make money and pay their employees as we all know) That means that not everyone who wants to get this bonus is going to be able to.

And since this is my own cash, I'll reserve the right to approve every bonus.  I'll be pretty transparent about this and may publish a list of those who attend and receive this offer.

Lastly, lest you think that I must have some sort of business interest in Medical Fusion to make this kind of offer, not So. I have no business arrangement with the Medical Fusion Conference of any kind. None. Zilch. Nada. I'm making this offer because this conference is awesome and deserves support. That's it.

There you go. This is an absolutely killer deal. If you have any way of putting yourself in Las Vegas on November 5th, 6th, and 7th, do it. Whether you're just getting started, or you fancy yourself a bit of an old hand, you're going to learn how to take control of your career and put yourself on the path to the lifestyle you're looking for.

If you're smart, you'll book right now and snag a full month of Expert SEO services from Frontdesk.

Special Offer Fine Print

The offer I'm making to pay for a full month of SEO services from frontdesk is not part of the Medical Fusion Conference. It's my way of encouraging Members to attend and learn. It is entirely at my discretion and may be withdrawn, amended, discontinued or anything else at my sole discretion. (So don't abuse it.) That being said, you should absolutly take advantage of this ASAP since I'm only going to pay for a limited number of attendees. Yes, you will still have to pay the actual fee, flight and room... but you'll get me to give you a free month of full service SEO from Frontdesk. Get off your duff and sign up.

Medical Spa Photographs & Testimonials: Keeping it Legal

Medical Spa ads are often peppered with photos (highlighting “real” patients and models) and glowing testimonials.   

Images of more than ideal treatment results from Botox, laser hair removal, fillers, chemical peels, photofacials grace local rags to targeted online ad placements…okay, you get the picture. 

A recent article stated that there are now more medical spas in the US than Starbucks!  Now, that makes for a very competitive market. 

As you strategically, aggressively advertise your Medical Spa – are you aware of the legal guidelines & do you know how to keep your advertising legal? 

The ever increasing number of State and Federal laws that can pertain to the use of photographs of patients has triggered a lot of questions from the medical community.  Below are some frequently asked questions and answers from Michael Sacopulos, General Counsel for Medical Justice Services.  Note these are general answers and are not State specific.  You should consult local licensed counsel to address laws, regulations and prohibitions specific to the State in which you practice.

Question #1:

When do I need to use the label “MODEL” on a photograph?

Answer:

The term “model” should be used when the photograph is displaying the results of a procedure or procedures not performed by the physician or practice (displaying the photograph).  Here the term “model” is being used in a general representative fashion and is not being used to display a specific practice or physician’s professional services/results. 

Physicians should secure a written release from any individual, patient, or model before using a photograph of that individual, patient, or model in any way.  The release should be specific to the photographs being used.   The release should also specify the way or ways that the photographs may be used.  For example, a release “for educational purposes”, will not cover internet marketing.  Do not attempt to get a release signed that covers “any and all future images, photographs or depictions…”  Courts have ruled that releases can go stale.  Finally, it is best for the release to specify the conditions and manner by which an individual may revoke the release at a later date.  

Question #2:

I hear the use of testimonials has regulations. Please explain.

Answer:

There are several sources of regulations over the use of patient testimonials.  Some state licensing boards greatly restrict or prohibit testimonials.  Each state has different standards; some flexible, some very restrictive.  The Federal Trade Commission also has rules that apply to the posting of testimonials.  In general, a physician should make sure that the testimonial is accurate (what the patient really said and not paraphrased).

Question #3:

What does HIPAA have to say in its marketing regulations about the use of “before and after” photographs and testimonials?

Answer:

HIPAA in general protects patient privacy.  Although the act does many things, it would prohibit the use of before/after photographs without a patient’s permission.  However there is nothing in the act that would prevent the use of accurate before and after photographs with a patient’s prior approval.  As always, this approval should be documented.  Finally, it should be made clear that a patient can withdraw his or her approval to use the photographs at a later date and that the physician must comply with this subsequent withdrawal of approval.

Question #4:

What is this I am hearing about The Federal Trade Commission in regards to “results not typical” and endorsements?

Answer:

Earlier this year, The Federal Trade Commission set forth new guidelines for the use of testimonials and advertising that apply to many areas including healthcare.  In the past, The Federal Trade Commission has taken action against certain weight loss products when these products were advertised by an individual claiming extreme weight loss.  The FTC’s position was that it is a deceptive trade practice to show an individual has lost 100 lbs. when this result is not at all representative of a typical patient’s outcome.  In this situation, the term “results not typical,” would need to be used.  Under the new regulations, we should expect that the FTC will take a similar approach.  My discussions with FTC officials have led me to believe that the Commission acknowledges that health care results vary.  The Commission’s goal is to see that potential consumers are not misled by advertising.  It is not advisable to select a statistical outlier to be representative and then try to protect it by adding the term” results may vary.”  Under the new FTC rules, you must also disclose the fact if an individual has received compensation (of any amount) or discounted services in exchange for providing a testimonial or endorsement. 

Mr. Sacopulos is a practicing attorney in Indiana.  This article reflects his opinions and perspectives on advertising and legal issues set forth in this article. 

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The Medical Fusion Conference. A New Select Partner.

A new Select Partner has joined Medical Spa MD, the Medical Fusion Conference.

The Medical Fusion Conference is something of an anomaly in the medical conference circut. It's a conference built around providing physicians additional or tangential sources of income in addition to their regular clinical practice, and it's a damn good idea.

The Medical Fusion Conference offers something that's sorely lacking among the conglomeration of clinical shows and expos, a 'horizontal' approch to how physicians can direct their careers along a path of their own choosing. Truth be told, a great number (perhaps the greatest number) of physicians who enter cosmetic medicine or open a laser clinic or medical spa are doing so in order to have more control over their practice, their income, and their life. The Medical Fusion Conference is designed with exactly that goal in mind.

At this coming conference on November 5th to the 7th there will be physicians who have successfully made career choices that have allowed them to escape the grind an hours of traditional clinical practice and have forged their paths that 'leveraged their medical training'. They're film makers, authors, consultants, marketers, and entrepreneurs that have freed up their time and lifestyle to be able to make choices that most physicians can only dream of. The conference brings them all to together in a way that allows other physicians to learn how to replicate their success.

You might not want to be a physician author, consultant, or film maker, or run a concierce practice while consulting for pharmaceutical companies... but the same thinking and skill sets that these physicians have that allowed them to chart their own career path are perfectly applicable to you if you're a physician who wants more control of your practice and your life. Why? Because while the big conferences and expos are really marketing and advertising floor shows that are paid for by vendors, this conference is designed to give you information and skills that you can put to practical use.

Best of all, the conference is still small and intimate enough that you'll have access to every speaker. That's something that you'll never get at the monster expos and conferences. Faculty who are true experts in their fields are being brought in to discuss their careers and developing trends in medicine.  Each day is designed to maximize learning and face time with faculty members including the scheduling of two "meet the faculty" sessions that allow sit down time between participants and the Medical Fusion speakers.

I just got off of the phone with the founder of the conference, Gregory H. Bledsoe, MD, MPH who is also the CEO of ExpedMed and Chief Editor of Expedition & Wilderness Medicine and I was more than just a little impressed. This conference is quite obviously something special and deserves your support.

If you're looking to give yourself some new tools in your career, this is the place to be.

Confirmed faculty for the Medical Fusion Conference include:

• Gregory Bledsoe, MD, MPH, CEO of ExpedMed and Chief Editor of the textbook Expedition & Wilderness Medicine. ExpedMed.org
  
• Natalie Hodge, MD, Co-Founder & Chief Health Officer of Personal Medicine PersonalMedicine.com
• Elliot Justin, MD, Founder of telemedicine group SwiftMD and CEO of Pegasus Emergency Group. SwiftMD.com   Pegasus.md
• John LaPuma, MD, New York Times best-selling author and founder of ChefMD. ChefMD.com
• Steven Knope, MD, New York Times best-selling author of Concierge Medicine: A New System to Get the Best Healthcare. ConciergeMedicineMD.com
• Setu Mazumdar, MD, Founder and President, Lotus Wealth Solutions.  lotuswealthsolutions.com
• Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA, Professor of Otolarynogology, Dentistry, & Engineering, University of Colorado and Founder of the Society of Physician Entrepreneurs. sopenet.org
• Steven Peskin, MD, MBA, Executive VP and CMO of MediMedia. medimedia.com
• Jeffrey Segal, MD, JD,  Founder and CEO of Medical Justice. medicaljustice.com
• Gary Taff, MD, entrepreneur and real estate investor
• Mike Woo-Ming, MD, MPH, entrepreneur and internet marketing consultant. themarketingmd.com