FEED-BACK.COM E-ZINE
APRIL 2006 Volume 9 Issue 3
Medical Spas
Most industry analysts would agree that the U.S. medical spa market began growing rapidly in 2003. At that time, many physicians and health care professionals contemplated the medical spa model as a new type of practice. The best case scenario would allow practitioners to provide alternative and/or comprehensive services without massive amounts of administrative paperwork or stringent managed care service delivery criteria.
Historical Perspectives:
At the November 2003 MedicalSpa Conference that was held at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort & Spa (Indian Wells CA), physician speakers frequently mentioned the following practice objectives in their presentations:
• Combining alternative, complementary, mind-body, preventive, and other medical practices
• Creating “memorable experiences”
• Emphasizing healthy aging/living and moving away from the "disease treatment" model
• Spending quality time with patients
A U.S. medical spa typically offers aesthetic procedures (facials, fillers, non-invasive cosmetic surgery, etc.) in a relaxing setting within a facility that is operated by a physician or licensed health care professional. The difference between the attitudes expressed at the 2003 MedicalSpa Conference and the types of facilities that are in operation today is apparent in print and web media. For example, an article entitled "Getting Technical" in the November 2005 issue of Skin Inc. divides medical spas into three categories: Dermatology, Laser, and Plastic Surgery. Service menus are increasingly procedure-based, a trend that suggests body work and spa treatments are secondary to the medical side of these businesses.
In February 2006, the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS; Chicago IL) issued a white paper to educate the public and emphasize patient safety. Physicians were also encouraged to carefully review liability before becoming affiliated with or opening a medical spa because state laws generally do not include specifications beyond those regulating health care facilities.
Increasing Demand For Aesthetic & Cosmetic Procedures:
Press releases from several cosmetic and plastic surgery associations highlight the rise in procedure volumes for invasive and non-invasive aesthetic services. Every year, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS; New York NY) publishes a statistical review of cosmetic procedures from survey data collected from thousands of board-certificated physicians and surgeons. In the 2004 "Cosmetic Surgery Trends" Table, ASAPS tracks the rising numbers of non-surgical and surgical cosmetic procedures performed in the United States. While surgical cosmetic procedures increased from under one million in 1997 to more than two million in 2004, non-surgical procedures exploded from slightly over one million to nearly 10 million during the same period of time.
Market Estimates & Forecasts:
According to several spa industry and other sources, the U.S. medical spa market has experienced a remarkable growth rate. Some published estimates are highlighted below:
• Early estimates suggest that there were 500 - 700 medical spas operating within the United States in 2003. [1]
• In 2006, the Executive Director of the International Medical Spa Association (IMSA; Union City NJ) estimated that the number of U.S. medical spas exploded from fewer than twenty facilities in 2001 to 1,250 or even 1,500 by year-end 2005. [2]
• The 1,250 estimate from 2005 is supported by figures attributed to the International Spa Association (ISPA; Lexington KY). In 2004, there were 12,100 spas operating in the United States [3], an estimated 10% of which were medical spas.[4]
[1] DAYSPA Magazine, September 2003
[2] “Spas Moving To Malls”, online article attributed to the Wall Street Journal, posted online January 16th, 2006 by the Journal Gazette (www.FortWayne.com)
[3] “Massages for the Masses”, published by International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), May 2005
[4] Original source unknown. In June 2006, Feedback Research Services published a new report, Medical Spa Market Review. Coverage includes estimated revenues, issues, operations, and trends. Visit Medical Spa Market Review for more information or contact us at: 541-899-8088 or info@Feed-back.com.
