StrataGist 2010
One Analyst's Observations…
This month, we're augmenting Feed-back.com's ongoing analysis of the "medical retail" and "medical spa" markets with esthetician perspectives. The following material includes highlights from the "Medical Esthetics Summit" of the 2010 Face & Body Conference that was held July 19th, 2010 at the Hilton San Jose.
Speakers included: Terri Wojak of True University Esthetics, Jennifer Linder MD of PCA Skin, Colleen Shimamato of DermaQuest, Tracy Drumm of IF Marketing, Suzanne S. Warfield of Paramedical Consultants, and Jan Marini of Jan Marini Skin Research. Emphasis was placed on issues and trends that directly affect working estheticians.
August 2010 - Medical Esthetics Summit of the 2010 Face and Body Conference:
Esthetician Services Benefit Patients & Physicians
In recent years, medical offices and medical spas have added retail products and services to their aesthetics menus. A recurring theme at recent Face & Body Conferences emphasizes the need for industry participants to educate patients and physicians about the important skills estheticians provide. The financial picture can also improve by adding $7,000 or more annually per facility.
In the panel discussion, participants identified several trends. Colleen Shimamato noted that some procedures are being combined, such as microdermabrasion with chemical peels. Estheticians are also informing patients about the immediate and longer term effects of the treatments, while also managing expectations.
Dr. Linder suggested that estheticians can improve their perceived "value" by using their education, knowledge, and skills to build trust within the medical community. Medical practices experienced greater economic pressure in 2009 as well as declining service revenues. Innovative office administrators and physicians can employ estheticians to reverse that trend by adding new services, acting as patient advocates within the medical practice, improving patient retention rates, and selling skin care products.
A major obstacle that estheticians and skin care industry participants need to overcome is the variance in definitions, educational, and other standards that are adopted and enacted on a state-by-state basis. The National Coalition of Estheticians, Manufacturers / Distributors and Associations (NCEA) provides information about certification requirements and continuing education, as well as a certification process that is acknowledged in Canada and the United States. To date, approximately one-third of the 49 states that offer licensure recognize parts of NCEA certification.
Suzanne S. Warfield addressed esthetician definitions, scope of practice, titles, treatments, etc. by presenting the NCEA position and providing examples of how things vary from one state to another. Regarding safety concerns voiced by some state medical board members, Ms. Warfield observed that estheticians typically have 600 hours of training versus the seven years or more required for physicians.
There are several proactive measures estheticians can take to correct misperceptions: Be careful with the terminology used in marketing materials (e.g., "chemical exfoliation" versus "chemical peeling"), discuss limitations with risk managers before making any offers or claims to clients / patients, know the scientific basis for treatments, and substitute a license number and industry affiliations for vague descriptive titles (e.g., "licensed medical esthetician").
Several speakers conducted informal audience polls to determine education levels, job titles, etc. Approximately half of the attendees were estheticians, and 30.0% of that cohort had another specialty or job title (e.g., patient coordinator, registered nurse, spa director, etc.). Only one-third of audience members worked in medical offices, although another 20.0% to 25.0% planned to do so.
One of the most consistent "take home lessons" was that loyalty / patient retention is a primary reason for estheticians and physicians to combine forces. Ms. Warfield indirectly suggested that knowledge is power (e.g., know the rules and regulations) and that political action is an important part of the process to support positive change.
For past issues of StrataGist, visit the 2008-2009 and 2010 Archives.
