Revenue Summer 2012 Vol 1, No 2

Scars that Run Deep How you can help young burn survivors around the country

Double-Double Burger to Go The secret sauce behind the Gold Standard Laser Company

The Light Bulb Moment That helped one dermatologist become instantly profitable

The 4 Letter Secret to Patient Satisfaction The marketing trick that will make your patients love you

M22™ Spotlight

COMING NEXT ISSUE FROM THE FRONTLINES OF TREATMENT Next issue, we’re reporting from the front lines of medical research and treatment by profiling Lumenis’ involvement with wounded warriors being treated by physicians using the Lumenis UltraPulse® fractional laser.

By improving quality of life for those who have come back from defending America’s interests overseas with physical or emotional scars, Lumenis is working with physicians to bring scar treatments beyond the cosmetic and elective. Watch for your next issue of Revenue and The Source to read the full article.

Table of Contents Sorting Filler From Facts

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Provider Profile - Kaitlin Walker

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Deep Scar Treatment

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Your Patients Are Asking, “What’s In It For Me?”

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A Special Order of Lumenis Service

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The Real Test

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New Updates – M22™

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Sorting Filler from Facts: what you need to look for in marketing services

“I have been burned before by marketing companies.”

Chances are you have heard these words from a friend, fellow physician, or your own mouth.

Manta.com has 134,029 companies listed under Marketing and Advertising Companies in the United States. Marketing can be a wise investment, but not every company is going to know what’s best for a cosmetic practice. With no shortage of options, you have the right to be picky. Before investing, ask yourself the following questions.

1. Are the tools customized for my practice’s needs and to match my brand? The marketing services you purchase should match the brand you are striving to build or maintain. If you have a high-end brand for example, be sure that promotional tools match this image. A coupon or discount program would be inconsistent with a “classy” brand and may hurt you more than help you. Instead, a gift certificate program would help maintain your elite status and offer the same value as a coupon. Choose a marketing consultant that recognizes the importance of building a consistent message.

2. Are there additional costs or fees required to utilize the tools? Of all the questions to ask this is perhaps the most important as 4 SUMMER 2012 / REVENUE

it can produce the most expensive answer.

Ask the company offering marketing support the cost to execute their plans. Be careful to ensure your “free” marketing services won’t require additional expenses that you had not budgeted for. Postage, printing costs, data purchases and monthly retainers are the most common hidden fees that can quickly add up. Tools such as files for a newsletter or postcard mailer will require you to pay outof-pocket to execute the printing and mailing. Be cautious of “grocery lists” filled with free marketing tools and evaluate the cost to implement versus the potential return.

3. How do you know the tools and solutions will be effective? Just as your patients want to see before and after photos to gain reassurance for your work, ask your potential consultant or marketing company to show samples of their past success stories. Case studies showing financial benchmarks will help depict results you can expect. Don’t be afraid to ask for references or to contact past clients.

4. How much time/energy does it take for staff members to implement the program/tools?

Your staff members likely wear many “hats” and have extensive daily “to-do” lists. How much time or additional work will the efforts

PROVIDER SPOTLIGHT

require of your team? Does your consultant have a plan in place to help the staff implement new services with ease? As your employees typically control most of the patient interaction, their support is critical in determining the success of any new promotion. Experienced consultants will likely have a plan in place to assure their plans do not become a burden to your staff. Be sure to inquire about additional training should you have staff turnover and need to train new staff on how to utilize the tools you have purchased. Some companies will charge extra for this additional training. Address this up front and avoid “sticker shock” at a later date.

5. What follow-through will the company/ consultant have after I make my purchase?

Marketing for the aesthetic industry should mirror your approach to patient care. Just as you have post-operative appointments to track the progress of your patients, the most effective marketing programs offer support after their initial services are completed. Marketing is an ongoing investment and will rarely get you busy overnight. Be proactive and ask what sort of support the consultant or company offers in the months following their services.

- Tracy L. Drumm, Business Development Specialist

Meet Kaitlin Walker – A LightSheer® DUET™ die-hard. As a woman who has built her career around the business of hair removal, Kaitlin has performed 2,147 LHR treatments and averages 15 hair removal patients a day.

The ability to have a great product and produce engaging marketing materials like her catchy “hair cards” are just one of the many reasons Kaitlin says the LightSheer DUET makes a strong new revenue stream for the right practice.

TOP 10 REASONS

Kaitlin recommends the DUET™

10. Shortened treatment times 9. Little to no discomfort for patient 8. Little to no reaction on the skin 7. Can treat all skin types 6. Little to no post treatment care for the patient 5. Easy to understand and transport 4. Diagnostic screen makes it easy to choose treatment settings 3. The choice of two hand pieces allows you to treat any area 2. Easy to clean and disinfect 1. Cost effective – the disposable tips are not expensive 5

DEEP SCAR TREATMENT Angel Faces, Emotional Healing and the UltraPulse 6 SUMMER 2012 / REVENUE

速

T

he aesthetic industry is often thought of as the “fun” side of medicine. With ongoing scientific advancement, medical professionals have the incredible power to enhance appearance. With that said, the industry is scolded for being shallow – appearances don’t matter; it’s what on the inside that counts. To some, that maxim holds deep meaning.

At 9 years old, Lesia Cartelli suffered from a severe burn injury after a gas explosion in the basement of her grandparent’s home, leaving second and third degree burns on more than 50% of her face and body. This accident was the makings of a mentor in the world of burn survivors around the country.

Since 1991, Cartelli has developed and directed after-care programs for burn-injured children, become involved in countless support efforts and added professional motivational speaker to her skill set.

Of all of her accomplishments, Cartelli is most known for being the founder of Angel Faces. The first of its kind, this nonprofit organization brings adolescent girls with severe burns together each summer to provide emotional healing. This seemingly large task is accomplished by a combination of lessons on the effects of trauma, social role playing on how to handle staring and teasing,

body awareness and corrective cosmetic enhancement – an inside-out approach. This organization was intended for more than providing the girls with a vacation away from the realities of their injuries. Rather it was a catalyst to helping the girls survive socially and emotionally in the real world.

The last step on the track of the retreat focuses on re-instilling the girls’ confidence in their appearance. Originally, it covered cosmetics – teaching the girls how to apply makeup to downplay their scars, use eyebrow pencil to fill in their eyebrows and use lip liner to make their lips more symmetrical. Little did Cartelli know that a recent development in the aesthetic industry was about to add a whole new element to her retreat.

Cartelli discovered laser treatment in November 2009. She was watching the 7

Today show when renowned dermatologist, Dr. Jill Waibel, spoke about the new advancement in scar treatment with something called fractional CO2 technology.

The technology was the Lumenis UltraPulse, the only laser that can reach the depths of the skin required to treat deep scars.

This segment contributed to the birth of a new treatment that we refer to today as Synergistic Coagulation and Ablation for Advanced Resurfacing, or SCAAR FX. Cartelli was amazed by the results of this laser after watching Dr. Waibel treat 20-yearold triplet girls with severe burns that had been with them since 17 months of age. She thought to herself – Is this really possible?

Dr. Waibel removed all doubt when she became Cartelli’s physician. That first day in Dr. Waibel’s Miami offices, Cartelli’s skin was not the only thing that changed. Years of skin grafting and painful surgery had still left her with raised skin and restricted flexibility. After one SCAAR FX treatment, Cartelli saw a noticeable difference in the look and feel of her skin.

“With a laser, it’s unbelievable. No hospital time. Minimal recovery. She did my entire face. Nine days later, I did an interview on Lifetime,” says Cartelli.

Beyond the scientific benefits, the social benefits are priceless. She can now be in public makeup-free without having to endure

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stares. The pressure to put on a big smile to combat public perception has significantly subsided. Even her loved ones, blind to her scars, are in awe of her changes.

Cartelli receives a $3500 check from the Lumenis offices

For Cartelli, who has long learned to live as someone who experienced a burn injury rather than live as a burn victim, these aesthetic changes were an unexpected gift. But for the thousands of young women who still have a long way to go; these lasers are a game-changer.

“I will beat the drum for Lumenis as long as the sun shines. There is so much collaboration that I foresee with Angel Faces and Lumenis.

We are just getting our feelers out to see what that picture looks like,” says Cartelli.

Last retreat, 19 year old Haley offered her experience with laser treatment to the group.

She spoke about her tissue expanders, what the laser looks like, her before and after pictures and the short recovery process. It

was a compelling story that motivated the other girls and put their fears at ease; one was even inspired to book her own laser treatment upon her return home.

eager to lend their services to these girls.

Unfortunately, these “Angels” outnumber this small circle of physicians. Because of this, Lumenis is always on the lookout for more leaders in this innovative treatment.

Adolescent girls with burn injuries come together at Angel Faces Retreat

According to Cartelli, this is only the beginning.

A partnership with Lumenis means more funding for the girls to attend retreats, more educational opportunities for Lumenis and the chance to join forces with physicians as further advancements are made in burn treatments. Lumenis is working hard within their own company to lend a hand – from a surprise donation at their National Sales and Service Meeting to a kind gesture from their flagship office during the holidays.

SCAAR FX treatment has become a hot topic amongst the Angel Faces participants; to many girls, it’s not just a wanted service, it’s a needed service. Dr. Waibel is among a small group of pioneers in the development of scar revision treatment; each of them

Cartelli still believes in emotional healing being first and foremost. “One of the most important aspects of our retreats and ongoing programs is to lead the girls to a deeper place inside themselves beyond physical beauty,” she says.

But as Cartelli also likes to point out, “It’s still important to make the girls feel pretty.” After all, ‘pretty’ can mean the world to one little girl who has survived a house fire, spent more time in a hospital than on the playground, and just wants to go back to being a little girl again.

- Stacey Clarke, Brand Specialist Interested in getting involved?

Call us: (760) 487-1720 Visit our website: www.angelfacesretreat.org Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AngelFacesInc

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YOUR PATIENTS ARE ASKING

“WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?” Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms, Honey Nut Cheerios, Kashi Cereal...Vitamin D enhancement, Whole Grains, Oat Fiber, Spelt Flakes, Barley Malt Extract, Organic, Made-from-natural ingredients, Corn Syrup.

If you have ever made a trip to the cereal aisle, you know what it is like to be bombarded with brands vying for your attention.

The cereal aisle, however, has nothing on the endless opportunities available to the aesthetic patient. A once exclusive service, aesthetic medicine has now become much more widely available than ever before. From Plastic Surgeons to Medical Spas, Dermatologists to Laser Centers, the competition is fierce. With Groupon

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and other daily deals making nonsurgical treatments increasingly affordable, you need to provide potential and current patients alike with other reasons to choose your practice above your competitors.

The secret is one simple question - What’s In It For Me? – or W.I.F.M. This is one of the philosophies that IF Marketing, a firm specializing in the medical aesthetic industry, encourages practices to keep in mind when communicating with their patients.

The answer may seem obvious. What’s in it for your patients? Safe and effective procedures, provided by me – an experienced physician. Wrong. That simply does not cut it anymore. The question is – what will the patient get with you that they can’t find anywhere else?

Surprisingly enough, the answer doesn’t lie on your highway billboard or radio ad; it begins inside your practice. To start, beforeand-after pictures can make quite an impact.

When a patient can see how much of an improvement a fellow patient has seen thanks to your work, they are much more inclined to seek out your services.

So how do you let patients know that they will derive the most ROI from the services at your practice? Patient Education.

Referring back to the example mentioned above, imagine handing a patient a Sushi Menu, a marketing tool that showcases before-and-after pictures on all of your procedures with check boxes next to each. As you are leading them into a consultation or treatment room, encourage them to stay occupied while they wait by looking over the menu. Direct them to place a check next to any procedure they would like to learn more about, or simply save their questions for the physician when he enters the treatment room. You are not openly selling them your services; rather, you are educating them.

Savvy internal marketing tools keep the focus on the patient’s needs and desires, reinforcing to them W.I.F.M. when they choose your practice over others. This includes presenting staff credentials. After all, your staff is going to be working with the patient on a relatively invasive level. Being familiar with a surgeon or aesthetician’s education and experience can set their mind at ease and significantly increase their comfort level. Which practice would you choose – the practice where you barely know the staff, or the practice where you recognize the receptionist when you walk in and know exactly where your physician earned his degree?

Staff credentials can be rolled into an internal marketing tool called a Photobook, which also includes beforeand-after pictures as well as a brief synopsis of procedures offered at the practice. Photobooks are also a nice way to solidify a practice’s level of class, as the tool is created from high quality materials and can be used as a centerpiece in the front lobby.

Ultimately, it is imperative to continuously reinforce to patients, through the education opportunities offered by internal marketing materials, the high quality of the staff and services at your practice. This W.I.F.M. will help you consistently stay ahead of the competition, even when vying for patients against a sea of competitors.

- Stacey Clarke, Brand Specialist 11

A SPECIAL

OF LUMENIS SERVICE

IN-N-OUT Burger is a popular fast food restaurant on the West Coast. This iconic burger hot spot is known for two things.

One, the friendly and almost overly helpful attitude of every IN-N-OUT employee.

Two, the secret menu that offers items such as the “Double-Double” or the “Animal Style” french fries. One does not know to order these food items unless one is a regular IN-N-OUT customer.

Estimated to bring in annual revenue of $465 million, the wildly successful company knows that the best way to generate

ORDER business is by offering the best service, and letting that service speak for itself.

Lumenis and IN-N-OUT burger have more in common than you may think. Lumenis’ business approach to their tech service is almost identical to the fast food chain.

So just how good is this special sauce that Lumenis serves? For the physician, practice manager, and nurse who is not in-the -know, here is your chance to hear about it from the Lumenis service team members themselves.

Just like the “Double Double,” unless you are already a Lumenis customer or are a well-educated laser consumer, you may not know the extent of care that the Lumenis service team provides.

Introducing…

The physician who is a Lumenis customer, however, is well aware.

How long has Lumenis been providing this high caliber service to their customers?

BZ Ellis, the Vice President of Services for Lumenis and Jeff Thompson, Eastern Region Service Manager – here to explain the depth of the Lumenis service.

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“

It takes us about three years to get an engineer fully up to speed. The only thing our team does is work on our lasers.”

BZ: We’ve been doing it for 35 years. As the market leader, we have the opportunity and luxury to develop a very strong service organization. Most of our competitors don’t have that luxury. Many of them are very young developments. They simply don’t have the money to invest in it. We have a footprint across the US – a total of 45 technicians. That is a unique feature of our service business.

These are rather complex machines. They end up with very expensive, very large parts. Thirty five years of experience has taught us how to manage the logistics of getting the right part to the right person at the right time. It is quite a significant undertaking. I think we’re better than anybody else at doing that.

What makes the Lumenis service team different than other Laser companies?

BZ: We don’t use contractors. All 45 technicians are strictly Lumenis-employed.

We control the quality of the service and the product. Contracting out to other people takes away a lot of the control.

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Each and every one of them have been in the business for 10 to 30 years – some for more than 30.

Jeff: It takes us about three years to get an engineer fully up to speed. The only thing our team does is work on our lasers.

They’re specialists. Our competitors who use contractors may be working with all kinds of different systems.

What happens when a practice calls with a broken Laser?

Jeff: Upon calling the Lumenis call center, you will get connected to the Lumenis engineer in your area. They will try to do as much diagnosis over the phone as possible. That way, when the engineer comes on site, they are prepared.

BZ: With the higher level of service, you will receive service within 2 days. Even with the lower level of service, it takes no longer than 5 days (it’s often less).

What are the different levels of service that Lumenis provides?

BZ: Your level of service is based on the piece of equipment. We have our basic packages for service programs. They encompass all preventive maintenance activities which includes a couple maintenance inspections a year to make sure the device is up to spec. We proactively look for any wear out items that may cause the device to go down. All of

your repair activities – both labor and parts – are fully covered.

What is the biggest benefit to a practice working with your service team?

BZ: The value of a good service team is essential to reducing the risk level of your business. When your equipment is down, it’s a burden to administration, you have to reschedule customers, and sometimes you may even lose customers. Our programs are designed to mitigate downtime. We reduce financial risk caused by costly repairs.

Jeff: Some of the parts within a laser itself can cost anywhere from 10-15% of the cost of a brand new laser. A maintenance agreement defers the cost of ownership over a longer period of time, and removes concern of that potential $10,000 to $15,000 repair. Secondly, a maintenance agreement also reduces the risk of injury in an adverse event.

Whether you are looking for the best burger in town, or looking to grow your aesthetic business with the best technology available, the surest way to find out is by asking your peers. They can always be trusted for an unbiased opinion, which is why a very savvy burger company and a very smart laser company caught on to the fact that service is where their resources should be concentrated.

- Stacey Clarke, Brand Specialist

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The Real Test

Eight hours, three sections, 36 glass histopathologic slides, 132 multiple choice questions, 160 digital images. This memorable test is supposedly the biggest hurdle to becoming a Dermatologist. But most seasoned veterans will agree; passing the Board is just the beginning. The real test begins when you open your own practice.

Question number 1: What equipment is going to give me the largest return?

Meet Dr. Mathew Knight. He is a board certified dermatologist specializing in surgical and cosmetic dermatology with special interest in cosmetic laser surgery of the skin.

A young aesthetic physician, Dr. Knight was eager to put his knowledge to work in his fledgling Orlando practice.

“I was bewildered by the sheer quantity of devices available for purchase, and equally confused by the rave reviews that each one of these boxes seemed to receive…How could they all be indispensable to my practice?”

After being inundated with products, platforms and promises, Dr. Knight finally settled on a pulsed dye laser and a long-pulsed ND:Yag –

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a tradeshow special. After all, it was his laser of choice in residency and he couldn’t wait to put it to use on complicated port wine stains and facial telangiectasia.

Unfortunately, in a marketplace hot with laser hair removal, sun damage and skin tightening – the big, shiny, serious lasers were just not delivering. Dr. Knight found himself referring out hundreds if not thousands of patients to other physicians who could deliver.

Despite memorizing countless laser wavelengths and formulas for calculating thermal relaxation time, Dr. Knight came to realize that he had gotten the wrong tools for the job.

“My problem was that I was biased. I thought

“The M22™ was instantly profitable in my practice due to its versatility and speed,” said Dr. Knight. that intense pulsed light (IPL), a non-laser, was beneath the serious cosmetic laser surgeon.”

Coming into his own as a physician and a businessman, he knew that the customer should get what the customer wants. He came to realize that a cosmetic practice will have a better chance of success by starting broad, and then finding his specialization. He purchased the IPL (the Lumenis M22).

“The M22 was instantly profitable in my practice due to its versatility and speed,” said Dr. Knight.

Referring patients out is a distant memory for Dr. Knight. He now treats hyperpigmentation, flushing, lentigos, and provides permanent

hair reduction and photofacials on a regular basis. The sheer power of the machine allows him to treat his patients in one or two treatments instead of four or five. His M22 IPL is now the busiest machine in his practice – out of eight optical devices.

Sometimes, the most complicated of questions has a not-so-complicated answer.

Question: What is going to get me the largest return?

Answer: Providing the services that will make the greatest number of patients happy. It took some time, but Dr. Knight passed the test with flying colors.

- Stacey Clarke, Brand Specialist 17

HAVE IT ALL, BEAUTIFULLY. THE M22 ANALYSIS: • • • •

A touch screen interface means ultimate ease of use A single device treats more than 30 conditions One treatment head covers all IPL applications Pre-loaded treatment parameters so you can begin treating patients immediately • Portable between offices – base device weighs only 88 pounds Learn more at: www.aesthetic.lumenis.com/m22 www.knightdermatology.com A single overachiever that treats more than 30 conditions, the M22 IPL and Nd:YAG work together as a table-top machine that is ready to roll, straight out of the box. Lumenis-exclusive Optimal Pulse Technology™ (OPTTM) ensures that the M22 is the most reliable player in your practice, delivering consistent and reproducible results for patients – and for more patients than ever before.

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aesthetic.lumenis.com • 408.764.3000 PB-1127650_A Lumenis Magazine, Summer 2012, Vol 1, No 2

PB-1108150_A Revenue eMagazine – Vol 1, No 1 ECO 12390