When looking at your dermatology office, many derms underestimate the value of its appearance to patients. On the one hand, it is true that patients do not come to see you because you have a glamorous office. They come to you because you have a thorough education, well-trained background and, most of all, a reputation for excellent care in dermatology.
However, it is important to build and maintain a certain professional appearance, both in our dress as well as our surroundings. It is important not to shake off these material concerns entirely, as they can suggest cleanliness, comfort, and professionalism to our patients. Here are a few tips:
1.) Upgrade the products in your office.
Everything that you use in your office reflects on you. Try putting out beautiful books in the lobby instead of magazines. Have standardized uniforms for staff with name tags. Make sure you use the proper cleansers and hand washes in bathrooms and exam rooms. Clean floors matter too! Make sure that the skincare product display looks professional and up-to-par with the type of practice you want to build. Patients do notice these things and it helps them form an opinion about you.
2.) Keep materials accessible, up-to-date, and professional.
Patient educational handouts should be clear and concise. Consent forms should be updated and specific to each procedure. In my dermatology practice, we use consent videos so that we can be certain that patients are properly consented.
Consider using a system to provide detailed take-home information for clients. We put all of our educational material in Touch MD so we can easily email it to patients. Compliance with skincare can be an issue, so we make sure to provide their recommended skincare regimen, clearly printed out with instructions.
3.) Display skincare prominently.
Display of skincare products is important. We group the products in a color coded system by Baumann Skin Type as shown above. The staff wears their skin type proudly displayed on a button on their uniform to encourage conversation about skincare and to remind the patient of the importance of a consistent skincare regimen.
In Summary
Your patients are constantly evaluating all aspects of your practice for neatness, courtesy, and professionalism. We recommend upgrading the products you use, keeping the office neat and clean, utilizing a system to organize and easily print consent forms and take-home materials, and to display skincare prominently. We also recommend effectuating a business goal of skin typing all of your patients, creating top-of-mind awareness for your staff and patients to know their skin type, and encouraging your patients to only purchase skincare products that have ingredients that are appropriate and efficacious for their unique skin type. We have devised very simple and low-cost ways to help you accomplish this. You can learn more at STSFranchise.com.
Developed by world-renowned dermatologist, Leslie Baumann, MD, the Skin Type Solutions® Franchise System is an educational, science-based skincare store that implements a simple and reliable system to maximize skincare product sales and improve patient compliance and results.
Based on Dr. Baumann’s patent-pending Baumann Skin Typing System, this first-of-its-kind retail model provides dermatologists with the scientific methodology, training, and education necessary to prescribe effective, customized skincare regimens utilizing multiple brands of products that have been independently tested and approved by Dr. Baumann. To learn more about what Skin Type Solutions can do for your dermatology practice, visit the STS site here.