Physician Income: Why America is Not Sympathetic
Doctors work hard and they go to school for a very long time before getting to a point where they can make a healthy salary. However, when you combine the delayed gratification of their first real-world paycheck (anywhere from 7 to 12 years after completing college) and large student loans, that once healthy salary becomes […]
Price Awareness Improves Patient Experience
After taking over an existing plastic surgery practice here in San Francisco almost a year ago and providing pricing information on my private practice website, I’ve learned a few interesting things. Patients like price transparency! Allow me to explain. On our website, we have a Pricing tab. If you click on this tab, you’ll […]
Why are all of my Yelp reviews hidden?!
I don’t want to upset the Yelp gods by writing this post but what gives?! Seven months ago I took over Pacific Heights Plastic Surgery and when I did that, I also took over the social media, website and Yelp page for the practice too. The practice was previously headed by Dr. Donald Brown and […]
Anti-Aging Medicine: Don’t forget the medicine!
I have the privilege of working with a unique company, Total Rejuvenation. They are a nationwide service for men and women who are sensing a change in their life with aging – whether it be emotional, physical or sexual dysfunction – and are looking for help. Many of these life changes can be due to […]
The Plastic Surgeon’s Wife
In the past, most plastic surgeons, or for that matter, the wives of most doctors that were in private practice, had the role of being the office manager. This was natural because a medical practice was very personal, not corporate, and who best to keep an eye on the dollars flowing through the practice than […]
The Times, They are a Changin’: Medical Marketing
As I previously alluded to in this post, the way a doctor, particularly a plastic surgeon goes about medical marketing of his/her practice has changed so much. From no medical marketing at all, to print ads and social media, we are now entering a new era in physician marketing. Before, you marketed to consumers that weren’t […]
Who wants a house call from their plastic surgeon?!
A house call may be a thing of the past for logical reasons but it can come in handy at times. Back in the day, when there were limited treatment options for patients other than elixirs from the apothecary, it made sense for a doctor to go to a home and provide “treatment.” However, as […]
Incorporating Concierge Medicine into My Cosmetic Surgery Practice
Concierge medicine is a model of providing medical care in the office setting that has taken on many different meanings over time. The genesis of this new model developed after years of declining reimbursement, forcing doctors to see more patients for less time, just to cover overhead. To reverse the trend, some primary care doctors […]
Doctor’s Orders: White coat or a suit?
How do you want to see your doctor when you arrive for your clinic visit?! Do you think a white coat makes them look smarter or more professional? What if they were wearing a nice suit? Would that make you think they have a lot of money, maybe too much money, to spend on nice […]
3 Reasons Price Transparency is Good for the Doctor and the Patient
What will make doctors like patients more and what will make patients like doctors more?! Full disclosure, honesty and price transparency. They all go hand in hand. And nothing is more absent from healthcare than price transparency, but that doesn’t have to be. Price transparency can, if done the right way, give both the patient […]