Aesthetics Clinic opened by RN's

suzanne4, RN · Jan 24, 2005

Depends what your state laws allows them to do. Removal of skin tags is considered a surgical procedure. They may still have an MD affiliated with them, they don't have to advertise it.

For them to purchase Botox, it has to be ordered by a physician. Thy cannot order it on their own, so there is a doc somewhere, perhaps just in the shadows.

BChapp3182 · Apr 20, 2005

I too am in process of training for nonsurgical procedures with the hopes of establishing my own practice--eventually. You must have a medical director somewhere "in the background" to have this type of business. Here in Florida the director does not have to be on site but does need to be 30 min or less away and available for consultation. There are very strict rules and regulations regarding the opening of this type of clinic, you actually have to have an MD before you can even apply for licensure of the clinic. There are state rules that describe the responsibility of the MD such as record keeping and how many practices the MD can supervise as well as employees. There are even laws about such things as how much malpractice insurance your MD and clinic must carry. In FL you must put in your advertisement the medical director's name. There are soooo many things from who can do what procedures to how you have to pay your MD. Go to your state's website and start weeding through all the material to get a good start.

Unfortunately I am seeing that in my state MD's who are not derm's or plastic surgeons are realizing the oppertunity to make big bucks in this beauty industry. So, the board of medicine is starting to put restrictions on things that never were restricted before, like IPL lasers. This way they can pass a law stating that only MD's can operate the device which means that RN's and people who could use them before now can not---they are taking over our business and our profits!:angryfire

Hoorrayyy for the RNs who opened their own practice, more power to them!

pthalg · Aug 10, 2005

What have u come across in regards to the fee or % that should be paid for MD to sponsor you?

BChapp3182 · Aug 11, 2005

I have offered my MD 20% of the income of the spa (less all expenses). We are both still investigating that and he has not yet accepted. I feel that 20% was very reasonable. He is not on premisis and not involved in the daily operation. He comes and goes doing laser procedures when i can book him enough clients. He has put zero dollars out to start this business so has nothing invested. As for malpractice, you don't need it. He does not carry it and we have a sign in the lobby stating we don't have any. You can't really harm anyone permanently with these cosmetic procedures so the risk is super low. The cost of med spa insurance is at least $26k per year, not worth it unless your making a ton of money and seeing a lot of pts.

In my above post I was wrong about how to set up the operation. It does not have to be a clinic. Just open a corporation and have the MD work as an independent contractor to the corporation. It's that simple.

pthalg · Aug 11, 2005

thanks for the info. 26K per year for malpractice insurance? Is that for the nurse and the doctor? Is the cost the same regardless of size of your business. I was wondering what state do u live in? Does your state require direct or indirect supervision? Please let me know if the 20% is accepted. Again thank you for your info.

CJE · Sep 7, 2005

RN's are opening skin care clinics around the country with and without MD's on staff or designated as Medical Directors. The Dallas Center for Advanced Aesthetics is the only Physician-taught course I am aware of (others taught by estheticians, etc) that prepares RN's, MD's, and Aestheticians to be Medical Aesthetics Provider. From there, a nurse can open her own business (under state rules) performing duties that do not require MD's. In our state, I opened my own skin care clinic performing pure acid chemical peels (no side-effects and very effective compared to buffered) that are very successful. I work PT in a med spa and contracted as a back up nurse to do Botox on sites where MD's are established or are Medical Directors. The training was offerred to me by a Med Spa wanting a back up nurse - I approached them and asked if I could shadow their nurse and from there, they offerred me the training. I had to pay for the botox vial which was $450 but the training launched my potential and abilities. Clients are then seeing me at different locations for their needs and they don't mind at all. Its the skill and relationship with the RN that they trust and want.

Today in the Sun paper (TX), I saw an ad seeking clients for an aesthetics clinic that just opened. I have also seen television commericals for them. There is no MD's name anywhere on the ad. My question is how--how do you open a clinic like this without an MD? They offer services such as botox inj, laser hair removal, acne scar tx., microdermabrasion, varicose vein tx., skin tag removal, non-surgical wrinkle reduction and mesotherapy (not sure what that is). They both have a BSN. I wish them all the luck. I'm just not sure how they did it. Anybody else know the answer?

suzanne4, RN · Sep 7, 2005

I have offered my MD 20% of the income of the spa (less all expenses). We are both still investigating that and he has not yet accepted. I feel that 20% was very reasonable. He is not on premisis and not involved in the daily operation. He comes and goes doing laser procedures when i can book him enough clients. He has put zero dollars out to start this business so has nothing invested. As for malpractice, you don't need it. He does not carry it and we have a sign in the lobby stating we don't have any. You can't really harm anyone permanently with these cosmetic procedures so the risk is super low. The cost of med spa insurance is at least $26k per year, not worth it unless your making a ton of money and seeing a lot of pts.
In my above post I was wrong about how to set up the operation. It does not have to be a clinic. Just open a corporation and have the MD work as an independent contractor to the corporation. It's that simple.

You need to investigate what you want to do more thoroughly, you can do quite a bit of damage with Botox, if it is not injected properly, such as causing a facial paralysis, damage to the eye muscles, etc. A client can have a reaction tro one of the ingredients in one of the products that you are using for a facial, etc. A problem can arise out of anything that you do, if someone tells you otherwise, run away from them.

If you remember, there is actually a doctor and his wife in Florida on life support because of problems with some Botox that they used. It was not from the company but a copy of it, so problems do happen. And this was injected by another partner of theirs, also a physician. So please never say never.

pthalg · Sep 7, 2005

Do u do the skin peels in the med spa or do u have a different site where u operate your skin care business? Where did u get trainng for the pure acid chemical peels? Thank so much for your information.

RN's are opening skin care clinics around the country with and without MD's on staff or designated as Medical Directors. The Dallas Center for Advanced Aesthetics is the only Physician-taught course I am aware of (others taught by estheticians, etc) that prepares RN's, MD's, and Aestheticians to be Medical Aesthetics Provider. From there, a nurse can open her own business (under state rules) performing duties that do not require MD's. In our state, I opened my own skin care clinic performing pure acid chemical peels (no side-effects and very effective compared to buffered) that are very successful. I work PT in a med spa and contracted as a back up nurse to do Botox on sites where MD's are established or are Medical Directors. The training was offerred to me by a Med Spa wanting a back up nurse - I approached them and asked if I could shadow their nurse and from there, they offerred me the training. I had to pay for the botox vial which was $450 but the training launched my potential and abilities. Clients are then seeing me at different locations for their needs and they don't mind at all. Its the skill and relationship with the RN that they trust and want.

BChapp3182 · Sep 15, 2005

Botox is relativly safe provided you are trained and know what your doing. Aesthetic medicine is much safer than traditional medicine, way less liability. You can't kill someone and it's hard to cause permanent damage.

The MD in FL that injected Botox into those people who became paralyzed injected non FDA approved equine Botox he purchased overseas to cut costs. He should have never done that. Both people have since fully recovered.

CJE · Sep 16, 2005

Do u do the skin peels in the med spa or do u have a different site where u operate your skin care business? Where did u get trainng for the pure acid chemical peels? Thank so much for your information.

I leased an office on my own - it was a promotional year lease through a big building in a great area. I had it painted and ordered the chair, steamer, light, and products through Dr. Fam who I trained under - he is at the Dallas Center for Advanced Medical Aesthetics. His Oct. class is full but I think he begins another class in January. He is fabulous! He only ususes pure acids and you'll learn why. I've now used them on several people and they are what he says. No side-effects yet very safe and successful.

cosmetic tattooist · Nov 20, 2005

hi ladies

i have my 2 clinics in colorado. services are permanent makeup, microdermabrasion, photorejuvenation, scar and camoflauge. i also instruct.

In colorado no physician is requiered for me to do this.