Medical Spa Marketing

Medical malpractice contributes to an estimated $55.6 billion in overall medical liability system costs per year. The rise of medspas has resulted in an increase in complications and litigation. In this study, we identified all publicly indexed litigation against medical spas and medical spa practitioners using the Westlaw legal database and characterized trends in these findings. A retrospective analysis of litigation against medical spas and medical providers performing care at medical spas was performed. Cases were indexed from 2006 to 2024 using the Westlaw legal database. Case documents were reviewed for the following datapoints: Patient characteristics (age, sex), legal case characteristics (state in which litigation occurred, reason for litigation, outcome, monetary payments, expert witness involvement), and medical procedure characteristics (type of procedure, location on the body in which the procedure was performed, complication, credentials of person who performed the procedure). Twenty legal cases met inclusion criteria, ranging in date from May 2006 to October 2024. The average patient age was 36 years old (SD 12.570). All plaintiffs were listed as female (n=20). 4 cases sued only the medspas, 15 sued only a medical practitioner, and in one case both the practitioner and medspa were sued. Each of the 20 cases were decided by jury decision at trial. 7 cases were won by the defendants (35%), whereas the remaining 13 cases were won by the plaintiffs. The average jury award was $2,489,128.69. Our findings highlight the importance of properly managing patient expectations and thorough discourse regarding the risks of the procedure to better align patient presurgery expectations with the final result. Our findings also emphasize the positive impact that tighter regulation of medical spas will have on patient safety. Our data is limited by the small sample size that was indexed on Westlaw legal database and descriptive in nature, so future studies analyzing larger cohorts of data may provide additional data to further benefit patient safety.

The growing popularity of medical spas in the United States (US), which combine medical procedures with spa-like services, has led to increased regulatory scrutiny. These facilities operate in a complex legal environment with varying state-level regulations governing ownership, operation, and scope of practice for nonphysician providers (NPPs). To summarize the legislative landscape governing medical spas across the US, identify common regulatory challenges, and explore implications for dermatologists, dermatologic surgeons, and medical spa operators, and present a toolkit to help stakeholders navigate the regulatory environment. A review was conducted using state statutes, administrative codes, case law, and professional board guidance, including resources from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association (ASDSA). Data were collected from legal databases, state documents, scholarly articles, and ASDSA materials to identify key legislative themes and trends. Significant variability exists in state regulations regarding medical spa ownership, roles of physician supervisors, and scope of practice for NPPs. Key challenges include inconsistent standards, regulatory gaps, and patient protection concerns. The fragmented regulatory landscape poses challenges for physicians and patients. Standardizing state laws, strengthening training and certification requirements, and enhancing patient protections are recommended to ensure medical spas operate safely and ethically.

Procedures Offered in the Medical Spa Environment

Newborn cord care practices may directly contribute to infections, which account for a large proportion of the four million annual global neonatal deaths. This formative research study assessed current umbilical and skin care knowledge and practices for neonates in Sylhet District, Bangladesh, in preparation for a cluster-randomized trial of the impact of topical chlorhexidine cord cleansing on neonatal mortality and omphalitis. Unstructured interviews (n=60), structured observations (n=20), rating and ranking exercises (n=40) and household surveys (n=400) were conducted to elicit specific behaviors regarding newborn cord and skin care practices. These included hand-washing, skin and cord care at the time of birth, persons engaged in cord care, cord cutting practices, topical applications to the cord at the time of birth, wrapping/dressing of the cord stump and use of skin-to-skin care. Overall 90% of deliveries occurred at home. The umbilical cord was almost always (98%) cut after delivery of the placenta, and cut by mothers in more than half the cases (57%). Substances were commonly (52%) applied to the stump after cord cutting; turmeric was the most common application (83%). Umbilical stump care revolved around bathing, skin massage with mustard oil and heat massage on the umbilical stump. Overall 40% of newborns were bathed on the day of birth. Mothers were the principal provider for skin and cord care during the neonatal period and 9% of them reported umbilical infections in their infants. Unhygienic cord care practices are prevalent in the study area. Efforts to promote hand-washing, cord cutting with clean instruments and avoiding unclean home applications to the cord may reduce exposure and improve neonatal outcomes. Such efforts should broadly target a range of caregivers, including mothers and other female household members.

HIV-positive patients in Botswana state that mobile teledermatology is an acceptable method for receiving dermatology care

This research was conducted to investigate the overall tendencies that consumers exhibit when choosing and purchasing skin care services at skin care clinics based on their basic consumer preferences, with the aim of understanding how these tendencies influence satisfaction with skin care clinics. The specific methods used to achieve this research objective were as follows: The study targeted women who use skin care clinics. Specific analytical methods included frequency analysis, factor analysis, and reliability assessment using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were conducted, with statistical processing performed using the SPSSWIN 21.0 program. The results of this study are as follows: Firstly, differences in consumer preferences according to the general characteristics of the respondents were investigated, revealing that practical consumer tendencies significantly varied based on age, marital status, education level, and monthly income. Secondly, differences in satisfaction with skin care clinics according to the general characteristics of the respondents were examined. The consumer tendencies were ranked in order as practical, ostentatious, impulsive, and thrifty, with higher income correlating significantly with greater satisfaction with skin care clinics. Thirdly, the impact of consumer tendencies on satisfaction with skin care clinics was investigated. It was found that practical, ostentatious, and thrifty consumer tendencies all significantly influenced satisfaction with skin care clinics. Therefore, higher levels of practical tendencies and lower levels of ostentatious tendencies were significantly associated with higher satisfaction with skin care clinics. The research findings indicate that consumers prefer high-quality care at lower prices when using skin care clinics. By understanding these consumer tendencies, designing customized programs tailored to consumer preferences can improve customer satisfaction and encourage repeat visits, leading to wiser consumer choices when selecting skin care clinics. It is hoped that this information will be utilized effectively and contribute positively to the industry.

Background: Diabetic foot ulcer is one of the most common problems in diabetic patients. Its treatment is very complicated and needs to be carefully monitored, because inappropriate responses to various therapeutic and surgical treatments may occur. Case Presentation: In this study, 10 patients with second and third degree diabetic foot ulcers were evaluated based on the therapeutic protocols of Iranian Traditional Medicine in Bojnurd. All the patients were hospitalized in one of the hospitals of Bojnurd during 2015-2016 and were undergoing initial treatment. The wounds of patients did not respond to common treatments, and based on the advice of an orthopedic surgeon, amputation was ordered by the physician. Patients were referred to the traditional medicine clinic for advice. The patients had various wounds on the left or right leg with severe inflammation. In other words, the patients had infectious wounds with severe inflammation. After entering the traditional medicine clinic, patients were treated with health and nutrition measures. Drug therapy in these patients is associated with the condition of the disease, and includes medicinal herbs, combined medications and modern blood glucose control drugs. Manual treatments including full back cupping every night until the end of treatment, massage therapy and leech therapy inside and around the wound, were used once every 3 to 7 days with 10 to 12 small, medium and large leeches during 10 sessions for patients. In all the patients, after 40 to 60 days of treatment, the diabetic foot ulcer was cured completely, the physical and mental status of the patients improved and the patients' blood glucose was controlled. Conclusion: Effective medicine can have effective clinical findings in the treatment of certain diseases, such as diabetic foot ulcer disease. In the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, the use of effective medicine leads to lower costs and reduces the use of antibiotics in diabetic patients. Therefore, according to the principles of modern and traditional medicine in Iran, it can be investigated and evaluated as a new non-invasive therapeutic method with the highest therapeutic effect in the shortest time.

The implementation of a quality system in health care organizations offers huge potentials for improvement and development. But the realization of such systems necessitates high investments, which small companies and family businesses often are unable to raise. The German Association of Spa Accommodation Resorts (VdKB) commissioned two consultants to develop a reasonably priced implementation concept of a DIN EN ISO 9001 quality system specially adjusted to small companies and family businesses in medical spa and rehabilitation services, which was successfully accredited in May 2003. This paper describes fundamental requirements in combine management systems, considers the pros and cons of management combines and demonstrates the practical realization of combine requirements on the example of the VdKB-combine system.

Medical market is in highly asymmetric information and heterogeneity so that the task to identify the quality of physicians' medical service is difficult. Physicians can easily snatch information rent with dominance of information, which lowers the efficiency of medical market. A static Bayesian game model between physician and patient is developed to analyze the medical market efficiency. The results indicate that there is no medical service trade on the market, if the patients' estimate of the graveness degree of their illness state is at a lower level or the physicians' estimate of the graveness degree of the patient's illness state is at a higher level. Therefore, the information asymmetry between physician and patient induces the lower efficiency on the medical market, and the patient's health is at a higher risk In order to enhance the efficiency of the medical market, the degree of the information asymmetry should be reduced. Some measures can be taken as follows: first, consummate the medical information publicity system; second, strengthen hospitals' information construction; third, develop e-medical record information system; forth, develop self-diagnosis system for patient; and fifth, develop healthcare system for household.

A pragmatic investigation into the effects of massage therapy on the self efficacy of multiple sclerosis clients

Patient and radiographer acceptability of prophylactic skin care for breast patients receiving radiotherapy

4차산업시대 피부미용고객상담 영역에서의 해부생리학과 병리학 관련 연구

This study attempted to acquire basic data regarding medical skin care jobs by analyzing job performance and difficulty for medical skin care workers. The results found the following. First, according to analysis of job performance and difficulty by the sub-duty of medical cosmetology, job performance was relatively higher than job difficulty in the following: understanding of medical skin care, recognition of warnings after laser treatment and follow-up, explanation of filler treatment, explanation of botox injections, additional explanation on diverse cosmetic surgery procedures and peeling (p<.05). Second, according to analysis of job performance and difficulty by the sub-duty of cooperation, job performance was relatively higher than job difficulty in cooperation with the medical doctor and cooperation with the coordinator (p<.01). Third, according to analysis of job performance and difficulty by the sub-duty of device utilization, job performance was relatively higher than job difficulty in the following: use of face cleansing devices, use of massager and use of steamer (p<.01). Fourth, according to analysis of job performance and difficulty by the sub-duty of skin care, job performance was relatively higher than job difficulty in the following: cleansing with hands, deep cleansing using cosmetics (enzyme, scrub), use of sponge/compress, care with toner, face care, soothing, care after laser treatment, care with facial mask, nourishing and finishing (p<.01).

Objective To explore the application value of point massage intervention with high quality nursing care in elderly patients with angina pectoris and constipation. Methods A total of 112 elderly patients in our hospital (from 7/1/2013 to 12/31/2014) were selected in accordance with angina pectoris and constipation diagnosis standard. All patients were randomly divided into experimental group (n=56) and control group (n=56). The patients of control group were given routine nursing care, while the patients of experimental group received the daily care of the simultaneous combination of acupoint massage. We observed index for the treatment of constipation and the efficiency of the first defecation time. Results The total effective rate of constipation in the experimental group was 91.07%, and the total effective rate was 62.50% in the control group; the first time defecation in the experimental group was (4.91±3.24) h, and it in the control group was (8.68±4.64)h (P<0.05). Conclusions Compared with routine nursing, point massage combined with high quality nursing can significantly improve the symptoms of angina and constipation, as well as the quality of life of the patients. Therefore, it should pay attention to the point massage nursing intervention in the patients with angina pectoris combined with constipation. Key words: Elderly; Angina pectoris; Constipation; Point massage; High quality nursing

The field of medical aesthetics has experienced rapid growth in recent years, in line with the increasing public awareness of the importance of appearance, skin care, and technological advancements in aesthetic medicine. However, behind this progress lie several legal issues that require serious attention, including unauthorized medical practice, alleged malpractice, and the inadequate legal protection afforded to both patients and medical practitioners. This study aims to examine the forms of legal protection available to doctors and patients in the practice of medical aesthetic services, with reference to Law Number 17 of 2023 on Health and Law Number 8 of 1999 on Consumer Protection. The research employs a normative juridical (doctrinal) method using a statute approach and a conceptual approach. The analysis is carried out qualitatively by examining primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials. These two legal instruments serve as the primary foundation for ensuring legal protection for both parties; however, their implementation still requires derivative regulations and clearer enforcement mechanisms to strengthen their effectiveness. The government, the Professional Discipline Council, and the public are expected to play an active role in establishing an aesthetic medical service system that is safe, ethical, and equitable. Reforms to Indonesia’s health law framework should be directed toward an integrative and humanistic model of legal protection—one that not only safeguards medical practitioners from potential criminalization but also ensures patient safety and the protection of patients’ rights as consumers of aesthetic medical services. This study is expected to provide new perspectives and contribute to the growing body of literature in the field of health law in Indonesia.