MD Communications, Inc.

Here We Grow Again…Announcing Seven New QuickLift® Doctors*

lorihp — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:05:04 +0000

We are very excited to have seven new physicians now offering the QuickLift^® procedure in their respective markets. These doctors recognize that despite a slow-growing economy, demand for facelifts continues to increase, largely due to aging baby boomers. By investing in their businesses, they are poised to reap the successes that the QuickLift aesthetic medical marketing program has already demonstrated to other board-certified surgeons.

In fact, during the first week of media, 159 new QuickLift consults were generated for these seven new QuickLift providers.

Interest in our QuickLift medical marketing program has been bolstered among physicians—nation-wide—as they see their peers yielding a significant ROI with the QuickLift. One of the benefits they like best about the program is the ability to maintain the autonomy of their own practice. They also cite “market exclusivity” as another big factor in their decision to join the QuickLift aesthetic marketing program. It is structured to protect each QuickLift physician’s geographical market by preventing other practices from offering the QuickLift procedure within a certain broadcast viewing area.

We expect to see a continued rise in popularity of the QuickLift marketing program as more and more doctors seek sound business growth while helping baby boomers stay ahead of the aging process.

To learn more about how MD Communications can help you differentiate your practice, grow your surgical caseload—and ultimately increase your practice revenue, call Lori Potts or Deborah Kiss at 1-800.344.1151 today.

Our Newest QuickLift Markets:

^*One of these markets is served by a two-physician practice.

Our Denver QuickLift® Physician Partner, Dr. Jeffrey Raval, MD, is currently featured in MedEsthetics Magazine!

Vanessa Capozzi — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 14:01:21 +0000

We are proud to announce that facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Raval, MD, a successful QuickLift doctor since 2010, has grown his practice so fruitfully and rapidly—during tough economic times—that he is featured on the cover of the September/October issue of MedEsthetics Magazine.

In the feature article, “Mile-High Success”, Dr. Raval emphasizes patient care as the primary focus of his practice. His caring nature and passion for relationship-building is clearly a large aspect of his Denver popularity. Also innately savvy about the business side of his practice, Dr. Raval’s entrepreneurial approach has also led him to “push the envelope” by seeking new ways to improve on techniques. Adding the innovative QuickLift procedure to his menu of services has helped Dr. Raval grow his practice.

Enthusiastic about the future of aesthetic medicine, Dr. Raval says, “It’s an exciting time for cosmetics and medicine in general. …There’s new research on the aging process that gives us a better understanding of how we age. The more we know, the better we can address problems and fix them. It’s very encouraging.”

http://medesthetics.epubxpress.com/link/med/2011/sep-oct/1?s=0

Build Revenue and Market Share in Declining Economic Times

Vanessa Capozzi — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 01:41:04 +0000

How the QuickLift^®can yield a 11 to 1 Return on Investment

Situation

Owner: Dr. Adams,* Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Practice: Cosmetic Plastic Surgery and Med Spa

Locations: Small Southeastern Market

Specialty: Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Problem

With consumer confidence steadily declining in uncertain economic times, Dr. Adams*, a board certified plastic surgeon from the South, experienced a dramatic drop-off in first time patient consultations and inquiries.

Dr. Adams understood the importance of investing in his business to generate new revenue streams, however given his recent decline in sales, his marketing budget was modest. He was concerned that if he did not develop an effective marketing program he would continue to lose market share and his revenues will subsequently decline. His goal was to increase revenue generation through new patient inquiries and boost patient retention rates for repeat cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, medical spa treatments and product sales.

Solution

While attending a cosmetic surgery conference, Dr. Adams discussed the challenges of retaining market share in a weakened economy with another cosmetic surgeon. The cosmetic surgeon suggested Dr. Adams consider adding the Quicklift^® to the cosmetic plastic surgery procedures he performed. He went on to say that the Quicklift procedure and its niche marketing program single-handedly “saved his medical practice.” This seemingly innocuous conversation had a profound impact on the future of Dr. Adams’ cosmetic plastic surgery practice.

Upon returning from the conference, Dr. Adams immediately contacted MD Communications Inc. and became a QuickLift physician partner. Once he completed his surgical training, Dr. Adams invested $28,000 over a one year period in television advertising to air the QuickLift commercial in his market. Dr. Adams’ modest marketing budget of $28,000 yielded huge results – - a 11 to 1 return on investment.

Results

QuickLift TV

Calls

Quicklift

Return On

Media Expenditure

Received

Revenue

Investment

Year 1

$28,030

307

$328,123

$300,093

Figures represent QuickLift surgeries only – ancillary procedures and injectables fillers are NOT included.

In addition to seeing an immediate boost in new revenue generation, Dr. Adams received over 100 internet-based leads which were added to his database along with 307 callers for future marketing efforts.

*Surgeon’s name has been changed to protect their privacy.

Build Your Business with New Patients and Increased Revenue

Vanessa Capozzi — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:56:53 +0000

Situation

Owner: Dr. Smith,* Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Practice: Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Locations: Large Southwest Market

Specialty: Cosmetic Plastic Surgery for the Face and Body

Problem

Having transitioned his career from practicing medicine in aUniversityHospitaland an academia environment, to a private practice dedicated solely to cosmetic plastic surgery, Dr. Smith* quickly acknowledged the need for a comprehensive marketing and advertising program to increase revenues and build upon his existing patient database with new and returning clients.

Dr. Smith began researching marketing and advertising options to increase his revenue and build upon his reputation as a skilled and experienced cosmetic plastic surgeon. After completing exhaustive research on the effectiveness of medical marketing through traditional marketing outlets (print, billboard, direct mail and television), Dr. Smith concluded the market was saturated with cosmetic plastic surgeons and he would not be able to differentiate himself from his competitors in a meaningful way.

Solution

Through his online research, Dr. Smith read about the QuickLift^® Marketing Program developed by MD Communications Inc. Intrigued by the idea of a niche marketing program and the turnkey marketing services for the QuickLift® procedure, he decided to enroll in the 2-day QuickLift Live Surgery Workshop and Sales Building Seminar in September 2008.

During the workshop dinner, Dr. Smith spoke to the MD Communications team about the specific challenges he was facing in his own practice. He talked about his beautifully decorated, renovated office with multiple surgical suites, full-time receptionist, registered nurse and a part-time nurse assistant; yet he was having difficulty filling his surgical schedule and increasing his client retention rates. He explained that he was doing a few insurance cases per week to help keep his practice going, but his goal was to transition his practice to solely cosmetic plastic surgery procedures. Upon further discussion, Dr. Smith stated that he felt he could comfortably perform four or five QuickLift surgeries per week.

It was this simple conversation that laid the foundation for Dr. Smith to turn his struggling surgical facility into a thriving cosmetic plastic surgery practice, in a very short amount of time.

Results

Following the QuickLift Live Surgery Workshop, Dr. Smith implemented the procedure and QuickLift marketing program into his practice. He chose to have MD Communications Inc. manage his inbound calls to maximize his return on investment, rather than restricted to his office hours for his own staff to field inquiry calls. The outcome of his unrestricted QuickLift marketing campaign was significant — resulting in a 4 to 1 return on investment.

	QuickLift TV	Calls	Appointments	Quicklift	Return On
	Media Expenditure	Received	Booked	Revenue	Investment
Year 1	$159,440	1818	684	$986,725	$827,285

*Surgeon’s name has been changed to protect their privacy

Vargas Face & Skin Center in Kansas City – New Location and New Website

Vanessa Capozzi — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:01:35 +0000

Dr. Hannah Vargas

Dr. Hannah Vargas of Vargas Face and Skin Center in Kansas City, MO has moved to her new location at St. Joseph Medical Center, 930 Carondelet Drive
Building C, Suite 102, Kansas City, MO 64114. Office phone: 816-942-5900

Dr. Vargas is a board certified surgeon specializing in facial plastic surgery. She attended medical school at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Vargas completed her internship and residency training in Head and Neck Surgery at Albany Medical Center. She was awarded the prestigious honor of Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (F.A.C.S.), qualified in the Arts and Science of Surgery.

In 2002, Dr. Vargas moved to Kansas City where she ran the Center for Facial Plastic Surgery focusing on cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face and neck. In June of 2011, Dr. Vargas opened Vargas Face & Skin Center where she has added many more procedures to her rejuvenation menu.

Cosmetic Procedures

Dr. Hannah Vargas at Vargas Face and Skin Center, located in Kansas City, MO, not only provides expertise in cosmetic surgery and cosmetic enhancements, but also specializes in facial reconstruction from facial trauma or injury from disease or domestic violence.

Facial Rejuvenation Center

The Facial Rejuvenation Center offers the latest breakthroughs in skin and wrinkle treatment without surgery. Our Facial Rejuvenation Center is run under the direction of Hannah Vargas, M.D. FACS, who will guide you through the hype of the medical cosmetic industry and devise a specific plan for your particular concerns. BOTOX® Cosmetic, Restylane, Radiesse, Sculptra, Artefill and Collagen are just some of the facial rejuvenation procedures done everyday at Vargas Face and Skin Center. We have the most effective laser hair removal machine on the market. Our 6 month facial rejuvenation series is designed to get you back on track to new, improved skin.

Our staff includes licensed estheticians who perform in-depth skin analysis, facial treatments and microdermabrasion, minimally invasive facial peels and laser treatments, as well as make-up design.

Kansas City Laser Liposuction

The fastest growing cosmetic procedures are nonsurgical and noninvasive. Laser treatments appeal to people with busy life styles who want a treatment that will give them a more youthful appearance with less recovery time or the expenses of surgically invasive procedures. Both men and women have found a major benefit of these treatments is the practically instantaneous results with little or no downtime. Cost is also less. Laser treatments have proven to give excellent results, although some procedures may require repeated maintenance treatments.

But make no mistake, these are medical Laser procedures and choosing a qualified and experienced doctor, like Dr. Vargas, or one of her highly trained medical staff, is essential for your beauty and safety.

Dr. Vargas owns her own lasers. She does not rent them for a day like other doctors. Only she or her licensed Medical Aesthetician performs the laser treatments. If performed by the licensed Medical Aesthetician, the procedure is under Dr. Vargas’ close supervision in her medical office.

VargasFace & SkinCenter has the SCITON® PROFILE LASER, a state-of-the-art cosmetic system with multiple applications. It is computer automated and can be programmed to the specific laser treatment being used and the specific needs of the patient.

ProLipo PLUS is one of the newest and more advanced forms of Liposuction that combines the heat of the laser to liquefy the fat and provide body contouring of the body.
Other benefits are:

Performed in the office laser suite
Only local anesthesia required; no heavy sedation
Very small incision (only 1 stitch required to close)
Faster recovery, Less down time
Costs are generally less
Minimal discomfort

LASER-LIPOSUCTION (ProLipo PLUS)
NEW and an Alternative to Liposuction, FOR BODY CONTOURING AND SKIN TIGHTENING. Laser Liposuction is a procedure for ablating, melting and removing unwanted fat without the risk or downtime associated with traditional liposuction. Laser Liposuction is done in the office with a local anesthetic; a deep sedation is not required. Laser energy is directed to specific areas of body fat, liquefying the fat cells while contouring the body. The targeted body fat is removed and the result is a firm, more attractive body contour. The incision Dr. Vargas uses is so small, only 1-3 stitches are used for closure at the end of the procedure. Recovery is faster with significantly shorter down time. Patients typically return to work and normal activities within a few days.

Laser Liposuction is ideal for eliminating fat from specific regions of the body. Popular areas of the body are: chin, neck, upper arms, abdomen, flanks, buttocks, upper thighs. A prior in depth consultation is required.

SkinTyte
SkinTyte offers a non-invasive approach to firmer skin. It can be provided quickly and comfortably with no down time. SkinTyte uses a broadband light which promotes collagen foundation leading to firmer skin. The treatments are safe for all skin types and can be performed on any area of the body where an improvement in skin firmness is desired. Popular areas include the face, neck, abdomen, and arms.

LASER HAIR REDUCTION
Laser Hair Reduction is an alternative to shaving, tweezing, and waxing. Laser treatments can remove hair from many areas of the body. Multiple treatment sessions are necessary to obtain optimal results. Our Laser treatment is described by many of our patients as being far more comfortable secondary to the laser with a special skin chilling system. A prior in depth consultation is required.

VASCULAR LASER TREATMENT for Spider Veins
Our advanced Laser system can effectively and gently reduce the appearance of veins, broken capillaries, and redness on the face, legs, ankles and feet quickly and permanently. The treatments are done in the office and are quite effective in the removal of unsightly blue and red spider veins that many people acquire as they age. There is no down time and little discomfort. It can be used on all skin types, including tanned skin. You can easily and rapidly gain a fresh new look while restoring the beauty to your skin.

The Skin Center Medical Spa in Pittsburgh Offers Free Tattoo Removal for Military Recruits Seeking to Meet Enlisting Requirements

Vanessa Capozzi — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 18:35:17 +0000

United States military recruits receive FREE tattoo removal during month of July

(PITTSBURGH – June 7, 2011) — For many young men and women, serving in the United States Military is a life-long dream. Many, however, find that life goal denied because of an earlier decision to get a tattoo. During the month of July, The Skin Center Medical Spa, with three locations in Pittsburgh, PA, will offer FREE laser tattoo removal to help those who have chosen to serve their country.

Although each United States military brand has its own policy regarding tattoos, general long-standing tattoo policy excludes potential recruits from enlisting if visible body art or tattoos located on their arms or legs exceed a specified size or are considered to be extremist, indecent, sexist or racist. Additionally, tattoos on the head and face are prohibited with the exception of permanent make-up.

“The Skin Center is pleased to make laser tattoo removal available at no charge to help recruits comply with enlisting policies. Our laser tattoo removal technology can remove tattoos by dramatically lightening or eliminating even the most stubborn pigments including blue, green, purple, red and yellow,” said Adrienne Ashtari, RN, registered nurse practitioner for The Skin Center Medical Spa. “A series of tattoo removal treatment sessions is necessary for laser tattoo removal; however, the treatments are quick and performed with minimal discomfort.”

The Skin Center Medical Spa in Wexford, Mt.Lebanon and Shadyside offer tattoo removal using the most advanced laser tattoo removal technology available today. The MedLite^® Q-Switch laser emits two wavelengths of laser light to remove or significantly lighten the widest variety of tattoo inks (professional, amateur and surgical tattoos) in fewer sessions with less chance of residual scarring.

For more information about laser tattoo removal, contact The Skin Center Medical Spa at 1-800-429-1151 or visit our website.

About The Skin Center Medical Spa

The Skin Center Medical Spa, with three locations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Columbus, Ohio, is the region’s premier, full-service medical spa offering the latest advancements in non-invasive and minimally invasive skin rejuvenation for the treatment of aging skin, hyper-pigmentation, rosacea, unwanted hair, varicose and spider veins, active acne and acne scarring. The Skin Center Medical Spa was founded in 1981 inPittsburgh by Dominic Brandy, MD, board-certified cosmetic surgeon.

Google Places – Is your practice taking advantage?

Vanessa Capozzi — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:39:03 +0000

Google Places – Is your practice taking advantage?
Vanessa Capozzi, Director Interactive Marketing, MD Communications Inc.

It’s been over one year since the introduction of Google Places (as a replacement for the Google Local Business Center). The name and look has changed but Google Places results continue to dominate search queries and with a heavy local slant.

Google Places, in my opinion, is probably the single most important tool available for online marketing because it is directly related to searches people are making on a local level. Further, these are searches taking place by those who are most likely to buy from your practice. If you are new to Google Places, watch this quick and informative video created by Google.

Few of the basic steps to get the most out of your Google Places Page:

1) CLAIM or CREATE a Google Places Page: Even if you haven’t actively created your practice page, it’s pretty likely that your practice already has one. As of this past March over 58% of practice owners have not claimed

their profile. Head over to Google and do a simple search for your practice. If you see a listing click on the place page and look for the “practice owner?” option. From there, Google makes it very simple for you to claim your page. If you don’t find a listing, you can easily create one via the Welcome to Google Places Page.

2) PROFILE: Google Places provides a wide variety of ways to build your profile. Few of the most important factors are:

Description: You have 200 words, use them. Don’t over stuff for the sake of using all the words.
Keywords: Use terms that relate to what you do and what patients use to find you via searches.
Category Tags: You will have 5 options, use them.
Media and Imagery: Upload photos and videos. Geo-tagged photos and videos in general make your Google Places Page stand out in the crowd. Make your profile as complete as possible.

3) REVIEWS: Customer ratings and reviews of your practice…. The single most powerful feature on Google Places Page as well as all of the review sites. Patients spend more time looking at review sites when doing an evaluation than on your website. A consumer expects that you will say great things about your practice. They want to see what others think about you and your practice. That said, encourage your patients to post positive reviews about you on as many of the review sites as possible. Space out your reviews and do not offer an incentive for positive reviews. Don’t panic when you get a negative comment (for more information on how to manage the review process, click here).

4) ANALYTICS: Use the dashboard! When Google created Google Places they tied everything into their very robust and detailed analytics system. You, very easily, see graphs, charts, and analytics which work together to give you a clear picture of who is finding you and what they are doing on your profile page. This dashboard offers great insight into where your patients are coming from and what they are most interested in within your practice page.

These are only a few of the very basic steps to consider. If you’d like a detailed step by step guide, contact Lori Potts today at 1-800-344-1151 or complete an evaluation form via our web site, for a copy of our Local Search “How To” Guide which walks through setting up your Google Place as well as a series of other online review sites.

Ronald V. DeMars, M.D. Becomes Latest to Perform QuickLift® Procedure

Vanessa Capozzi — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:25:21 +0000

Ronald DeMars, MD

Dr. Ronald V. Demars has become the latest plastic surgeon to offer the innovative QuickLift procedure in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Ronald V. DeMars is double board certified by American Board of Plastic Surgery and American Board of General Surgery.

QuickLift is a revolutionary procedure that tightens sagging skin in a minimally invasive way and offers significant improvements immediately after. The procedure, developed by Dr. Dominic Brandy of The Skin Center Medical Spa in Pittsburgh, Pa., can be completed with local anesthesia in one to two hours without the significant recovery and downtime required by a traditional facelift.

“In over 20 years as a plastic surgeon, I have not seen a minimally invasive procedure that works this well. Many patients look almost 10 years younger following the procedure,” said Dr. Ronald V. DeMars.

“This procedure offers great results, and I am sure our patients will be thrilled about the prospect of staying ahead of the aging process,” said Dr. Ronald V. DeMars.

After completing his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University Dr. DeMars went on to obtain his medical degree at the Oregon Health Sciences University. He participated in a select internship program through Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston before serving as a medical officer in the Navy.

During the eight years he served with the U.S. Navy. Dr. DeMars completed his general surgery residency at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. After leaving the service, he fulfilled his plastic surgery residency requirements at Pennsylvania State University’s Milton S. Hershey Medical center before opening a private practice in his hometown of Portland, Oregon. Dr. DeMars offers his patients a unique combination of surgical talent, artistic vision and impeccable bedside manner.

About QuickLift®
The QuickLift®, developed by Dominic Brandy, MD and performed by a number of doctors personally trained by him, is an improved version of the S-Lift, which has been performed since the late 1990s with limited results. The QuickLift provides an overall lower- to mid- facelift and improves the appearance of the upper neck, offering significant age-diminishing effects with minimal downtime and lasting results. The QuickLift is designed for men and women between the ages of 40 and 65+ who want to stay ahead of the aging process. At these ages, most individuals lose elasticity in their skin and develop varying degrees of looseness along the jaw line and beneath the chin. Unlike procedures with similar names and most mini facelifts that tighten only skin, the QuickLift permanently suspends the underlying structures of the lower face (SMAS) offering men and women the benefit of a more youthful appearance for years to come. Although the QuickLift can produce significant aesthetic improvement for most people, after any facial procedure the normal aging process resumes. Lifestyle choices, bone structure, skin type, sun exposure, and heredity all play a part in determining how long the desired result will last. For more information, visit http://www.quickliftmd.com

Vishal Kapoor, MD is the Latest Physician to Perform the QuickLift in Beverly Hills

Vanessa Capozzi — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:08:24 +0000

Vishal Kapoor, MD has become the latest Board Certified Plastic Surgeon to offer the innovative QuickLift procedure at his practice in Beverly Hills.

Beverly Hills and Greater Los Angeles, California (CA) leading plastic surgeon, Dr. Vishal Kapoor is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. He has extensive training in cosmetic surgery and is experienced with most modern techniques. Furthermore, he is committed to delivering the highest quality cosmetic surgery with beautiful, natural looking results.

Given his desire to further perfect his skills in cosmetic plastic surgery, Dr. Kapoor also opted to pursue additional training. After being selected by Dr. John Owsley, one of the pioneers in modern facelift surgery techniques, Dr. Kapoor completed a dedicated year long fellowship at the world renowned Aesthetic Surgery Institute in San Francisco, California, where he perfected his techniques in facial plastic surgery. He is one of a select few individuals with subspecialty cosmetic surgery training in California.

Dr. Kapoor is a specialist in all aspects of Aesthetic Surgery with a special emphasis on facial plastic surgery and breast surgery. He is the only plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills to offer the QuickLift® facelift procedure as well as one of the few California plastic surgeons with experience in bidirectional face lift (deep layer or muscle), which achieve a more natural, longer lasting result than a standard facelift. Dr. Kapoor’s Beverly Hills and Greater Los Angeles patients especially appreciate his caring bedside manner, meticulous attention to detail and ability to create a natural appearance. Making a difference in people’s lives and participating in their positive changes in self confidence are two key reasons why Dr. Kapoor chose to specialize in aesthetic plastic surgery.

“In my 25 years as a plastic surgeon, I have not seen a minimally invasive procedure that works this well. Many patients look almost 10 years younger following the procedure,” said Vishal Kapoor, MD.

“This procedure offers great results, and I am sure our patients will be thrilled about the prospect of staying ahead of the aging process,” said Dr. Kapoor.

Dr. Kapoor, a Southern California native, received his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, where he graduated with the highest honor, Alpha Omega Alpha, putting him in the top 10% of his class. He then went on to complete a rigorous six year residency in the prestigious combined General and Plastic Surgery program at The University of Washington in Seattle, one of the nations finest programs in Plastic Surgery.

New Site Launch!

Vanessa Capozzi — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 21:30:10 +0000

MD Communications interactive team launches a new website for The Skin Center Medical Spa

Challenge:
The Skin Center Medical Spa needed to establish a professional, user-friendly, and search optimized website. Their old site, created several years ago, was not optimized using best practice methods. This contributed to the site’s under performance in receiving the number of visits relative to other competitive sites. The site was also challenging for consumers to navigate which negatively affected their click thru to inquiry conversions. Additionally, the site did not offer an easy way to capture and report on data.

Services provided:
*Website concepting
*Email design
*Search engine optimization
*Keyword rich copy writing
*End to end quality assurance
*PHP and Flash development
*Research, selection, and & implementation of a robust content management system (Expression Engine)
*Site activity tracking, goal set up, and reporting
*Social communication integration
*End to end information architecture: Site Maps, wireframes, use cases, data capture process

Next phases of development include mobile optimization, an interactive skin consultation, a beauty blog, and many, many more features.

Previous Skin Center Website

Newly Redeveloped and Redesigned Website: The Skin Center Medical Spa