By Skytale Group

The universe of medical spa technology is vast. There are so many options that help elevate a practice’s operations, from online booking to membership management and more. That presents a challenge, however. Tech-savvy practices are juggling so many systems that it often leads to overspending and underutilizing the technology that was intended to make it more efficient.

This blog discusses how to get the most out of the technology in your practice.

Medical spa technology solutions that enhance operations

There are some fabulous tech and software solutions out there for medical aesthetics practices. As the industry grows, so do the innovations that help businesses scale.

In order to figure out which systems your practice needs and which it doesn’t, you need to know what your options are. Here are some types of technology to consider (some are must-haves) at your medical spa.

Overall operations

To run your business, you’ll need a centralized software system that can manage booking, scheduling, patient intake, payment and more. Some practice management systems offer expanded capabilities to manage memberships or patient communication.

• Practice management system, which needs to include electronic medical records (EMR)

Enhanced patient experience

A primary function of technology is to remove friction from the patient experience. Technology should make booking, paying and communicating convenient for patients. Any kind of software that can help streamline this process will elevate the overall patient experience and reduce cancellations, dropped leads and missed opportunities.

• Convenient online booking capability
• Patient communication (automated appointment reminders, including text, email and phone)
• Texting capability (with your phones or practice management system)
• Patient portal to collect electronic forms and consents
• Payment portal that includes a text-pay option

Marketing and sales

Look into software and AI platforms that can help turn curious online browsers into patients. For example, Liine uses AI to record calls or track online forms to better follow up with leads. There also are tech solutions that collect online reviews with post-treatment surveys or upon payment.

• Marketing lead management (a resource to capture incoming leads to put them into the lead funnel)
• Sales customer relationship management (CRM)
• Collecting online reviews

Membership management and e-commerce

You’ll need a way for your members to autopay on a monthly basis, schedule treatments and more. It might be aligned to your practice management system or your e-commerce site. RepeatMD, for example, manages members and includes features such as rewards and financing, along with e-commerce.

• Platform to manage memberships (linked up to autopay)
• E-commerce site for retail or service packages

Medical

You can streamline the way you collect and store patient health and medical information with the right technology. Telemedicine makes good-faith exams and patient follow-ups more convenient. Photo management systems, such as RxPhoto and TouchMD, offer a secure space to store sensitive patient health information like before and after photos, even on a phone or iPad.

• EMR (part of practice management system)
• Telemedicine capabilities
• Post-treatment surveys
• Photo management software (HIPAA-compliant and secure)

Training and development

Finally, you might consider a system that helps your staff with training and professional development. In the fast-moving medical aesthetics space, your staff can stay up to date on new treatments and products for patients.

• Learning management system

The fragmentation challenge: Too many systems

As you consider which technology is right for your practice, keep in mind that the medical aesthetics industry is still relatively young and fragmented; the technology reflects this. Despite there being many sophisticated solutions, the systems don’t all communicate with one another. There’s not a one-stop-shop for software that handles your practice management system, marketing, CRM, online booking and every other capability you’re after (but some software companies are working on it).

What does this fragmentation lead to? Inefficiencies. Staff members must enter the same data across multiple platforms. Owners purchase two systems that do relatively the same thing, just because one has a feature the other lacks. Patients are overwhelmed and confused by too many apps.

Have you experienced technology overload? Consider the strategies below to prevent the challenges that come with too many software systems.

Reduce and streamline your tech stack

When we find a practice that’s overspending on technology, one of our biggest undertakings is to streamline its tech stack. Sometimes, it means swapping out three systems for one with more capabilities. Reducing the number of platforms you’re using requires understanding the functionality of each system, calculating the ROI, and reducing redundancies or underutilized features. It’s not always easy, but it can be a big boost to your bottom line and improve the experience for your patients and staff.

Ensure you’re fully leveraging the technology’s features

Some systems can be complex. Integrating a CRM, for example, requires a heavy lift at the onset. You’ll spend time training, entering data and syncing with other platforms. On the other side, however, a well-run CRM can offer huge value because of the way it fosters relationships with customers.

If you’re going to invest in technology for your practice, make sure you’re truly leveraging it. Meet frequently with the software company’s account manager and assign an internal “expert” who is making sure the technology is working to its full potential and that the team members are all fully trained and appropriately using it.

Track and measure success

As you take inventory of your technology, measuring success is easier when you attach a metric or key performance indicator to the problem you want the software to solve. For example, a clinic with high appointment cancellations might integrate text-automated appointment reminders. If the team tracks the number of appointment cancellations over time, they’ll better understand the impact (and return on investment) of the text automation.

Streamline your medical spa operations and technology with Skytale Group

The technology at your practice can be a double-edged sword. It delivers amazing benefits, such as enhanced patient communication and operational efficiency. However, the amount of software systems available to help your business operate can be overwhelming. Skytale Group’s management consulting team can untangle your complex systems and operations to make them work to their full potential. Learn more when you reach out to Skytale.

Skytale Group is a full-service strategic, financial, and M&A advisory firm. Through management strategy and financial analysis, Skytale helps start, grow, and sell organizations within the aesthetics space.