Medical Spa Aestheticians & Patient Charting
Aestheticians from the traditional day spa environment who are moving into a new medical spa environment have to learn and understand an entirely new way of documenting information as a 'client' transforms into a 'patient'.
New Medical Estheticians who were used to simply stamping a time and date on treatments with occasional side notes, are now expected to chart anything and everything they say and do during a patient's entire treatment. In addition to patient charting comes new treatment consent forms, HIPPA Forms, photography consent forms, payments, agreement forms, anatomical charting forms, and more.
Medical Aestheticians who have any contact with a patient as any part of their treatment, should be charting everything from follow-up calls, to topical treatments used and the patient's response, to laser settings, test patch tests, follow up appointments, and the patient's tolerances to treatments.
The once client file has now transformed into a medical record by all standards which could stand up in a court of law. Some aestheticians I have spoken with have not learned the art of charting and feel they should not be required to do so.
Why is it patient charting so important? Unfortunately, there have been more recent horror stories hitting the media than stories of healing and hope, especially when it comes to medical spa therapies that involve lasers and IPLs. These circumstances are a catalyst of change to medical laser laws across the U.S. Whether the MD is on site or off site, they (along with the medical esthetician) can be held responsible for any legal implications filed by a patient at the hands of a clinician, laser technician, or medical Esthetician.
Harsh as it may seem, and it has even happened to our practice, even the most skilled and brilliant esthetician could be terminated if they refuse to properly chart and document a patient's care. The rule of thumb is just this... if you didn't chart it, it didn't happen.
If you're a medical esthetician performing medical treatments it's up to you to know what your clinics requirements are for patient charting, and what potential problems can arise if you fail to live up to your new requirements.
New Medical Estheticians who were used to simply stamping a time and date on treatments with occasional side notes, are now expected to chart anything and everything they say and do during a patient's entire treatment. In addition to patient charting comes new treatment consent forms, HIPPA Forms, photography consent forms, payments, agreement forms, anatomical charting forms, and more.
Medical Aestheticians who have any contact with a patient as any part of their treatment, should be charting everything from follow-up calls, to topical treatments used and the patient's response, to laser settings, test patch tests, follow up appointments, and the patient's tolerances to treatments.
The once client file has now transformed into a medical record by all standards which could stand up in a court of law. Some aestheticians I have spoken with have not learned the art of charting and feel they should not be required to do so.
Why is it patient charting so important? Unfortunately, there have been more recent horror stories hitting the media than stories of healing and hope, especially when it comes to medical spa therapies that involve lasers and IPLs. These circumstances are a catalyst of change to medical laser laws across the U.S. Whether the MD is on site or off site, they (along with the medical esthetician) can be held responsible for any legal implications filed by a patient at the hands of a clinician, laser technician, or medical Esthetician.
Harsh as it may seem, and it has even happened to our practice, even the most skilled and brilliant esthetician could be terminated if they refuse to properly chart and document a patient's care. The rule of thumb is just this... if you didn't chart it, it didn't happen.
If you're a medical esthetician performing medical treatments it's up to you to know what your clinics requirements are for patient charting, and what potential problems can arise if you fail to live up to your new requirements.
About the Author:
Medical Spa MD is a community of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Dermatologists, and Aesthetic Physicians with more than 3,500 members. Medical Spa MD offers Medical Esthetician Training and provides information on non-surgical cosmetic medical technologies and treatments.