Will There Be a Summer Slump?

Summers have notoriously been a slow time for many aesthetic practices. Most prospective patients are way too busy having fun in the sun (with adequate UV protection, of course) to give up their “me” or family time to convalesce. But summer 2021 will likely be anything but slow. Growing numbers of people are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, ready to re-enter society, and want to look their best for the big reveal. Practices are up and running again with new safeguards and protocols in place that promise to keep patients healthy, comfortable, and confident. Our experts offer insight on what to expect and how to prepare for this summer bump.

Press the Reset Button

By Wendy Lewis

By all accounts, the aesthetics market appears to be in a healthy place and on an upswing. Live meetings are starting to open up, and everyone is eager to get back to the comradery, human interactions, and socializing.

However, I would caution against clinging to terms like “the new normal” that can be misconstrued. I see this alleged “new normal” as a myth now that vaccines have been rolled out and to a large degree COVID-19 is getting under control. Our “normal” will continue to evolve as it gets influenced by forces coming from all directions, some of which were present long before COVID popped up, as well as those that intensified during this period.

Working from home is now commonplace and will continue to be part of our daily lives. In fact, many staffers and employers have come to embrace the benefits of it. The “Zoom Boom” is no longer a temporary phenomenon but rather a sea change in how medicine is practiced. Increased online shopping is here to stay, and that includes professional skincare.

I talk to many practitioners who recognize that they became better at managing their businesses and now run everything more efficiently and cost-effectively. For starters, their offices are far cleaner and more organized. Virtual consults and follow-ups went mainstream. We also came to accept artificial intelligence or AI as the future and were thrust into the next frontier with technology. These were just some of the positive transformations that arose from an otherwise bleak period.

Think about the changes you have made during COVID-19, and then consider which, if any, you have reversed on the other side. Have you gotten by without a massive waiting room? Are you seeing fewer shoppers and nuisance patients now? Pressing the reset button, even under the worst possible circumstances, has taught us many things and changed our behavior for the long term.

So, let’s focus on the bright side: Aesthetic medicine has weathered the storm and emerged leaner and stronger in many ways.

Create a Vaccination Policy, Update Your Employee Handbook

By Allyson Avila, JD

Aesthetic practices are not likely to encounter a summer slump. To the contrary, it appears that medical spas and aesthetic practices are booming, since people have been contained in their homes for such a long time and are looking to be “refreshed.”

Further, many states are beginning to loosen the mask-wearing requirement if a person has been fully vaccinated. However, most businesses are not requiring proof that a person has been fully vaccinated and are relying upon a “trust” method. The most important point to remember is that if you require proof of vaccination, then you must require proof across the board. For instance, you do not want to discriminate against anyone. The policy must be applied to everyone equally.

It is also acceptable that an employer inquires if an employee has been vaccinated and creates a vaccination policy. Employment manuals need to be updated to include the following:

• Employees Who Have Received Vaccination – If a current employee has previously received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine(s) (or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine), the employee must provide the Company with proof of immunization.
• Employees Who Have Not Received Vaccination – If a current employee has not received all necessary doses of one or more COVID-19 vaccines, the employee must take all reasonable steps necessary to become fully vaccinated and provide the Company with proof of immunization.
• New Employees – If a new employee has previously received all necessary doses of one or more COVID-19 vaccine(s), the new employee must provide the Company with proof of prior immunization within fourteen (14) days of the first date of employment. If a new employee has not previously received all necessary doses of one or more COVID-19 vaccine(s), the new employee must provide the Company with proof of immunization within sixty (60) days of the first date of employment.
• Medical or religious exemption – In the event of an approved medical or religious exemption, an employee’s duties may be modified by his or her department following consultation with the Company. The employee may be required to work from home or in a different location. If no alternate duty is available or feasible, and it is unsafe to the employee, other employees, or patients for the employee in continuing in his/her regular assignment, the employee may not be allowed to work. If the employee has PTO available, he/she may use it to be paid. All employees who have approved medical or religious exemptions must be vigilant for the symptoms of COVID-19 and must wear a face mask and practice social distancing for the entirety of their shifts.
• Paid leave of absence to receive a COVID-19 vaccination – All employees are entitled to a paid leave of absence to receive a COVID-19 vaccination during their normally-scheduled work hours. Employees are entitled to take up to four hours of paid leave per vaccine injection—i.e., four hours total for a single-dose vaccine, and eight hours total for a two-dose vaccine. Employees will be paid for this leave at their regular rate of pay. This leave is available until December 31, 2022.
• Consequences of Non-Compliance – In the event that an employee does not comply with the above COVID-19 Vaccination Policy through obtaining a vaccination and providing proof of such vaccination to the Company, or obtaining an approved medical/religious exemption, the employee will be provided with a notice and required to submit their proof of vaccination and/or medical/religious exemption form within two business days. In the event that the employee fails to provide proof of vaccination and/or medical/religious exemption form, the employee will be placed on suspension without pay for up to 14 business days. If the employee remains non-compliant after the 14 business day suspension period, the employee will be terminated for failure to meet the mandatory job requirement.

The Zoom Boom Continues

By Jay A. Shorr, BA, MBM-C, CAC XIV and Mara Shorr, BS, CAC XIV

The practice of aesthetic medicine and medical education will likely remain forever changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

We believe that virtual consultations and meetings are here to stay, since we can command attention and retention without ever having to leave our premises. Prior to COVID-19, virtual anything was a novelty, whereas today, it seems to be a necessity. Onsite education, training and conferences will slowly rebound, but not in the short term as many people will remain skittish until herd immunity is a reality. Conference season is starting again with somewhat limited capacity, and many professional organizations have chosen to do a hybrid of onsite and virtual meetings.

When there was nowhere to go and no one to see, priorities shifted. Slowly but surely, practice growth has recovered, and patients are once again seeking aesthetic and cosmetic treatments. As we enter what we hope is at least the end of the beginning of this pandemic, safety and protection of staff and patients must be our Number 1 priority.