Focus on luxury to equip a medi-spa
By Crista Stark

Creating a successful medi-spa requires a focus not just on clinical protocol, but also on luxury. When you open a medi-spa as a way of practice expansion, you need to emphasize the “spa” aspect of this business when selecting furniture and equipment.

Medi-spas are opening in record numbers across America, largely because a medi-spa is a way to expand a practice and increase private-pay revenue at the same time. Many chiropractors, plastic and cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists, and even OB/GYN physicians have already begun adding medi-spa services to their repertoire.

Some have chosen to incorporate medi-spa services into their existing practices, while others have opened free-standing medi-spas as separate business ventures. Whichever way you choose, these services can complement the care delivered in your practice and help grow sources of revenue from existing patients, as well as new clients who may also become patients.

Success depends on understanding the type of clients who seek these services and their expectations from a medi-spa experience.

The medi-spa experience is not just about clinical exper-tise — luxury plays a very important role. When people visit a med-spa for an extravagant treatment, they expect — and will pay for — a luxurious experience. Surroundings such as soothing and opulent décor, the furniture, the staff, and the equipment must convey a sense of luxury.

Ask the following questions when equipping and furnishing your medi-spa:

1. Is the equipment versatile? Your equipment should work for you in more ways than one.

If you can configure the chairs and tables for a variety of procedures, it will help streamline client and staff flow through your medi-spa, thus maximizing the use of space. Versatile equipment also enhances revenue generation by ensuring that any treatment can be performed in each room.

Finally, equipment with pre-set hand controls ensures consistently correct client positioning while reducing set-up time.

2. Does it say ‘luxury’? Your clientele may visit your medi-spa for any number of services. However, it is the overall luxury and comfort that will cause him or her to return to your practice.

The success of your medi-spa will depend on capturing as much of this business as possible, and providing your clients a luxurious experience will hasten their return. Choosing the most lavish and appropriate furniture and equipment is a key factor in creating such a luxurious environment.

3. Is it ergonomically designed for both staff and clients? It is smart to choose furniture and equipment made by a company with a history of producing products that support the physical needs of therapists, estheticians, and others while providing clients with a truly pleasurable experience.

According to International Spa Association (ISPA), one problem medi-spa owners face is staff turnover. Creating a work environment that caters to the physical needs of your staff, such as equipment designed to reduce physical stress brought on by various procedures, helps improve retention.

4. Does the equipment support risk-management initiatives? Any equipment used in a chiropractor’s office must support efforts to minimize liability, and medi-spa equipment is no different.

Selecting furniture and equipment that can handle the physical attributes and special needs of your clientele is extremely important. For example: If you serve a bariatric patient population, weight-bearing, lifting capacity, and stability are important features to assess.

Likewise, if you serve elderly patients, appropriate height range will facilitate those patients to safely get on and off the table.

Show concern for these factors when choosing equipment for your medi-spa and you may avoid injury and lawsuits later.

When selecting positioning equipment such as tables and chairs for your medi-spa, keep in mind this is far more than simply an economic decision. Making the right choices will have a positive effect on your medi-spa’s efficiency and esthetics, which will result in a growing and highly profitable clientele.

And if your purchases also meet the physical needs of your technicians, you can avoid one of the biggest pitfalls of the business — high staff turnover.

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Medi-spa definition

Crista Stark is Spa Market Director at Oakworks, Inc., a manufacturer of tables, chairs, and accessories for the spa industry. She may be reached at 800-558-8850, ext. 2257.