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Nail Surgery

Discussion in 'Practice Management' started by RossPod, Feb 9, 2012.

  1. RossPod

    RossPod Member


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    I work in a well established but fairly new private practice. We have an excellent doms case load and our clinic is starting to take off with a lot of biomechanics patients.

    We are all set for nail surgery, with all equipment and instruments in place. We are one of few private clinics who offer nail surgery in the area and our prices are reasonable. Had a few interested patients for nail surgery but they haven't been in contact after initial appointment.

    Any words of advice would be great
     
  2. Elizabeth Humble-Thomas

    Elizabeth Humble-Thomas Active Member

    Hi there, I've been offering nail surgery at my practice for around thirty years. We have good results, and good relations with all local GPs.
    Despite this, I only actual operate on around fifteen patients year.
    It may be that nail surgery is something that GPs will tackle for free on the NHS, and horror stories of poor treatment in A and E departments abound.
    Also, people are notoriously unwilling to spend money on their feet ...
    Good luck though, by the way like buses, ingrown nails seem to turn up in twos and threes, no idea why.
     
  3. W J Liggins

    W J Liggins Well-Known Member

    You could try follow up with an anonymous analysis.

    Over the years the best way I have found to 'sell' the concept is:

    trust in the practitioner, convenience, rapid treatment, curative treatment (it may cost more initially but there are huge savings in the long run), good skills.

    You really need to target a younger market and perhaps a little salesmanship " do you really want that expensive holiday, or would you rather be out of pain?" You can market through GP practices, but the best marketing is word of mouth, so you could encourage that also.

    Hope this helps.

    Bill Liggins
     
  4. cmg1

    cmg1 Welcome New Poster

    You will probably find that most patient are being seen by NHS Podaitry or by GPs. Patients will often seek advice on their needs privately then try to find a cheaper alternative via NHS.

    This certainly happens in my area I am personally doing in excess of six hundred procedures per year and with the rest of the team approx twelve hundred patients have nail surgery through the NHS Podiatry Dept.

    Would be nice if a few more went private.
     
  5. JRB123

    JRB123 Active Member

    I agree, I think in this current financial climate people are really trying to not spend money. The cost of private nail surgery is quite expensive for the average person. Maybe the GP clinics in your area offer minor surgery and are doing it for free? Might be worth finding out what treatments the local GPs offer. Good luck with the clinic, sounds like it's going really well.
     
  6. OneFoot

    OneFoot Active Member

    what is your price for nail surgery...?

    Including initial consult
     
  7. Elizabeth Humble-Thomas

    Elizabeth Humble-Thomas Active Member

    My price for nail surgery package, ie surgery with two podiatrists, one anaesthetic and support and one operating, then, as many dressings as needed, is £320 for one side, £340 for two, £360 for three sides and £380 for four sides.
    If they have regrowth then we repeat for half price.
    No complaints, patients seem happy.
     
  8. OneFoot

    OneFoot Active Member

    Sorry that was to RossPod
     
  9. RossPod

    RossPod Member

    An initial appointment is £20 where we assess the nail. Nail surgery is £190 which includes one follow up dressing. To try and and encourage more patients to take up surgery we deduct the initial assessment fe, so they are only paying £170. I feel we are more than reasonably priced, as we are a fairly new business we dont want to set the price too high at the moment untill we are better established.

    One patient I attended had told me she had to wait 9 weeks for an appointment with an NHS pod. I will enquire about referral times within the local NHS providers. I am not local to the area so dont have a great knowledge of this NHSprovider, only from what my patients have told me so far. Usually patients going private have very few positive things to say about the NHS service.

    I also work for NHS in Glasgow where nail surger refferals are only around 2 weeks.

    I'm sure once we get our first patient, good word will spread. It was the case for our biomechanics service.

    Thanks for the advice to everyone who contributed. Shall keep you updated on our progress.

    Ross
     
  10. RossPod

    RossPod Member

    Hello fellow pods! Just thought I would give you all an update.

    Thankfully our nail surgery is starting to take off, a fairly long NHS waiting list has been to our advantage and are now picking up around 2 per week.

    Thanks for all the advice :)
     
  11. Elizabeth Humble-Thomas

    Elizabeth Humble-Thomas Active Member

    £20 ! That 's what they charge for a fringe trim at the hairdressers ! I'm going to get thrown off this site.
    You Are a professional with a degree and experience. Don't be afraid to charge a proper fee.
    Plumber charges £40 for home visit , before doing anything, and you? What dare you charge?
     
  12. Elizabeth Humble-Thomas

    Elizabeth Humble-Thomas Active Member

    £20 ! That 's what they charge for a fringe trim at the hairdressers ! I'm going to get thrown off this site.
    You Are a professional with a degree and experience. Don't be afraid to charge a proper fee.
    Plumber charges £40 for home visit , before doing anything, and you? What dare you charge?
     
  13. RossPod

    RossPod Member

    I have been telling my boss that for some time we are far too cheap. But Scottish people are famously tight!

    Also the vast majority of our caseload was bought over from a retiring Pod who charged £8 to some patients so its been hard to raise prices.

    Thanks for your input though :)
     
  14. Elizabeth Humble-Thomas

    Elizabeth Humble-Thomas Active Member

    You need to decide whether you want to work at say£30 per patient, £60 per hour.
    Or £12 per patient, £24 per hour.
    Take away your costs, now decide. Are you good enough? If you are, then you can work for half the amount of time for the same amount of money.
    You are a professional, believe in yourself.
    Liz
     
  15. Joe Bean

    Joe Bean Active Member

    Hey this is a great debate purely Uk and should be locality based?

    Nail surgery is not rocket science, those using 2 pods plus an anesthetist are IMO incompetent, pure overkill.

    So what justifies £200 plus for a nail procedure?

    Takes me 1/2 hour a few extra tools and dressings then a next day 'check up'.

    So why £250?

    Well its a solution and we deserve I think a recognition of our talents.

    Of course the NHS love their 'single interventions'
     
  16. Elizabeth Humble-Thomas

    Elizabeth Humble-Thomas Active Member

    Just 2 podiatrists! (not an anaesthetist, I said anaesthetic!)
    The reason I prefer to work with a colleague is that it allows one of us to be watching, reassuring the patient, distracting them. Also quite difficult maintain a sterile technique while working alone.
    The costs breaks down : 15 mins to thoroughly clean room and create sterile area.30 mins surgery time. 15 mins to clean room, explain post op etc to patient, maybe give cup of tea, make dressing appointment. So, two podiatrist for one hour ( we charge £45 per half hour appointment) = £180,
    letter to GP =£20, followed by at least 2 maybe 3 or 4 follow up dressing appointments -I never discharge until I'm sure the healing is complete.
    We rarely need follow up antibiotics, and also rarely get regrowth.
    Patients generally very pleased.
     
  17. Joe Bean

    Joe Bean Active Member

    Just 2 podiatrists! (not an anaesthetist, I said anaesthetic!)

    Apologies I miss read,


    The reason I prefer to work with a colleague is that it allows one of us to be watching, reassuring the patient, distracting them. Also quite difficult maintain a sterile technique while working alone.

    Why?


    The costs breaks down : 15 mins to thoroughly clean room and create sterile area.

    Garbage you cannot 'create a sterile area'

    30 mins surgery time.

    LA 5 mins?

    PNA 10 mins

    dressing 2 mins

    fair enough

    30 mins

    15 mins to clean room,

    What got dirty?

    explain post op etc to patient, maybe give cup of tea, make dressing appointment.

    So it's a double act?


    So, two podiatrist for one hour ( we charge £45 per half hour appointment) = £180,

    Good for you


    letter to GP =£20,

    What has it got to do with the GP?


    followed by at least 2 maybe 3 or 4 follow up dressing appointments -I never discharge until I'm sure the healing is complete.


    So a lack of confidence in your procedure?

    We rarely need follow up antibiotics,

    I would be mortified if I needed follow up antibiotics, having done a sterile procedure and used phenol, the most aggressive antibiotic known!

    and also rarely get regrowth.

    Regrowth does happen but rarely, you are not unique!

    Patients generally very pleased.

    That is always good. The thing is we all practice differently, as long as we are safe then all is well?

    Joe
     
  18. Elizabeth Humble-Thomas

    Elizabeth Humble-Thomas Active Member

    Sorry Joe, it works for me. Sorry to have annoyed you so much. Liz
     
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