Women's Dermatologic Society

The WDS Practice Advisory Committee (PAC) shares dermatology photography tips including how to take quality photos and save time, before and after photography, dermoscopy and more. Dermoscopic Photography I find it very helpful to monitor pigmented lesions for changes using dermoscopic photography. In order to do this quickly, I have a phone case that is magnetized to hold my dermatoscope in place. Both my dermatoscope and the case are from DermLite. Using an app for EPIC, my photographs can be directly uploaded into the patient's chart for future use. I find this system to be very quick and efficient.  Taking dermoscopic photographs of things that I biopsy has also improved my own knowledge. I review photographs when dermpath comes back to see if there are any features that I can learn from for a particular diagnosis. For anyone who teaches residents, having a library of dermoscopic images can also improve residency training. - Lori Fiessinger, ...

The WDS Practice Advisory Committee (PAC) shares tips and advice for optimizing consent forms for surgical and cosmetic procedures in dermatology. Include Patient Discussions in Office Notes Don’t forget that a form may not always protect you. It is just as important, if not more, to include the discussion you had with the patient in your office note. The patient can always claim that they didn’t read a form that was put in front of them. - Mark Kaufmann, MD Focus on Patient Dialogue More important than a signed consent form, is a dialogue with the patient to convey the risks, benefits and alternatives of a procedure or intervention, and determining that the patient understands the dialogue as it is pertinent to them. Also, consider having a witness print their name and sign as well as the patient on the consent form. - Monica Li, MD, FRCPC, FAAD Increase Patient Compliance after a New Procedure Give patients a follow up call the day after a new proced...

The WDS Practice Advisory Committee (PAC) shares their best piece of professional advice to help you succeed in every stage of your career. "If it comes down to your ethics versus a job, choose ethics. You can always find another job.” - Mark Kaufmann, MD “There is never a right time to start a practice. There will always be competing interests and commitments, regardless of the stage in life. Things will fall into place with time and effort, if having a practice is what you want. Just go for it.” - Monica Li, MD, FRCPC, FAAD “When working toward a goal be highly selective in how you spend your most valuable resource: time. If a task does not require your skill set then delegate it or decide it will not get done at least for now.” - Molly Hinshaw, MD “When writing work related emails don't be reactive or quick to hit the send button. If you have any hesitation about how to respond to a situation at work or aren't sure how to word an email correc...

Dermatology conferences and meetings offer great resources to network, learn from industry experts, and bring back useful information which can be used in your everyday practice. The WDS Practice Advisory Committee (PAC) has put together a list of their recommended meetings to attend related to business and practice management for both dermatologists and office managers. AAD - American Academy of Dermatology I love the "Hands On" courses at the AAD! These are a fantastic way to update existing skills and learn new skills one-on-one from experts around the country and world. - Molly Hinshaw, MD ADAM - Association of Dermatology Administrators and Managers Annual Meeting Our office manager feels ADAM, Association of Dermatology Administrators and Managers Annual Meeting, is the most comprehensive and efficient way to learn about changes that happen each year. This meeting happens in conjunction with the AAD. It is better than attending general dermatology meetings...

A collection of PAC Pearls from the Women’s Dermatologic Society Managing staff employment is an essential element to a successful private practice. The WDS Practice Advisory Committee (PAC) has put together a list of pearls to help navigate staff hiring and firing in your Dermatology practice.  1. Hire Slowly and Fire Quickly  Consider a prolonged new employee interview after initial screening, where the candidate spends time in the department they will work in. Get feedback from your current employees and make sure that the candidate is someone they can see themselves working with. Have a 90 day trial employment with assessment by the office manager and the physicians at the end of the 3 months. Be clear that if they are not working out after 90 days, they will be let go. This makes everyone re-evaluate the candidate. If someone is not performing, or is a negative energy in your office, let them go. Delaying firing a weak or negative employee, no mat...

The Practice Advisory Committee has put together a list of pearls to help manage angry patients. Anger in some situations is a secondary emotion. I try to identify and address the primary emotion instead of the anger. For example, fear and anxiety are two primary emotions that can result in anger. Reassuring the patient by addressing their fear and anxiety helps dissipate the anger. - Molly Hinshaw, MD Listen, 90% of the time an angry patient just wants to be heard. And often they have a valid point. I always say I hear you, let me take care of your skin, and then I’m going to make sure that your problem gets taken care of. And if it’s my fault, for example running late, I apologize and move on. - Deirdre Hooper, MD Listen with empathy. Let the patient express what they would like to say and acknowledge their frustration to deescalate the situation as much as possible. Even several minutes of letting the patient talk without interruption can really he...

The Practice Advisory Committee has put together a list of pearls to avoid burnout in your practice. Focus on Your Strengths You should spend your day doing what you were trained to do, and minimize the time you spend on regulatory and administrative tasks.  - Dr. Mark Kaufmann, MD Get the Support You Need We hired a coder/biller who reviews our notes after we are finished. She verifies that what we have recorded in the note meets the level of service that we have billed. This has saved me hours of tediously going through notes to make sure I have coded correctly. This has increased my job satisfaction tremendously. Well worth it! - Dr. Sarah Jackson, MD Expand Your Passions Find a passion (or a hobby) outside of medicine. My outside interests in art and design have led me to engage more in my community, travel, and improve the visual state of both my home and office. A happy visual space makes for a place I want to be in. - Dr. Elizabeth...