Medical spas in Las Vegas, NV, lack on-site physician supervision, according to a study by the the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association (ASDSA).
Of the 63 medical spas reviewed, 73% of treatments involving injections were performed by non-physicians. Many spas did not even have a physician on-site, and in cases of complications, they didn’t inform an off-site medical director.
Without a physician on-site and immediately available, patient safety is compromised, as a physician with more in-depth, specialty-specific training would not be present to step in and assist if a complication occurs.
The study authors acknowledged the need for “improved regulations of cosmetic procedures performed at medical spas, guidelines regarding on-site versus off-site supervision, and staff accreditation and training.”
The study also found on most of the available websites and social media accounts for the medical spas that it was unclear whether the cosmetic medical procedures would be performed by a physician or a non-physician.
ASDSA’s position on Protecting the Public From Practitioner Misrepresentation supports clear and transparent communication with the patient about who will be providing care and opposes false and misleading advertisements that provide unclear information about licensure and training.
“This study brings attention to the patient safety risks that emerge when medical procedures are conducted by non-physicians in medical spas without appropriate supervision from physicians,” says M. Laurin Council, MD, MBA, ASDS/A President, in a news release. “ASDSA recognizes the substantial threat of medical spas to patient safety and calls for appropriate supervision, oversight and training by qualified on-site physicians, as well as medical spa procedures based on patient outcomes and quality care.”
ASDSA encourages patients to ensure medical procedures are performed or supervised by a qualified physician, especially by a board certified dermatologist as recommended in the “Medical Spa Safety Act.” This model legislation calls on states to regulate medical spas and keep medical procedures under the oversight of physicians, along with requiring medical directors to have training on all procedures being performed. The model bill also includes additional staff education requirements, notification to the public if a physician is not on-site and options for mandatory adverse event reporting.
