Beyond the Needle: Why the Pretreatment Consult is Your Best Business Strategy
In an industry often obsessed with the latest laser or the most precise injection technique, we frequently overlook the most critical tool in the room: the conversation. On a recent episode of Medical Spa Insider, host Alex Tiersch sat down with Lina Khalili, MSN, FNP-C, the founder of ArtMedica Aesthetics, to discuss why the pretreatment consultation is a lost art that many providers are inadvertently rushing through.
Lina brings a fascinating perspective to the table. With a background that spans anonymous fashion blogging, a biology degree, and experience in a cardiac surgical ICU, she has managed to bridge the gap between high-level medical science and the aesthetic aspirations of her patients. Her results speak for themselves. Despite being only two months into her new practice in Vienna, Virginia, she is already booked out nearly five months with a waitlist over a hundred people long.
The Psychology of the Open-Ended Question
One of the most tactical takeaways from the conversation is Lina’s approach to the start of every appointment. Even if a patient specifically books for a neurotoxin, she begins with a simple, open-ended question: “What made you book for this?”
This small shift in dialogue often reveals that the patient’s perceived problem is not their actual concern. A patient might book for "tox" because they see a line, but they are actually bothered by a nasolabial fold or volume loss. By asking why, Lina ensures she is treating the person, not just the procedure. This prevents the common pitfall of a "transactional" experience where the patient leaves feeling like just another number on a chart.
The Three-Step Education Framework
Lina’s consultation isn't just a friendly chat; it is a structured educational process. She breaks down her recommendations into three distinct parts to move the patient from curiosity to commitment:
- Establish the Concern: Validate what the patient is seeing in the mirror.
- Educate on the Cause: Use simple, biological terms to explain why the aging process is causing that specific concern. This moves the conversation from "sales" to "science."
- The "Why" of the Treatment: Explain exactly how the recommended product or service addresses that biological cause.
By empowering patients with knowledge, Lina shifts the dynamic. The patient isn't being "sold" a filler; they are being provided a solution they finally understand. This approach has led to a rebooking rate of nearly 80%, a staggering KPI for a new business owner.
The Golden Nugget
"A patient has full autonomy to pick you based on if they trust you and trust the results that you’re going to produce. In my opinion, if you don't have trust with your patients in aesthetics, you don't have anything."
Leveraging the Content Creator Mindset
Lina attributes 90% of her patient load to social media, but not in the way many might think. Her previous life as a fashion blogger taught her how to build a community before she ever picked up a syringe. When she transitioned into aesthetic medicine, her audience already trusted her eye for beauty and her attention to detail.
For new practice owners, Lina’s story is a masterclass in slow, intentional growth. She isn't rushing to buy every laser on the market. Instead, she is keeping a running list of every concern she has to refer out. Only once she sees a consistent pattern of unmet needs will she invest in new technology. It is a conservative, data-driven approach to scaling that prioritizes the health of the business over the ego of the owner.
Lina’s appearance on Medical Spa Insider serves as a vital reminder: your hands might do the work, but your words build the practice.
Listen to Medical Spa Insider: https://podranker.com/podcast/medical-spa-insider