Practiceland: Not Your Doctor's Podcast

Every patient coordinator knows the moment: the consultation goes great, the patient's excited, and then the price is delivered and you feel yourself start to apologize for it. That reflex isn't harmless, it tells the patient the price is something to feel bad about, and it can quietly reverse a decision that was otherwise locked in. Troy Cole returns to Practiceland for round two. He's spent 20 y...

There’s a widespread belief that zero-interest payment plans are too expensive to the practice.  But the reality is interest-free payment plans cost the practice almost exactly what a cash discount costs.  Marie Olesen, CEO, and Janelle Robinson, COO, of La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre return to Practiceland to share their journey from treating payment plans as a last-resort conversation to leadi...

The promising lead that stopped responding, the consultation that booked and cancelled, the patient who came in once, had a great experience, and then stopped returning your calls. Those people didn't say no — they just haven't had a good enough reason to say yes yet, and fewer than one in ten practices ever reach back out to them. Andrea Watkins and co-host Allison Petriella reframe it for us: a...

Most practices chase stars on Google and stop there. But proactively seeking feedback from patients before requesting a review is the earliest warning that a process or a person is quietly letting people down. Practices that survey their patients catch those problems in private, long before they turn into a public shaming or a legal battle. In 1988, after realizing patients choose their surgeon by...

Every year the schedule goes soft, everyone panics, and then it fills back up — like summer is some kind of surprise. Andrea Watkins and patient care coordinator Alli Petriella break down how to see the slow stretches coming: pulling several years of historical data, tracking surgery-hour utilization and revenue, and reading the lifestyle and regional patterns that decide when your patients actual...

Some people walk in ready to sign before you open your mouth. Others need three weeks, a printout, and a notebook full of questions. Same practice, same price, same words out of you — completely different result. Troy Cole runs LogiCole Consulting and has spent about 20 years coaching refractive and cataract surgery teams to convert more patients and command premium prices. He teaches Andrea DISC,...

A hole opens up on the surgery schedule with zero warning, and it never fails to trigger the same stomach-drop reaction from whoever picks up the phone. Andrea Watkins and Alli Petriella walk through exactly what to do next — the policies you need in place before it happens, and the moves that fill the spot fast without looking desperate. Alli, a Patient Care Coordinator with more than a decade in...

Every consult eventually hits the moment a patient goes quiet — “let me think about it,” or the call that opens with “just tell me what a tummy tuck costs.” How you handle that pause decides whether the patient moves forward or walks out the door. Pulled from the Practiceland vault, we’re bringing you the sharpest objection-handling moments our guests have ever given us, stitched into a single mas...

The hardest part of learning the patient coordinator role in an aesthetic practice isn't memorizing procedures or learning the EMR — it's the first time a patient asks what something costs and you have to answer without flinching.  The instinct most of us have on day one is to whisper the number, hide behind the brochure, or drop the price and let silence do the rest. But not being confident in th...

Every reminder, confirmation, and follow-up your front desk sends is a chance to build trust — or get unsubscribed. Most teams run the generic, canned versions baked into their EMR, the ones patients tune out. This is about the difference between automation that sounds like a robot and automation that sounds like you. Andrea talks with Becky Godsey, Chief Operating Officer at Denver Plastic Surger...

There’s a good chance no one has ever told what the corporate practice of medicine doctrine exists, and that’s exactly the problem. It affects everyone in the practice too — not just the person who owns the business. Regulators are actively looking. Boards of medicine, nursing, and pharmacy are running audits across the country, and a spa that quietly started offering Botox or body contouring is e...

To use AI in the practice in a way that actually helps your patients, you have to know where to start to prevent it from hurting the brand.  Monique Ramsey defined her practice’s "cosmetic surgery bestie" voice, and built Avery—an AI coordinator that answers some common patient questions and books consultations at 2am while everyone's asleep.  A year later: 67 hours of coordinator time saved, medi...

Most practices obsess over getting new patients in the door, but ignore what actually makes them profitable: getting them to come back over and over. Clark Cave from Model Rewards joins us to share why loyalty programs are much more than perks—they’re a competitive advantage and without a loyalty strategy, you’re leaving serious revenue on the table. From the psychology behind awarding points and...

Discounts feel like the fastest way to fill the schedule, but the cycle they create quietly destroys your reputation and hurts the business. Tackling one of the most controversial topics in aesthetics, Andrea and Alli argue against making deals to book patients — because the consequences attract the wrong clientele, degrade your value, and turn surgery into a negotiation rather than a life-changin...

That new employment contract you’re excited to sign could quietly shape your entire future. Non-competes aren’t just legal jargon; they can decide where you’re allowed to work, for how long, and at what cost. Healthcare attorney Evan Sampson explains how non-competes work, why enforcement varies wildly by state, and how employers are getting more creative as laws shift.  They cover what’s reasonab...

To believe that you can have a 100% same day close rate, you also have to believe your consultations are won or lost before your prospective patient ever walks into the office. Alli shares every detail of the proven process she follows to achieve a 100% same-day close rate by eliminating every possible surprise and helping the right patients be confident about moving forward.  GUEST Alli Petriella...

Money doesn’t have to be the reason patients hesitate, but it often is. Jenna Hennig is back to share how payment planning helps patients move forward without feeling pressured or sold to. She explains how to introduce financing naturally, frame the cost as monthly payments with confidence, and keep the focus on your patient’s goals, not the price. Listen for when to bring up payment options, who...

Most injectors know the two easiest ways to increase revenue, but something keeps them from actually doing either consistently. Jenna Hennig shares the two simple shifts can double per-appointment revenue:  protecting patient results with skincare and securing treatment with smart payment planning. She explains why these aren’t “sales tactics,” but part of ethical, high-quality care. Listen for wh...

If you were hired as a 1099 contractor but should be an employee, you might be at serious legal risk. What looks like a simple arrangement can quickly turn into a costly audit, penalties, and unexpected liability. Attorney Evan Sampson explains who really qualifies as an independent contractor and how misclassification can backfire for both owners and providers.  GUEST Evan Sampson Counsel, Health...

If consult fees aren’t part of your process or aren’t working, there are other ways to protect the schedule. Heather Hughes Hardy and Jenna Hennig continue the conversation with practical strategies front desk and scheduling teams can actually use. From collecting a card on file to setting clear cancellation policies, find out how strong communication reduces no-shows and filters serious buyers fr...

Consult fees shouldn’t be what stops a great lead from booking, but too often, they do. Jenna Hennig unblocks the blockers all front desk teams face: the consultation. Find out why these fees are essential, how they protect the schedule, and why confidence—not the fee—is usually the deciding factor for a yes. Hear Jenna’s advice on when to mention the fee, how to explain it clearly, and what to sa...

Criticism can sting, but it doesn’t have to shake your confidence. Heather Hughes-Hardy opens up about her early struggles with taking feedback personally and how one mentor’s tough-love advice completely shifted her mindset. Her go-to? Radical accountability—asking “What could I do better?” instead of “What did I do wrong?” She shares how this small shift builds resilience, keeps burnout at bay,...

…and then chose the wrong one.  Alli’s with the wild story of losing her job to layoffs, picking herself up off the ground quickly, then crushing her job search so hard she had the unique challenge of choosing between seven offers.  Discovering she did not fit in the organization she chose, she then landed a new role that aligned perfectly with what matters most: culture fit and shared commitment...

Handling upset, aggressive, or emotional patients is an art form. When a patient gets heated—even after you’ve done everything right, what should you do? Jenna shares how she stays calm and reminds patients you’re on the same team to turn tension into trust. By identifying what’s really bothering them (like fear of wasted money or treatment doubt), you can calmly redirect the conversation. Find ou...

Back for part 2 with special guest Ken Bosan, we flip our conversation to the “don’ts” to help you avoid making costly mistakes or offending patients.  Some of the big no-no’s include letting generic AI copy speak for your brand, over-automating patient communication so it feels cold or robotic, and chasing shortcuts that ignore compliance, accuracy, or your own clinical judgment.  GUESTS Ken Bosa...