Independent NP running cosmetic derm practice

[exPCM]

Link to Independent NP practices in Arizona:
http://aznpconnection.netfirms.com/indyaznpspec.pdf
Link to Independent NP cosmetic derm practice:
http://www.ultrasmoothskin.com/
Link to her credentials: http://www.ultrasmoothskin.com/bio_lisa_williams.htm
"Lisa is an expert with laser hair removal, BOTOX® Cosmetic, Restylane, Collagen and Radiance fillers, sclerotherapy, spider vein therapy, scar & stretch mark reduction, laser skin resurfacing, radiofrequency tightening, laser hair removal; laser tattoo removal; laser treatment of: wrinkles, blood vessels, mole removal, telangiectasia, melasma, rosacea, and hyperpigmentation. She also performs Sciton, IPL Photo Rejuvenation, acne therapy, chemical peel and microdermabrasion treatments."
Look at her website: looks like this NP Williams is doing botox, laser treatment, restylane, etc. Look at the posted videos with her multiple TV appearances.
Those who think that these NPs are just trying to fill a void in healthcare are sadly mistaken IMO.
Does anyone really think there is a shortage of cosmetic dermatology services in Scottsdale AZ and that NP Williams is there to provide these services in an otherwise underserved area?

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[caspian]

Looking through the list, there are also NP-independent cardiology, pain management, and SURGICAL(?!) practices.

👎

 

[tripleJ]

that's nothin bro; cheak out PHYSICIANS skin care:
http://www.physicianskinarrowhead.com/meet-doctor.html

 

[NYRN]

I see what you are saying, but living in NY, I see hundreds of these spas already exist offering the same services that do not have an MD or any health professional affiliated with them all. They also call themselves "medi"-spas. These spas offer botox by a plastic surgeon who is paid a fee to come in and give it. The MD is not affiliated with the spa at all. Legally, an RN is allowed to administer botox as long as the patient brings thier own or there is an MD to order it. In the other post, I posted a link to a woman who is neither an MD or an NP and she is legally purchasing botox and selling it to women. As an RN, I value my license too much to think of giving botox shots, but there are RNs and other MD's such as psychiatrists who will take these seminar courses and who advertise as they are "just as skilled as a plastic surgeon" in giving these shots.

What's even scarier, is that there are weight loss centers run by internal medicine MD's who do lipo and other invasive procedures in office. Although I have respect for the MD training, I personally would not seek out plastic surgery by anyone other than a plastic surgeon.

I am more against these spas being called "medi", making people think than an MD/NP/PA is running it, than actually having someone on premises to oversee the things going on.

I'll tell you why people choose to go to these types of places instead of an MD. Many of these derm offices offer laser hair removal, but the treatment is not done by the MD, but by an aesthetician. People think, well why am I paying a higher price at an MD for the same treatment when he/she is not even doing it themself?

I am a believer that if people have the choice between a plastics/derm MD over an NP for the same procedure at the same price, they would choose the MD hands down. Some people just don't care and are willing to go to the cheaper option even if its not the best option.

Fight the fight, but then all these places without MD supervision must be shut down, not just the places that are utilizing NP's.

 

[caspian]

MY GOD.

These women are pumping up their patients with L-DOPA and 5-HTP.
How many patients have they thrown into a serotonin syndrome or induce psychotic dyskinesia?

Neurotransmitter Balancing Physician Skin Solutions at Arrowhead uses CHK Nutrition (www.chknutrition.com) supplements with our neurotransmitter balancing protocol. CHK Nutrition holds a gold standard in its quality ingredients of 5-HTP and L-Dopa (not from faba bean source). They are the only company in the world authorized to use the trademark "99%+ Pure 5-HTP", by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. CHK Nutrition offers peer reviewed medical literature available on their web site, and they only dispense to licensed medical professionals.
Neurotransmitter Balancing is based on over 15 years of research at The University of Minnesota Medical School. The goal of the therapy is to restore balance to the Master Neurotransmitters:

• Serotonin
• Dopamine
• Norepinephrine
• Epinephrine

 

[FutureDoc4]

Their website says "Physician skin solutions' at the top.

Isn't that illegal? They can advertise themselves as doctors with their naturopathic degrees but not physicians, so I thought? Any insight on this?

It also mentions that they each completed a "residency"... doesn't everyone now feel we need to start protecting this word? I feel like everyone and their sister has now completed a "residency".

 

[Dral]

Wow. Scary.

'Goodbye stretch marks'...lol, sounds like an awful commercial tag line for some bs product that's 'yours for only 3 easy installments of 29.99'.

I guess body contouring for those problem areas plus anti-aging factors such as nutrition and neurotransmitter balancing are the real answers.

 

[bronx43]

That's the problem you run into when cosmetic procedures aren't protected under federal or state laws. This is why I laugh when plastic surgery residents think they're above the reform since they're going into "cash-only" private practice. Without laws that mandate board certification for cosmetic surgeries, any decrease in income in the rest of the medical field will result in an increase in competition in cash practices.

 

[JaggerPlate]

any decrease in income in the rest of the medical field will result in an increase in competition in cash practices.

YUP.

I agree, wholeheartedly, with a lot of your posts.

 

[PharmaTope]

umm wtf!!!!! i cant believe what i am seeing here. how is a nurse having a surgical practice?

 

[JaggerPlate]

Is this worth reporting to a medical board, or are the rights in AZ just super liberal??? I know they are one of the states that gives naturopaths, NPs, etc a lot of independence.

 

[PharmaTope]

that's nothin bro; cheak out PHYSICIANS skin care:
http://www.physicianskinarrowhead.com/meet-doctor.html

Dr. Maltais began her professional journey as a graduate of Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Microbiology, chemistry and pre-medical studies. She then proceeded to receive her Medical Doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon. She completed a General Practice Residency at the Southwest Naturopathic Medical Center in Tempe, Arizona. During her post graduate training, Dr. Maltais received additional focused training in minor surgery and general dermatology. She also served as a clinical instructor in minor surgery and IV therapy. Dr. Maltais has expertise in many modalities including injectable therapies, nutrition, minor surgery, IV therapy, homeopathy and botanical medicine, as well as conventional medicine.


WTF AM I READING HERE!!!

 

[sore eye asses]

there is a subset of people who distrust modern medicine because their aunt or cousin or grandma died in the hospital from pneumonia or kidney failure or (fill in the blank) and the docs weren't able to prevent it. this failure became the failure of all modern medicine in their eyes.

this subset of people will seek care from naturopaths, because Naturopathy offers an alternative.

Naturopaths have found a means to prey on those people's fear and ignorance, perhaps even convincing themselves of the validity of their own methods along the way. Bottom line, if a treatment is not subject to rigorous trials and scientific scrutiny, then it's a placebo. placebos sell like hotcakes! people love that s***.

 

[Socrates25]

Somebody shoot off an email to these idiots. They are not "physicians", they are not "doctors" and they do NOT have a "medical doctorate" in anything but quackery.

I'd love to see their defense of this jackassery.

 

[JaggerPlate]

Someone needs to alert the AZ medical board. These people aren't even saying they offer some naturopathic difference, they are saying they blatantly misleading people into believing they are physicians.

 

[dubmaster123]

Anesthesia has stepped up, and many other specialties are supporting this:

http://www.asahq.org/news/asanews051310.htm

scroll down to the bottom to read the bill and statement.

 

[skin tag]

Looks like the nurses are already up in arms:

http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAPoliticalPower/Federal/Issues/Healthcare.aspx

 

[dubmaster123]

Looks like the nurses are already up in arms:

http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAPoliticalPower/Federal/Issues/Healthcare.aspx

Yea this is directly from their website:

"Multiple studies reveal that patients treated by APRNs have outcomes comparable to those who are treated by physicians, and that APRN care often results in higher patient satisfaction. While APRN practice differs from that of physicians, APRNs do - in fact – provide services equivalent to those of medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy. "

LMAO...unbelievable...
2 nights ago I was in the ED doing a consult , I overheard an APRN saying that she thought the patient had tinea capitis and she was therefore going to prescribe flagyl for him. Yes flagyl...first line tx last i checked.

 

[Nellyakgo]

Somebody shoot off an email to these idiots. They are not "physicians", they are not "doctors" and they do NOT have a "medical doctorate" in anything but quackery.

I'd love to see their defense of this jackassery.

Hey all. I thought NDs in the USA did have the equivalent training as MDs other than that they specialized in herbal "pharmacology" and treatment rather than conventional pharmacologial and surgical intervention. No?

 

[FutureDoc4]

Hey all. I thought NDs in the USA did have the equivalent training as MDs other than that they specialized in herbal "pharmacology" and treatment rather than conventional pharmacologial and surgical intervention. No?

Please, please.... tell me this is a joke

If I missed the sarcasm I apologize

 

[AKMD_1984]

Yea this is directly from their website:

"Multiple studies reveal that patients treated by APRNs have outcomes comparable to those who are treated by physicians, and that APRN care often results in higher patient satisfaction. While APRN practice differs from that of physicians, APRNs do - in fact – provide services equivalent to those of medical doctors and doctors of osteopathy. "

LMAO...unbelievable...
2 nights ago I was in the ED doing a consult , I overheard an APRN saying that she thought the patient had tinea capitis and she was therefore going to prescribe flagyl for him. Yes flagyl...first line tx last i checked.

hahahahah...

 

[Nellyakgo]

Please, please.... tell me this is a joke

If I missed the sarcasm I apologize

No, I wasn't being sarcastic.

I'm a FMG. And in my medical education I'd never even heard about such a thing as an ND and herbs were, erm, "jokes" . For perspective - my career has been in the "health & beauty care industry" in Fortune Top 50 companies, i.e. "reputable". In one of my jobs I was dealing with herbal drugs and there was someone who had graduated as an ND from somewhere in the US. I'm only going by what this person explained /told me. And the top brass of the company adored this person and took all their R&D advice from him/her. So other than this person's work ethics (which is a different matter) I had nothing else to go by to think so lowly of naturapthic medicine schools.

I also have to say that in "some cases" (I stress "some cases") herbals can and do work. I didn't use to believe that untill I worked in above mentioned company but then I got into it, saw the data and became a believer. There's no big pharma money to be made in herbals (not patentable) and therefore its not worth the pharma industry's money to conduct the type of clinical studies to get through the FDA plus the equally big money (yes it does take big money to promote) to promote to doctors.

But it would be useful if you/someone gives a real explanation rather than sheer disgust at why you find ND's so contemptible. Seriously. I'm not being sarcastic. I'm open to learn from this forum. This is why I'm here.

 

[moinmoin]

But it would be useful if you/someone gives a real explanation rather than sheer disgust at why you find ND's so contemptible.

I'd wager most people here don't find them "contemptible." One of my friends is an ND who knows a lot more than I do about nutrition, for example. He works in a clinic with an MD (internist) and also knows the boundaries of what he can treat, mainly discussing and educating people about lifestyle modifications. I think the issue with the "derm" NDs in AZ here is the misrepresentation of their credentials, the purposeful usage of terms that are connected to MDs, and the fact they might be doing procedures they reaaaalllly shouldn't be doing!

 

[N-Surge]

It is the loose use of the term conventional medicine I personally find alarming...

 

[Audrey Salmon]

Nurse having a surgical practice??? That's absurd!