New tool guides patient-centric aesthetic consultation

(HealthDay)—A new patient assessment tool can guide clinicians to help ensure consistency in the quality of patient assessment and consultation in those seeking minimally invasive facial cosmetic procedures, according to a study published Dec. 16 in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

Ravi Jain, M.B.B.S., from the Riverbanks Clinic in East Hyde, U.K., and colleagues reviewed issues underlying patient satisfaction with minimally invasive aesthetic treatment to develop a patient-centric assessment tool called the Global Ranking Scale (GRS) to improve the patient consultation and treatment experience. In addition, 19 clinicians using the tool were surveyed.

The researchers write that the GRS is used in about 500 clinics around the world. They found that the surveyed physicians reported that the tool has changed the way that patients are assessed and treated. While patients were not surveyed, anecdotal evidence suggests patients are satisfied with the GRS tool and the outcomes of treatment.

"Qualitative research suggests that [the GRS] gives patients a better chance to achieve results aligned with their needs resulting in a higher level of satisfaction with aesthetic treatments, but this needs to be confirmed in a formal patient survey," the authors write.

The authors disclosed financial ties to Galderma, which funded the study.

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