MedShark Insider

Most practices treat financing as a last resort to rescue a deal. Bill Fukui sits down with Yehuda Matar of Ottri to make the case for the opposite: putting flexible payment options into the first impression. A practical look at patient financing, practice capital, and the technology connecting both.

Host Bill Fukui sits down with Ben Stover, founder of AI Med Consult, to explore the "exponential shift" AI is bringing to the aesthetic industry. Moving past standard ChatGPT results, they discuss how specialist AI acts as a force multiplier, handling high-volume intake and 24/7 responsiveness while your staff focuses on high-impact clinical care. Ben reveals why basic chatbots fail with 50-80% "hallucination" rates on medical questions and how a bespoke system trained on medical textbooks can drive a 2,000% ROI. Is your practice losing "free business" after hours? Listen now to learn how to bridge the gap with automated engagement. #MedSharkInsider #MedicalAI #AestheticPractice #PracticeManagement #LeadConversion #MedicalMarketing #BespokeAI #AestheticSurgery

Buying a dental practice can look simple on paper, but hidden risks often sit beneath the surface. In this episode of MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui is joined by CPA Travis Slade and dental consultant Joanne Tanner to break down how buyers can properly evaluate cash flow, pricing, overhead, and operational red flags before committing to a deal.

AI is overwhelming the medical industry, but the real power is inside your practice. Bill Fukui interviews Ben Wolper of Insight X, who reveals how his platform uses AI to automatically pull, clean, and organize data from EMRs, QuickBooks, and Google Ads. This analysis translates "data overload" into clear decisions on marketing ROI, provider performance, and pricing strategy. They emphasize that the fear of AI/HIPAA is a "cop out" and encourage owners to take baby steps. Book a live walkthrough with Ben Wolper to see what's possible when you become an expert in your data.

In this episode of MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui sits down with Candace Crowe and TK Crowe of Candace Crowe Design to explore the powerful role visual content plays in patient decision-making. Together, they break down how high-quality photography, video, and before-and-after galleries can strengthen trust, elevate your brand, and drive real growth for aesthetic practices.

In this episode of The MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui sits down with Mindy Millman-DiCrosta, founder of Mental Health Strategies & Solutions (MHSS). Mindy shares her journey into the mental health space and how MHSS helps practices optimize the patient experience, handle digital leads, and build strong referral relationships. Mindy brings a business mindset to mental health services, from staffing to marketing to tracking outcomes.

In this episode of MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui sits down with board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Alberto Sessa to discuss how artificial intelligence has revolutionized patient consultations at his practice, Sarasota Surgical Arts. Dr. Sessa shares his journey creating AI Med Consult, a proprietary system that handles initial consultations, offers customized treatment plans, and helps qualify leads 24/7—even during off-hours. With consistent returns of up to 3,000% on monthly investment, Dr. Sessa’s AI-driven approach improves efficiency and boosts conversions by capturing high-intent leads when most practices are closed. Tune in to hear how his AI tool filters patients, personalizes education, and allows him to focus on high-quality surgical consults with those ready to book.

In this episode of The MedShark Insider, your host Bill Fukui sits down with Dr. Melissa Fickey, a distinguished child and adult psychiatrist based in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Fickey shares her journey, from her educational background to establishing Embracing Life Wellness Center, a private practice known for its unique, inviting, and patient-centered environment. They delve into the art of psychiatric care, emphasizing the importance of individualized treatment and empathetic listening. Dr. Fickey also discusses her involvement in advancing mental health treatments, including the use of Neurostar TMS, an FDA-approved treatment for major depressive disorder. The conversation wraps up with insights into the unique approach and environment Dr. Fickey and her all-female team foster in their practice, which empowers both patients and staff. #MedSharkInsider #BillFukui #EmbracingLifeWellness #Dr.MelissaFickey 

Welcome to another episode of MedShark Insider with your host, Bill Fukui! In this episode, Bill sits down with Kara McClanahan, CEO of Aesthetic Practice Partners (APP). With 28 years of experience in the aesthetic industry, Kara shares her journey from being an esthetician to managing large aesthetic organizations and consulting on the corporate side. Discover the unique and cutting-edge strategies APP offers to help practices optimize their performance and navigate the ever-evolving landscape of medical aesthetics. Kara explains the difference between traditional consulting and the comprehensive partnership model offered by APP. By providing end-to-end business advisory services, APP ensures practices receive the support they need. Learn about APP’s innovative business accelerator workshops designed to elevate aesthetic practices. These workshops cover essential topics such as HR, marketing, patient conversion, and provider training. Kara also highlights the significance of collaboration and peer networks in the aesthetic community. Don't miss this episode packed with valuable insights and practical advice for practice owners and managers. #MedSharkInsider #BillFukui #AestheticPracticePartners #APP #PracticeGrowth 

In this episode of The MedShark Insider, Bill is joined by board certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Danielle DeLuca-Pytell. With a detailed explanation of the rigorous certification process, she highlights the distinction between board-certified plastic surgeons and those certified by other entities, underscoring the significance of proper training and accreditation. The duo emphasize how the consumer experience is what matters, and they dive into the challenges patients face in navigating the plastic surgery landscap - including the medical tourism fad. Dr. DeLuca-Pytell describes how her background in reconstructive surgery informs her approach to cosmetic procedures, emphasizing the importance of patient education and individualized care. Dr. Pytell also shares statistically significant research that suggests female surgeons may yield better outcomes in surgeries. This leads to an exploration of the patient-provider relationship and the value of open communication and trust in achieving successful results. As the podcast concludes, the hosts offer practical advice for patients seeking plastic surgery, advocating for thorough research and personal consultations to find the right surgeon and treatment plan. With engaging dialogue and expert insights, The MedShark Insider provides a valuable resource for all things medical and marketing related.

On this episode of the MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui interviews Sean Scope, the Director of Sales and Operations at the TSP Family Office. On the podcast, the duo discuss Sean’s background in doing turnarounds for private equity firms, and his transition to helping practices by offering them ways to increase value in the business, create more profit, and put incentives in place for people to drive those numbers. Sean tells listeners that his concentration primarily is on paying less tax, keeping more of the money that the practice earns, and utilizing the extra cash for investments that are both long term and short term positive for the owners, up to and including exit and transition. #taxes #financials #taxcode #cosmeticpractices

On this episode of the MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui interviews Lisa McNevin of Accelerate Aesthetic Consulting. Tune in as the pair discuss the latest tips and tricks for Med Spas looking to up their marketing game. Bill and Lisa discuss all aspects of growing a medical spa business, from lead generation to lead management to securing recurring patients. The two also discuss the importance of building personal relationships with patients. Lisa leaves listeners with some key advice at the end of the episode, encouraging them to get their finance, marketing, and operations to a high level. Success will follow! Have any questions? You can email Lisa directly at lisa@aaconsult.net.

On this episode of the MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui interviews Alex Thiersch, Founder and CEO of The American Med Spa Association (AmSpa). Bill and Alex discuss the beginnings of Alex’s now 10-year tenure at AmSpa. They talk about his background as a lawyer, and outline why owners of Medical Spas should treat their practices like businesses due to the complex nature of the space. Alex predicts the future of the Medical Spa industry, and discusses the current high demand for services but lack of labor to meet those demands. The duo also dive into various events, trainings, and shows that the American Med Spa association is now putting on, including The Medical Spa Show. Tune in and get up to speed on key innovations in the med spa space!

On this episode of the MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui interviews Dr. Olivia MaDan of Plastic Surgery Affiliates on her transition from an associate to buying and owning her own practice. Bill investigates what the process looked like of her taking over a practice after buying it from a fellow surgeon. Dr. MaDan describes how it all went on from 2020-2022 during COVID-19, which presented a new slew of challenges to overcome. Dr. MaDan stresses the importance of believing in oneself and saying “I can do this.” Bill and Dr. MaDan also discussed what to look for when buying a practice, what to focus on first after securing the purchase of your own practice, as well as the patient experience and how important it is. Dr. MaDan and Bill agree that through it all, the most important concern is the patient and their needs. Dr. MaDan speaks from a unique perspective, because with a female dominated clientele in the plastic surgery industry, she is able to relate to many of her patients.

On this episode of the MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui interviews Jed Wunderli from Acquire Tax Credits regarding research and development tax credits that many surgeons are simply not aware of. If your practice has been consistently growing and improving its practices in an effort to innovate for the well being of your patients… then this tax credit could be perfect for you! Jed discusses how Acquire goes about helping practices receive such tax credits as well as qualifications necessary to be eligible for one. Jed stresses the fact that many people do not think they are eligible at first, but upon further investigation, they find that they have bought a new piece of equipment or started to implement a new treatment that would qualify for this research and development credit. Jed also walks the audience through the drafting process at Acquire. Bill asks how much the credits actually return into the pockets of practices, to which Jed cites examples of credits in the 200-400 thousand dollar range for high grossing practices. Jed explains that the reports they write for tax credits at Acquire are personalized and geared towards the real meat and bones of why a practice should be receiving a credit. Jed says “none of it’s ever, you know, cookie cutter kind of stuff. It's not boilerplate, you know, each report is written specifically for that doctor.” This way, Jed explains that there is no concern with the IRS conducting an audit.  Want to learn more? Give Jed a call or text! 702-812-1214 jay@acquirewc.com 

On this episode of the MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui interviews our very own Madi Alger, Director of Community Development at BluShark Digital. Madi and Bill take a deep dive into the world of Google Business Profiles (GBPs) and best practices when it comes to management of such a powerful resource. Madi explains how Google has evolved over time in terms of local search and how the Vicinity update drastically shifted the landscape of how firms rank in the three pack. She also covers the importance of reviews and responding to both positive and negative feedback on your GBP. Most importantly, Bill and Madi discuss the necessity of having someone in your firm who monitors your GBP frequently in order to ensure that it is up to date and that no one has changed important contact information. Because Google allows your clientele to add updates to your GBP online, that means competitors can too!

On this episode of the MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui interviews our very own Seth Price, founder of Price Benowitz, BluShark, and MedShark Digital. Seth and Bill leverage their extensive experience in marketing to discuss Google Local and specifically, the tactics firms can optimize to improve their rankings in Google’s local three pack. The duo delve into key SEO mechanisms, such as the importance of reviews, satellite offices, and backlinks when trying to get your site to rank.  Bill points out that the “Google Business Profile… is equivalent to your most important social media platform” and encourages cosmetic practices to devote the same amount of dedication towards it as they would to social media. Finally, the two discuss paid advertising, particularly PPC ads and LSAs. Seth explains that choosing the correct advertising is all about focusing on ROI and doing "what can we do to spend the least possible money and get the most possible results.” #Local #Ads #GBP

On this episode of the MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui interviews Dr. Shitel Patel, Co-Founder of Ad Vital, a lead management company that has been built for surgeons, by a surgeon. Bill and Dr. Patel discuss managing leads across different mediums, including social media, television, print, and more. The duo emphasize how many practices make the mistake of not following up with leads; rather than continue with incoming leads all the way to the day of their procedure or purchase, many doctors will stop their attention after the first successful call. Dr. Patel and Bill also provide critical insights into AI and how Ad Vital has implemented the new technology. One key tactic? When potential clients ask simple, FAQ questions, such as the location of the practice’s office or operating hours, the AI answers and even will seamlessly pass customers with more complex questions to a real staff member. Dr. Patel emphasizes that AI is not replacing humans, but rather freeing them from repetitive tasks and allowing staff to focus their time on real, strategic decisions. #LeadManagement #Marketing #Surgeons

Why don’t patients book after they call?  In this episode of the MSD Insider, Bill Fukui is joined by Charlie Winn, Chief Revenue Officer of Liine, an AI-powered software that simplifies and improves how practices acquire new patients by capturing all inbound leads.  Join us for a discussion on how to leverage AI and other best practices to bridge the gap between leads and follow up. Tune in today! For more helpful tips about digital marketing: https://medsharkdigital.com/

On today’s episode, MedShark Insider, Bill Fukui is joined by Sandy Roos, Vice President of Business Development at North Texas Plastic Surgery, to discuss pitfalls that practices should avoid and how to build medical practices from the ground up. Bill and Sandy talk about how hiring and goal setting plays a role in medical practice growth and practice success. Bill asks Sandy about her experience as a medical consultant and how medical practices handle compensation, including incentive plans and the topic of fee-splitting. Sandy discusses the roles of patient care coordinators and office coordinators as well as her experience hiring these positions.  To see more episodes, visit https://medsharkdigital.com/medshark-insider/  For more information on medical marketing and SEO, check out MedShark’s other channels:  INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/medsharkdigital/  TWITTER: https://twitter.com/MedsharkD   FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/MedShark-Digital LINKEDIN:https://www.linkedin.com/company/medsharkdigital/  WEBSITE: https://medsharkdigital.com/  #MedSharkInsider #MedicalConsultant #CosmeticIndustry or #MedicalPractices