15 % OFF STOREWIDE BLACK FRIDAY SALES

It’s that time of year again!

If you have an install in the coming months you can take advantage of this discount.
If you quote code #202415% with your enquiry you will receive an upfront 15% discount off all store items.

This discounts includes both our ‘Build your own’, ‘Signature’ and software service agreements.

hello@clinicalimaging.com or send us a message on IG www.instagram.com/clinicalimaging_systems

T&C’s :

This cannot be used with any other discounts, and applies to sales from 17th of November until 30th November 2024 only.

https://www.clinicalimaging.com.au/onlinestore

November newsletter

Support systems upgrade :

Earlier this year we partnered with Curity IT systems - a dedicated agency based in Townsville.

This collaboration allows 9-to-5 support Australian Eastern standard time

http://www.clinicalimaging.com.au/support

They also have an extensive retail business for all computer upgrades, VOIP or replacing your old server with cloud services

We typically recommend upgrading your primary camera or PC every 4 years to maintain speed, stability and security.

Academy - new tools & videos

Our academy has been positively received by new and existing installations with the library of videos and ‘how to guide’s - it also allows new staff members to get onboarded.

http://www.clinicalimaging.com.au/client-portal

Lecture at APRASSA Congress and ISAPS Symposium on Facial Aesthetics 2024

Spa & Clinic Article featuring Merz ANZ

Lecture: Overview Of Why Standardised Clinical Photography Is Important - Clinical Imaging

10 reasons why medical imaging matters.

The changes with the TGA has thrown a spanner in the works for many in recent months, however the vast amount of reasons why effective medical photography is important might surprise you :

1. Ethics
   Medical professionals have an obligation to educate their patients with information that is accurate, informative and without bias. The rise of BDD ( Body Dysmorphia ), social media being a primary education source for many and disinformation with AI means that clinicians are on the front lines dispelling myths.

2. Consultation with patient
   Any treatment plan requires several face to face consultation with a patient, and the relationship is founded on visual communication of anatomy, pathology and options. This is best done without bias introduced from imaging platforms.

3. Time management
   Time is money, and wasted time with inefficient protocols around photography cost clinics millions in lost productivity.
   Our system is designed for non photographers to manage the process of image capture, storage and consultation in the most time efficient way possible.

4. Medical record
   Average time mandated by State health authorities in Australia is 7 years - this means that every image you take you have a legal requirement to hold to in a secure manner.

5. Privacy Act
   APP 8, or Australian Privacy Principle 8, is part of the Privacy Act 1988 and specifically deals with cross-border disclosure of personal information. It sets out the obligations of Australian organizations when they disclose personal information to an overseas recipient. The main purpose of APP 8 is to ensure that individuals' personal information remains protected, even when it is transferred outside of Australia.

6. Data security
   Hacking rose by 14% in 2023, with the average cost of cybercrime for small businesses is now $46,000; $97,200 for medium businesses; and $71,600 for large businesses according to Home Affairs office.

7. Marketing in clinic

   When in clinic, it’s vital you show examples of your work to patients to build their trust in your skills, informed consent and thorough understanding of risks and results. Stock images don’t cut it.

8. Marketing externally
   Social media, websites and e-mail campaigns are all important channels to communicate to your audience - and it’s an extremely competitive landscape. You need to stand out in that environment with objectively accurate, easy to understand and scientific imaging.

9. Insurance funds
   Increasingly insurance funds are looking for photography evidence before paying out for various item numbers.

10. Image quality

    Lastly ….quality. This is vital to judge your own work, communicate clearly & show your results without bias.

If you are ready to take your imaging to the next level - click the link below.

Upgrading support services

How we support you has evolved significantly this last year - and our expansion means better service, more timely support and equipment upgrades.

Curity stands as our primary IT partner, offering essential frontline assistance, OneDrive hosting solutions, and a comprehensive range of computer components for clinics. Having Australian based support is a an important feature for our clients, as many have experienced offshore support from our competitors with limited success.

Following your initial training, they are readily available to address your day-to-day queries, with training session bookings directed to Woodrow for further handling. Moreover, they boast expertise in IT services, supplying complete equipment setups such as computers, cloud services, and Remote Desktop solutions.

To reach out for assistance, you can contact support via hello@curity.com.au or 07 4401 5141. For initiating training sessions, please refer to our extensive orientation library available at http://www.clinicalimaging.com.au/orientation.

Remember, outdated hardware like computers, cameras, and lighting may require replacement after 4+ years of usage. Ensuring the upkeep of your gear is crucial for maintaining reliability and security.

Interview with Dr Sarah Hart

World renown doctor, trainer and client of the last 6 years Dr Sarah Hart joined us for a quick interview off the back of her trip to Monaco.

We covered four questions :

How do you use images in your day to day clinic?
Teaching your patient

Photography standards in the industry
The role of AI

You can follow her training, results and news here :

Instagram

Correspondence with TGA on advertising guidelines

Summary! :
No before and afters that contain scheduled substances.
New guidelines to come in the next month.

Dear Woodrow 

The TGA regulates the advertising of therapeutic goods through the administration of the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989 (the Act) and subordinate legislation. Ahpra as you would be aware, regulates Australia's registered health practitioners. Together with the National Boards, Ahpra sets standards and policies that all registered health practitioners must meet. 

Any party who advertises therapeutic goods must comply with the requirement of the Act, including health practitioners.

Advertising goods only available on prescription from a suitably qualified health practitioner to the public is prohibited under the Act including some goods regulated as medical devices that contain prescription only substances. Specifically, it is an offence against s 42DL(10) of the Act, and a breach of s 42DLB(7), to advertise therapeutic goods where the advertisement refers to substances, or goods containing substances included in Schedule 3, 4 or 8 to the current Poisons Standard but not in Appendix H of the current Poisons Standard (Scheduled Substances) other than a reference authorised or required by a government or government authority (not including a foreign government or foreign government authority).

An advertisement in relation to therapeutic goods includes any statement, pictorial representation or design that is intended, whether directly or indirectly, to promote the use or supply of therapeutic goods. In this context ‘indirect intent’ is measured according to the likelihood the audience of the material would reasonably consider the information/material is intended to promote the use or supply of therapeutic goods.

Advertisements for health services are not subject to the requirements of the Act unless the advertisement also promotes the use or supply of a therapeutic good. In most cases where an advertisement for a health service refers to a therapeutic good the advertisement for a health service will also be an advertisement for a therapeutic good. Reference to Scheduled Substances must not be made in advertisements for therapeutic goods. The TGA interprets ‘references to’ in this context as including any reference that is likely to draw the audience member’s mind to a Scheduled Substance. The reference therefore does not have to be explicitly made for the provision in the Act to be invoked. For example the reference could be made by naming ingredients, trade names, specific product and colloquial names or any of their abbreviations. It could also be made by using words that the audience is likely to identify as a scheduled substance. The TGA considers that references to ‘wrinkle-reducing injections’ and the like is a reference to Scheduled Substances because consumers are likely to reasonably conclude that the goods are injectable goods only available on prescription.

Before and after photos are generally used for promotional purposes. If the photos are used to promote a service or a health practitioner’s capabilities, this is outside the TGA’s remit. However, if it is clear to the consumer that the ‘after’ photo is a result of the administration of a therapeutic good that contains a Scheduled Substance, this would be prohibited under the Act.

These limitations do not apply to advertisements for medical devices that DO NOT contain substances included in Schedule 4 of the Poisons Standard. These goods can be advertised to consumers as long as the advertisements are compliant with all the legislative provisions related to advertising therapeutic goods. 

As identified in the email from the TGA, guidance on how to promote cosmetic services compliantly in terms of the Act will be published on the TGA website soon.

I hope this clarifies any confusion – in a nutshell, in this context, the TGA has authority only in relation to the advertising of therapeutic goods. If promotional material relates solely to non-surgical (or surgical) cosmetic services and does not also promote the use or supply of therapeutic goods, it will not be within the TGA’s remit.  

Draft non-surgical guidelines

Non surgical guidelines

Use of images including ‘before and after’ images

See also False, misleading or deceptive advertising and Advertising that creates an

unreasonable expectation of beneficial treatment in the broader advertising guidelines.

6.1 Images must not be used in advertising non-surgical cosmetic procedures when the use of the

image is likely to mislead the public because the image gives the impression that it represents

the outcome of a non-surgical procedure where this is not the case. Examples of misleading

images include airbrushed, soft-filter or modified images where these modifications remove

wrinkles, smooth complexions or otherwise attempt to portray a ‘perfect’ outcome, and the use

of models or celebrities where it is not established that the model or celebrity had undertaken

the non-surgical cosmetic procedure.

6.2 Images of people aged under 18 years of age must not be used in advertising of non-surgical

cosmetic procedures.

6.3 All images used in advertising that are intended to show the outcomes of non-surgical cosmetic

procedures must include a prominent warning that the outcomes shown are only relevant for Public consultation:

6.4 ‘Before and after’ images in advertising may create unrealistic expectations and both the

‘before’ and ‘after’ images must be used responsibly to provide only realistic information about

the outcome of the non-surgical cosmetic procedure. The broader advertising guidelines list the

requirements for ‘before and after’ images in advertising. These requirements include that both

the ‘before and after’ images are genuine. In the context of non-surgical cosmetic procedures

this means the images used in advertising must be of actual patients who have had the

procedure being advertised performed by that health practitioner.

6.5 ‘Before and after’ images used in advertising must be presented so that the most prominent or

first image seen is either a combined or composite of both the ‘before’ and ‘after’ images or the

‘before’ image. Advertising where the ‘after’ image is the most prominent image may create

unrealistic expectations.

6.6 ‘Before and after’ images must be as similar as possible in content, lighting, camera angle,

background, framing and exposure, posture, clothing, and makeup. This is to ensure that the

comparisons of ‘before and after’ images are genuine and are not influenced by factors such as

the use of lighting, makeup, facial expression, clothing, or varied angles to improve the ‘after’

image.

6.7 ‘Before and after’ images used in advertising of non-surgical cosmetic procedures must not be

edited or enhanced, for example through the use of filters, retouching, grey-scaling and similar

techniques, as this can be misleading about the results of procedures by enhancing results or

minimising bruising. Registered health practitioners should also consider the timing of ‘after’

images.

When using ‘before and after’ images in advertising non-surgical cosmetic procedures

the ‘after’ image should specify how long after the procedure the image was taken.

6.8 Photographs, videos, or any other imagery used in advertising of non-surgical cosmetic

procedures must be used responsibly, for the purposes of information and/or education about

the non-surgical cosmetic procedures only. Some examples of features that are more likely to

be considered to be focused on entertainment and to trivialise non-surgical cosmetic

procedures include, but are not limited to:

a. imagery that includes music, dancing, singing, or comedic comments

b. editing that is not directed at presenting information (such as a montage of cosmetic

procedures or outcomes, and/or bodies)

c. imagery with a voice-over where the voice-over is not educative or informative.

6.9 The use and descriptions of photographs, videos and images in non-surgical cosmetic

procedures advertising must not:

a. idealise or sexualise non-surgical cosmetic procedures through the use of sexualised

images, such as poses suggestive of sexual positions, parting of legs, hands placed near

genitals or positions that imply sexual readiness, or gratuitous nudity. Other examples of

inappropriately idealised and sexualised images include, but are not limited to,

photographs, videos or images showing sexualised clothing, such as lingerie or sexual

paraphernalia, simulated undressing, such as pulling down underpants or a bra strap, oiled

bodies and similar

b. use icons, such as emojis, to indicate an emotional reaction to an image

c. use lifestyle shots, for example, images taken on a beach, poolside, on a bed, chair, in a

bedroom or hotel roomPublic consultation:

d. capture, or purport to capture, emotional reactions of patients, such as patients giving

‘thumbs up’ or crying with happiness after a non-surgical cosmetic procedure

e. be accompanied by captions or descriptions that idealise non-surgical cosmetic procedures

or minimise the risk of procedures. Examples include, but are not limited to, ‘more natural’,

‘ideal’

, ‘perfect’, ‘instant’, and similar

f. name patients or contain links to a patient’s social media or other digital media account.

6.10 Registered health practitioners must prioritise patients’ interests, dignity, and privacy ahead of