The Secrets to 76 Years of Plastic Surgery Success with Dr. Tommaso Addona and Jeanine DiGennaro
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Dr. Tommaso Addona and Jeanine DiGennaro from New York Plastic Surgical Group join Robin to share what sets their practice apart.
With one of the longest-running plastic surgery training programs and a team of 24 skilled surgeons, their 76-year legacy is built on more than just surgical expertise.
Robin, Dr. Addona, and Jeanine dive into topics like:
Why understanding the business side of plastic surgery is crucial for trainees
The benefits of joining a group practice vs. going into private practice
How their patient experience extends far beyond the exam room
The secret to building a brand that stands the test of time
About Dr. Tommaso Addona
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Tommaso Addona is the President and managing director of New York Plastic Surgical Group and Chief of Plastic Surgery at St. Joseph and Mercy Hospitals. He specializes in breast reconstruction after cancer. He offers advanced microvascular techniques and a range of cosmetic procedures, including mommy makeovers, breast augmentation, tummy tucks, face lifts, and more.
About Jeanine DiGennaro
Jeanine DiGennaro is the director of marketing and communications for New York Plastic Surgical Group.
Links
Learn more about New York Plastic Surgical Group
Learn more about New York plastic surgeon Dr. Tommaso AddonaFollow Dr. Addona on Instagram @dr.addona
Connect with Jeanine on LinkedIn
Guests
Tommaso Adonna, MD, President & Managing Partner
New York Plastic Surgical Group
Jeanine DiGennaro
Director of Marketing & Communications
New York Plastic Surgical Group
Host
Robin Ntoh, VP of Aesthetics
Nextech
Transcript
Announcer (00:06):
You are listening to the Aesthetically Speaking podcast presented by Nextech.
Robin Ntoh (00:12):
Welcome back to the Aesthetically Speaking podcast presented by Nextech. I'm Robin Ntoh, and today I have two special guests with me, Dr. Tommaso Addona, and Jeanine. And today we're going to talk a little bit about the residency programs that they offer. But first, this is a very unique practice. So it was Long Island Plastic Surgery Group, recently rebranded, and it's now New York Plastic Surgery Group, if that's correct.
Jeanine DiGennaro (00:36):
New York Plastic Surgical Group.
Robin Ntoh (00:38):
Alright, good. Okay, great. And they claim they have the title as being the oldest plastic surgery group in the nation. Am I correct on that?
Jeanine DiGennaro (00:50):
It's actually, I believe the largest, longest running, academic, private, plastic surgical practice.
Robin Ntoh (00:56):
Okay. You've got a lot more
Jeanine DiGennaro (00:58):
In the galaxy.
Robin Ntoh (00:59):
In the galaxy? Okay, great. So you have many, many more adjectives there than I added, so alrighty then. But I think that there's, I've had the opportunity to spend some time with your practice. I had lunch yesterday with your CEO. Really such a pleasure every time I have an encounter with anybody from your practice. And working in this space for as long as you guys have and what you've seen and how you've grown, it's impressive to see how you've weathered all of the storms and for many, many years. I think one time I was in your practice and I saw pictures, portraits of many of your previous positions that have been partners within your practice. It's been impressive. Very impressive. But first, let's start with a little bit about who you are. So Dr. Addona, tell us a little bit about your practice and your specialty, your expertise, and the role that you play in the practice.
Dr. Addona (01:49):
Sure. So I'm Tommaso Addona. I'm actually our managing partner at New York Plastic Surgical Group. My practice is a hybrid of both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. I perform a fair amount on the reconstructive side for breast cancer patients. And I'm a New York native through and through.
Robin Ntoh (02:09):
Wow. There you go.
Jeanine DiGennaro (02:10):
Dr. Addona is also the president of the practice.
Robin Ntoh (02:13):
Oh, okay. She's very good at knowing who and where everybody is. I can see this now. All right, tell us a little bit about what you do in the practice, Jeanine.
Jeanine DiGennaro (02:22):
Sure. So my name's Jeanine DiGennaro and I'm the director of marketing and communications for the group. And I've been at the practice, I want to say 13 or 14 years. Prior to that, I had a career in media, so it was a big transition to do marketing for media publications and then plastic surgery practice.
Robin Ntoh (02:44):
Everybody loves to work in plastic surgery though I don't find that people are put off by it. I think it's an exciting, always evolving, changing arena. So let's get started. Let's talk about, you guys have a residency program, which is a little bit unique because you're still a private practice. Let's talk about the framework of what that is and the unique characteristics of it.
Dr. Addona (03:06):
So I guess the hybrid term would be "privademics". Private academics. We kind of blend both of those worlds. Our residency program originated in 1954, so it's one of the longest standing classic surgical training programs. We have doctors that join us immediately from medical school to start their training. We have docs that join us after having completed a different training programs such as general surgery or orthopedics or ENT.
Robin Ntoh (03:34):
Wow. Generally, how long are they with you? Is it a year or longer or?
Dr. Addona (03:38):
Those that are joining us after having completed a training program are here with us for about three years and others are six years.
Robin Ntoh (03:47):
Wow. That's quite wow. They get to really understand and know your practice. What makes your program unique from another residency program?
Dr. Addona (03:57):
We're able to offer access for the trainees that can give them exposure to not only academics, which is a majority of training programs, but also a private practice setting.
Robin Ntoh (04:09):
Learning the business is important because a lot of times we say this, they come out with an MD, but they don't come out with an MBA.
Jeanine DiGennaro (04:17):
Absolutely. And part of the residency too is when we have graduates, they do meet with the heads of each department so that they can ask questions about billing or marketing or human resources to give them that additional education before they leave.
Robin Ntoh (04:33):
Yeah, for sure.
Dr. Addona (04:35):
When I was younger, as you were completing a training program, it was almost taboo to ask about the business of medicine. The implication was you should be thankful that you've trained in this field, not go out and take care of patients and don't worry about the finances. We live in the real world. You have to pay for lights to stay on. And so understanding the business of plastic surgery has been a significant value add for our trainees.
Robin Ntoh (04:59):
Yeah, I applaud you for actually offering this and bringing to light the point that business is critical to surviving. What percentage of your residents go into private practice versus academic practice after completing your program?
Dr. Addona (05:16):
It's a little over 50%.
Robin Ntoh (05:17):
Oh, really? Okay. So they feel well equipped it sounds like. They've been given the opportunity to learn more the business side of it. Tell us a little bit more about those residents that have gone into private practice and things that you've seen from their successes.
Dr. Addona (05:34):
What happens often is that during residency you often identify a mentor, whether it's delineated or it's just defacto. You've spent some time and this is the person that you want to model your career after. And that happens a lot in our group. And there are several docs throughout our practice that have had trainees that have gone on to start other groups in Beverly Hills, in Florida, in Arizona, Colorado, so throughout the United States and as well as in New York.
Robin Ntoh (06:04):
Wow. What else would you say is characteristic about your program? I know, do you have a playbook, so to speak, that really kind of lists a lot of the criteria that you, the program, a lot of it is in the or they're learning different techniques and they're seeing how you manage patients, but the whole business side of it is something that you've talked to. Where does that fit in their day or in maybe the week, or do you designate a percentage of time to that part of their education and training?
Dr. Addona (06:39):
The first and foremost is that it's an everyday occurrence. They'll ask questions, the residents, the fellows, and again, like I said earlier, it used to be taboo to ask about, well, how would I get this procedure authorized? Or how do you have a catchment area for cosmetic patients? How do I build my social media? These are all real life questions that they get to ask us that are independent of the plastic surgical training portion where they're learning techniques and how to take care of patients. But again, real world experience.
Robin Ntoh (07:13):
We've talked a little bit about your residency program, but I also know that you've got a large practice. How many physicians do you have? And thinking about the recruitment of them, tell us a little bit about that.
Dr. Addona (07:26):
We currently have 24 plastic surgeons in our group. The recruitment's an ongoing experience. Every time our docs are interacting with residents, fellows, staff, they're representing our brand. However, this is a busy time of year for us with regards to recruitment because we are here at ASPS. So it's an opportunity to meet with residents and fellows that are interested in positions with our practice.
Robin Ntoh (07:51):
Why a group versus private? What makes them want, what's the appeal there?
Jeanine DiGennaro (07:58):
So I think from my perspective is we're a group that lets surgeons be surgeons, so have a very strong foundation in terms of what we offer from a marketing perspective, billing and insurance, even like I mentioned, human resources. So when somebody is starting on their career in private practice, these are all things that they have to have to manage. So when you join our group, we do have such a strong infrastructure. So we help physicians grow in specialty areas or geographic locations of their interest so they can really focus on patient care and developing their individual practice.
Robin Ntoh (08:45):
Well, I think it goes back to what you said earlier, it was almost taboo to even think about business side of medicine. And while they're learning it from you, at the same time, they still want to be surgeons, they want to practice the art of surgery, and they can't always do that if they're burdened by spending a lot of time managing the day to day. So I think that that provides that unique opportunity, especially with the framework that you put in place.
Dr. Addona (09:13):
Absolutely. I couldn't agree more. We like to describe it as we're providing scaffolding and it's really their job, the new doc that's coming in, to build upon that. And they have everything they could possibly need with regards to our office. My day is spent still 95% clinical. I have to spend 5% of my time, which is a very different experience for other docs that are in private practice in a smaller group, they spend a great deal of their time managing the practice.
Robin Ntoh (09:45):
Well we've also seen the output of not managing a practice as well, because we see a lot of physicians struggle with the risk that they encounter because they haven't done a good job managing it. I mean, over the years I've seen embezzlement and fraud and just splits in practices because they have not really managed the business side of it well. So to your point, I think it does have that appeal because we know that the stats say more than 70% of plastic surgeons are solo, and then there's the business of consolidation that we see out there as well. So there still are those physicians that are seeking out the comfort of being surrounded by a business that's as successful as yours, but at the same time, still giving them that opportunity to learn and grow as they're doing this.
Dr. Addona (10:32):
It's also an environment where you have colleagues and there's a collegiality to it. We spend a great deal of time with each other, my partners and I outside of the business, and we're family. It's fantastic.
Robin Ntoh (10:45):
Oh, well, I mean, it's clear that you guys have hit something that's successful as long as you've been in business or you wouldn't be where you are. So you've done something because we see a lot of splits. I mean, I'm on the software technology side of it. We get the calls, we're splitting. We need to split our data. So there's something in your sauce. The secret sauce is making this work.
Jeanine DiGennaro (11:08):
And to Dr. Addona's point, I believe that there's something in that collective knowledge of plastic surgeons. You don't just have access to one plastic surgeon. I mean all the time. I would see when I'm on the fourth floor, doctors calling other doctors in like, can you come in and maybe meet with this patient with me? So you have that, again, collective knowledge of expert plastic surgeons within the group.
Dr. Addona (11:31):
And it's on a minute by minute basis. I mean, I could be evaluating a patient for one issue, something else presents itself. I can grab my partner downstairs, upstairs and say, Hey, this is more your purview. Can you guide the patient on this? And patient gets full care.
Robin Ntoh (11:48):
Well, let's kind of flip that. Now you're bringing into this, not just that you're providing this care, but you've also touched on patient experience, which is of course a hot topic. Everybody talks about it these days. Business has shifted to, now we have to think about how does a patient feel about us? But you've basically elevated that because now you're trying to solve within based upon your collective expertise.
Dr. Addona (12:11):
Absolutely, and I think first and foremost, we're very appreciative. The fact that patients trust you with their care, right? There's no way around it. Any patient that's undergoing a plastic surgical procedure is showing a great deal of trust in that doctor. And so we try to reward that with providing the best level, highest level of care, but also a really patient friendly environment where lots of communication, they love our coffee.
Robin Ntoh (12:35):
They love your coffee.
Jeanine DiGennaro (12:39):
But interestingly enough,
Robin Ntoh (12:40):
That's important though, from a marketing perspective. It's the special touches.
Jeanine DiGennaro (12:43):
But it's also beyond the clinical care too, the patient experience. And we really try to train our staff where it's how you're answering the phone, how you're greeting that patient when they're walking through the doors for the first time. It's also how clean is your waiting room? How good is the parking? How long is the whole time when they're calling the call center? So it's a patient experience goes way beyond the exam room. And we really do try to educate and make sure that each of our departments are aware of that and know what their responsibilities are so that we make for a good patient experience. From the time they find us on the website, they contact us and they're all the way through their surgical process.
Dr. Addona (13:26):
Our goal is to make it seamless handoff wise, from one touch point to the next. If it's okay to interject with a personal family story, my family gets cared in a different system from where we live, and it is the polar opposite. We wait on a phone hold for about 10 minutes to get ahold of someone who then possibly arranges us for an appointment with a pediatrician at an inconvenient time. And it's not a great experience from a patient level.
Robin Ntoh (13:52):
Yeah. Well, I think that we're also starting to see, to that point, I completely agree, it's still so foreign to general medicine outside of plastic surgery, but I think we're starting to adapt to some of that. And some of that goes back to the patients have such a strong voice and that voice is being revealed clearly out there in digital media, et cetera.
Jeanine DiGennaro (14:16):
Absolutely, a hundred percent.
Robin Ntoh (14:18):
And so you're leading the charge, but you're also an example to what should be at your pediatrician's office. I mean, they should take a page from your playbook and really kind of lean into it. You need to give them some expertise. Apparently they're not claiming that very well. I think though, the other thing that I wanted to call out that just really struck me is just speaking to you and thinking about the amazing talent that you have employed within your business that also collectively leans into not just what you provide for your surgeons, but also the patient experience that they're getting, that you just don't always get when you're in private practice, when you're in a small practice, you don't get to build up and hire amazing people such as yourself to really focus on giving that auspicious amazing takeaway for your patients.
Dr. Addona (15:11):
So I'll answer this because otherwise it's Jeanine's spot. But yes, we're very fortunate and very lucky that we have directors and managers and positions that not only represent, again, our brand, but also elevate our brand. I mean, Jeanine does an exceptional job in her position with regards to elevating our brand and getting us out there and making sure that everyone knows we're doing our part, but it's really a function of how much our staff is working with us.
Robin Ntoh (15:40):
It is interesting to hear you talk about it as a brand, because I truly believe that that is sometimes a missing component in the conversation with practices. And I say that because I just recently did a course with Karen Zupko, and she's been in this space for 35 years, and she talks a lot about your personal brand and your unique perspective around what you bring to your business, how you differentiate. And you've, it's clearly apparent that as a business, you have identified your brand, you know what your brand is, and you teach that not only to your surgeons, but it sounds like to your patients.
Jeanine DiGennaro (16:15):
I think what works in our favor is we have been around, it's now 76, maybe 77 years, and something I always say is that brands that stand the test of time, they're doing something right. And I think that we have this great legacy and a level of excellence that of course in our surgeons, but that we try to extend to every business area.
Robin Ntoh (16:43):
You do a great job training young new surgeons. I'll leave you with this. I think one of the things you should consider is building out a business program for executives that want to be in the plastic surgery space.
Dr. Addona (16:56):
Fascinating idea. Are you looking for a second career and consulting with that?
Robin Ntoh (17:02):
You never know. All right. Well, thank you for joining me today, and I really appreciate what you bring to this. And again, congratulations on everything that you've done to be so successful.
Dr. Addona (17:13):
Thank you very much.
Robin Ntoh (17:14):
Thank you, Robin.
Announcer (17:18):
Thanks for listening to Aesthetically Speaking, the podcast where beauty meets business, presented by Nextech. Follow and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. Links to the resources mentioned on this podcast or available in your show notes. For more information about Nextech, visit nextech.com, or to learn more about TouchMD, go to touchmd.com. Aesthetically Speaking is a production of The Axis, theaxis.io.
