Devices, skin type and patch tests

If you offer laser, IPL or other device treatments, you can now keep a record of the machines you use, each patient's skin type and their patch tests. As always, the record is a record: your clinic's treatment protocol and Local Rules govern, and AesthetiClinic stores what you enter. It never chooses a setting for a patient.

Adding your devices

1. Go to Settings > Devices. Only owners can add and change devices.
2. Either Start from a library device: pick the Library device, type Your name for it (for example "Room 2 Elite+") and its Serial number, then press Add from library. This fills in the make, model and handpieces, but no settings for a patient.
3. Or Add a device by hand: enter the Name, Type, Make, Model and Serial number, then press Add device.
4. Press Edit on the device to add its Handpieces (with wavelength and spot sizes), the Last service date and the Service interval (months). If you record something every session that the standard fields do not cover, add it under Custom fields, up to ten per device. Press Save device.

If you have two of the same model, add each one with its own serial number. A device you no longer use can be archived with Archive: it leaves the lists, and anything already recorded on it still shows it.

Marking a treatment as a device treatment

In Settings > Treatments, open the treatment. Under Clinical record, choose Device instead of Standard, then pick the Modality and, if you like, a Default device. A treatment left on Standard records exactly as it always has.

Skin type

1. Open the patient and go to the Clinical tab.
2. On the Skin assessment card, press + Record skin assessment.
3. Choose how it was assessed, the Skin type, and optionally Hair colour, Hair thickness and a Note. Press Record skin assessment.

The skin type then shows at the top of the patient's record on every tab, beside their alerts. To change it later, use + Record a correction; the earlier assessment stays in the history. If the patient gave their own answer on a form, it shows as unconfirmed until a clinician records an assessment.

Patch tests

1. On the same Clinical tab, on the Patch tests card, press + Record patch test.
2. Choose the Device, the areas tested, the Date of the test and Time.
3. Check the Wait before the first treatment. It starts at 24 hours, or 72 hours for skin types IV to VI and photosensitising medication; change it if it does not apply.
4. Press Record patch test.

Face and body areas need separate patch tests, and the form will not let you mix them.

What each patch test shows

• Waiting until the wait is over.
• No reaction reported after that. A patch test stands as clear unless the patient reports a reaction.
• To record what the patient told you, open Record a read-back or invalidate, choose No reaction, A reaction or Could not be read back, and press Record read-back.
• A patch test lasts 6 months, then shows as Expired.
• If something changes before then (a new machine or handpiece, new settings, new medication, sun exposure or a tan, an adverse event, a gap in treatment or the device being serviced), choose it under What changed and press Invalidate. This is not done for you, so record it when you hear about it.

Clearances

A clear patch test offers to record a clearance: choose the treatment or category under Clear for and confirm. It never records one by itself.

How many shots a patch test fires, and at which settings, are for your clinic's protocol, the manufacturer's guidance and your insurer to decide, not AesthetiClinic.

Who can see this

Skin assessments and patch tests are part of the clinical record, so they are shown to team members with the Clinical record switch on. Devices are managed by owners only.