A Day in the Life

Imagining a better dermatology office.

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On an early summer morning in Sherman Oaks, just as most medical offices are emerging from the COVID-19 shutdown, Dr. Ilya Reyter, MD—founder, CEO and medical director of comprehensive dermatology practice American Skin Institute—is standing in a daily huddle with his staff.

“We carefully choose our care team members, and we love them,” says Dr. Reyter. “And our patients love them too. We actively promote a sense of happiness in the office, and we want our patients and team members to feel it every time they are here.”

“We want to bring happiness to medical care.”

As an essential business, American Skin Institute offices have remained open throughout the pandemic. This morning is focused on Mohs skin cancer surgery and reconstruction, and patients have just started checking in.

Dr. Reyter, a dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs skin cancer reconstructive surgeon, is passionate about inspirational messages and tends to overuse the word “awesome.” He tells his team, “Remember, happiness is a decision—not a mood.”

Over the past 13 years, American Skin Institute has grown from a single Beverly Hills office started by Dr. Reyter to a multilocation dermatology practice designed to exceed the resources available at most university medical center dermatology divisions.

Team members are obsessively focused on the overall patient experience. From the greeting at reception to the final checkout process, the flow of the visit is methodically designed to promote patient happiness.

“Dermatology is a happy specialty, and our patients are usually so grateful that we solve their problems,” Dr. Reyter shares. “We want to bring happiness to medical care.”

Here’s a look at how the rest of the day unfolds.

11:30 a.m.

Dr. Reyter finishes his cases at the state-of- the-art surgery center, wrapping up a complicated skin cancer reconstruction on the nose. It’s all about attention to detail. “The end result is that most patients heal beautifully with minimal trace of even the most complex procedures,” the doctor says.

Noon

Dr. Reyter checks in with a resident from the USC Department of Dermatology. As an assistant clinical professor, Dr. Reyter volunteers his time to run part of the surgical training program, providing care to patients at LAC+USC Medical Center.

1:05 p.m.

A company-wide provider meeting takes place to discuss new treatments for noninvasive fat reduction. Dr. Reyter has been teaching liposuction for more than a decade at USC, but these new treatments are revolutionary. Combining CoolSculpting® technology with radiofrequency skin-tightening, American Skin Institute now provides many of the same benefits that were previously delivered with surgery.

1:22 p.m.

Dr. Reyter checks in at the minimally invasive cosmetic surgery clinic. His pioneering work with volume restoration has created a long waiting list for services such as placement of Restylane® and Juvederm® fillers. In his expert opinion, “Facial volume is the key to a youthful appearance.”

3:20 p.m.

The providers at American Skin Institute make their scheduled telemedicine calls. Thanks to new rules from Medicare and most insurance companies, patients are now able to have virtual appointments from the comfort of their own home and are loving it!

5:50 p.m.

Dr. Reyter finishes his work and heads home for dinner with his wife and three kids. “It’s so easy to work nonstop,” he says. “You have to dedicate time to family if you want personal happiness.”