Frequently Asked Questions

  • Strong compliance requires medical understanding, clinical experience, and legal grounding working together — which is why every ACE protocol passes through our advisory team before it reaches a client.

    Clinical content is written collaboratively by our Physician Advisor and PA Advisor, with the Physician Advisor providing final clinical approval. Legal documentation is reviewed by our outside legal counsel at Dike Law Group.

    The result: practical guidance for real aesthetic and wellness clinic operations, grounded in healthcare regulations and board guidance, designed to support safe, professional, and audit-ready practices.

  • Compliance consultants and attorneys help medical practices in different ways.Healthcare attorneys give legal advice. They help with things like contracts, legal questions, and representing a clinic if there is a legal issue.

    Compliance consultants, like ACE, help clinics understand how to follow healthcare rules in their daily operations.

    This can include creating:

    • Clinical protocols

    • Compliance manuals and policies

    • Documentation guidelines

    • Supervision and delegation systems

    Many clinics choose to work with both a compliance expert and their own attorney.

    ACE helps turn healthcare rules into clear systems your team can follow, while attorneys provide legal advice when needed.

    Together, they help clinics operate in a safe and organized way.

  • ACE manuals and protocols are created by a team with experience in healthcare compliance, medical practice, and healthcare law.

    Our work is informed by:

    • Compliance professionals who research healthcare regulations

    • Medical advisors who guide safe clinical practices

    • Legal counsel who help ensure materials reflect healthcare laws and regulatory guidance

    This team approach helps ensure that ACE materials are clear, practical, and grounded in real healthcare standards.

    Each manual and protocol is designed to help clinics understand how to operate safely, professionally, and in line with healthcare regulations.

  • Many compliance templates online are generic documents that are not designed for medical aesthetic practices.

    ACE focuses specifically on med spas, IV clinics, injection practices, laser clinics, and wellness medicine.

    Our systems are designed to be:

    • Specific to the medical aesthetics industry

    • Guided by medical advisors and legal counsel

    • Built using healthcare regulations and board guidance

    • Structured for real clinic operations

    Instead of a collection of random documents, ACE provides a complete compliance framework your team can actually follow.

    This helps clinics operate with confidence, clarity, and professional credibility.

  • Many states do not require a manual or paperwork called “compliance manuals.”

    However, healthcare regulators often expect clinics to have clear policies, clinical protocols, and documentation standards.

    These may include but are not limited to:

    • Delegation and supervision guidelines

    • Patient safety protocols

    • Charting and medical record standards

    • Medication handling procedures

    • HIPAA policies and privacy practices

    A compliance manual brings these requirements together into one organized system that your team can follow every day.

  • A Good Faith Exam (GFE) is a medical evaluation that takes place before a patient receives certain aesthetic treatments. The name Good Faith Exam is commonly used in aesthetics but some states refer to it as a Medical Evaluation.

    The purpose of the exam is to:

    • Review the patient’s medical history

    • Identify any health risks

    • Confirm that the treatment is appropriate and safe

    In many states, the exam must be performed by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant, depending on state laws and delegation rules.

    Requirements can vary by state, which is why clinics must understand the regulations where they practice.

  • If a clinic is audited or investigated, regulators may ask to see documents that show how the practice operates.

    This may include:

    • Clinical protocols

    • Medical supervision agreements

    • Patient records and charting

    • Medication management procedures

    • HIPAA policies to protect patient privacy

    • OSHA safety standards to protect staff and workplace safety

    Having a clear compliance system helps show that your clinic follows recognized healthcare standards and safety practices.

    While no system can prevent an audit, proper documentation can help demonstrate responsible medical oversight and patient care.

  • Yes. Many clinics seek compliance guidance after they are already operating.

    This is very common in the medical aesthetics industry.

    ACE can help clinics review their current operations and implement a structured compliance system that supports safe and professional practice moving forward.

    The goal is to help clinics strengthen their processes and reduce regulatory risk.

  • Yes. ACE works with both new and established medical aesthetic practices.

    For new clinics, compliance systems can help establish clear procedures before patients are treated.

    This includes guidance on:

    • Clinical protocols

    • Documentation standards

    • Medical delegation structures

    • Patient safety procedures

    Starting with strong systems in place helps clinics build a professional and compliant foundation from day one.

  • Every clinic is different, so timelines can vary.

    Some clinics can implement compliance systems quickly, while others may need time to review processes, train staff, and organize documentation.

    ACE provides structured materials designed to help clinics understand and implement compliance practices more efficiently.

    The goal is to make compliance clear, organized, and practical for daily clinic operations.

  • ACE works with clinics across the United States.

    Because healthcare regulations vary by state, many materials are designed to reflect state-specific regulatory frameworks where needed.

    Clinics can confirm services available for their state when scheduling a consultation or selecting a compliance package.

  • Many medical aesthetic clinics focus on treatments and patient experience but may not realize the regulatory requirements that apply to medical services.

    Common issues include:

    • Missing or incomplete Good Faith Exams/Medical Evaluation

    • Unclear medical supervision or delegation structures

    • Incomplete patient charting or documentation

    • Improper medication sourcing or handling

    • Staff performing treatments outside their scope of practice

    • Lack of written clinical protocols or safety procedures

    In many cases, these problems happen simply because clinics were never given clear guidance on healthcare regulations.

    A structured compliance system helps clinics establish clear processes for safe and professional patient care.

  • Medical spas are considered medical practices, which means they must follow healthcare regulations.

    Common compliance requirements include:

    • A licensed medical provider overseeing treatments

    • Proper Good Faith Exams before certain procedures

    • Clear delegation and supervision protocols

    • Accurate patient charting and documentation

    • Proper medication storage and sourcing

    • HIPAA privacy policies to protect patient information 

    • OSHA safety standards to protect staff and workplace safety

    Because rules vary by state, clinics must understand the specific regulations that apply where they operate.

  • Ownership rules for medical spas vary by state.

    In some states, nurses or nurse practitioners may own or operate a med spa. In others, physicians must hold ownership due to corporate practice of medicine laws.

    Even in states where non-physicians may own a clinic, there are usually requirements for:

    • Medical directors

    • Delegation agreements

    • Clinical supervision

    It is important for clinic owners to understand how their state’s medical laws apply to aesthetic practices.

  • Not all treatments require a Good Faith Exam/Medical Eval, but all medical aesthetic procedures do.

    Treatments that often require an exam include:

    • Injectable treatments

    • IV therapy

    • Prescription-based therapies

    • Certain laser or medical device procedures

    The exam helps ensure that a patient is medically appropriate for treatment and that any risks are identified before care is provided.

    Requirements can vary by state.

  • Who can perform treatments depends on state scope-of-practice laws and medical delegation rules.

    In many clinics, treatments may be performed by:

    • Physicians

    • Nurse practitioners

    • Physician assistants

    • Registered nurses

    • Licensed medical professionals under proper supervision

    However, the type of treatment, training requirements, and level of supervision may vary depending on state regulations.

    Clinics must ensure staff are working within their legal scope of practice.