Meet Jillian, Plastic Surgery Patient Care Coordinator

Announcer (00:00):
You're listening to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast with Monique Ramsey.

Monique Ramsey (00:05):
Welcome everybody to The La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Podcast. And my guest today is Jillian, and she's one of our patient care coordinators here at the Surgery Center. So welcome, Jillian.

Jillian (00:19):
Thank you for having me.

Monique Ramsey (00:21):
So tell us a little bit about how you help patients in our practice.

Jillian (00:28):
Well, I'm one of the initial people that you'll talk to on the phone, whether you come in the office, call the office, submit a web inquiry, I'll be the first person you speak to in regards to answering your questions, getting you scheduled for a consultation, and just giving you a rundown.

Monique Ramsey (00:47):
How did you end up in this job and at La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center?

Jillian (00:52):
Well, I actually started in the industry when I was 19 years old.

Monique Ramsey (00:56):
Oh my gosh.

Jillian (00:56):
I was very young and I got my starting as an esthetician and doing front desk, and I kind of already knew about La Jolla Cosmetic for many, many, many years, probably going on 20 years now. Oh my goodness.

Monique Ramsey (01:15):
Wait, you don't look old enough to say that.

Jillian (01:17):
Oh, thank you. Forty's right around the corner.

Monique Ramsey (01:22):
Oh my gosh.

Jillian (01:23):
But I'd always heard really good things about La Jolla cosmetic, and there's still a reputation and I had always wanted to work here. And then over the years I kind of went off on my own path, tried different things, and then lo and behold, here I am back again. I applied for La Jolla Cosmetic and everything went great. And I've been here for four months now and really enjoying myself.

Monique Ramsey (01:47):
Oh, good. So tell me what you enjoy most about being a patient coordinator.

Jillian (01:54):
I really enjoy connecting with clients and doing my best to make them as comfortable as possible. The whole experience can be very nerve wracking. There's just so many things you have to go through to just get in the door to feel comfortable, and I really enjoy just connecting with patients in general to give them the best experience possible.

Monique Ramsey (02:19):
So tell me your first impressions about La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center now that you'd heard about us in the past and now the reality. What do you think?

Jillian (02:30):
Well, when I first walked in here, I was like, this place is absolutely beautiful. It's huge too. And everybody's been super nice and very accommodating, helping me learn as much as possible. Even the doctors, they're very educational and they all take you under their wing and just everybody works together, which is great.

Monique Ramsey (02:54):
Yeah. So tell me a little bit about your background and you say you started a long time ago in aesthetics, but what kind of was the driving force that made you think that's the right, I guess, niche for you?

Jillian (03:10):
I did a lot of different customer service roles, whether it was I was a hairstylist for a few years and I also worked in event coordination, it came down to the point of realizing, okay, what am I best at with all of these positions? What should I gear it towards? What do I know? What do I know? Well, I know cosmetic surgery really well and I am really good at connecting with people. So I put those two together and that's how the patient coordinator role just felt like the best fit for me.

Monique Ramsey (03:44):
Is there a patient whose story has really stood out to you so far?

Jillian (03:49):
Absolutely. So when I was 17, 18, my older sister had a breast reduction surgery and I remember the process she went through going into the doctor's office with my mom, and it was just a very specific time in my life. And recently I had a very similar patient. She was about 20 years old. She came in with her mom and I helped guide them through the whole process. And in a sense, it just made me feel like I was helping my sister back in time. And it just felt really special to me just to put the med ease, give them all the information and just make the process as smooth as possible for them.

Monique Ramsey (04:33):
And I feel like the patient coordinator role, you kind of get to be their buddy throughout that system and help kind of hand them off to the nurses and the doctor, but then you still see them throughout the process and after surgery. So it kind of a nice full circle.

Jillian (04:51):
Absolutely. Yes.

Monique Ramsey (04:53):
So tell us about yourself. Did you grow up here in San Diego or where did you grow up?

Jillian (04:57):
I grew up in Los Angeles. I was born and raised there, lived the whole LA Life upbringing. And I moved out here when I was 17 with my mom. She's a nurse and she's actually how I got into cosmetic surgery. She was an OR nurse for the first surgeon that I worked for.

Monique Ramsey (05:19):
Oh, wow.

Jillian (05:20):
But I've been here ever since. And San Diego's definitely my home. I think I've lived here longer than I lived in la but I love it here and I don't ever want to leave.

Monique Ramsey (05:33):
It is pretty wonderful. I have to say most people who get here are like, wait, I don't want to go back. I know. It's so beautiful. It's my home now. Yeah. So tell me about some of the best spots in San Diego that you think everyone should visit.

Jillian (05:48):
I think for people traveling here, of course Coronado, the Hotel Dell, all the history over there and the beautiful beaches. There's so much to do and it's very special. I think it's very special over there. Very old Hollywood too. It's totally exciting. Other than that, I love little local spots down in Mission Beach where you can see the roller coaster when you're going for a swim and swim. Yeah, I just love Mission Beach in general.

Monique Ramsey (06:19):
Yeah, it's a fun place. Any favorite coffee shops? Are you a coffee drinker or tea?

Jillian (06:26):
I am a coffee drinker.

Monique Ramsey (06:27):
Yes you are. Okay. So give me your insight into some good spots. I love coffee too.

Jillian (06:34):
Well, Brick and Bell is always a favorite. The one over in La Jolla Village. I used to live at the coffee shop all the time.

Monique Ramsey (06:43):
Yeah, I live a few blocks from there, and it's a wonderful place. They have good food too.

Jillian (06:47):
Oh yeah. Really good. I also used to work with a gal who owned a coffee kiosk and it was called Yaya's Coffee, named after her grandmother. And she now does mobile events. She has the best coffee I have ever had of my life. Espresso drinks. Yes, she does what's called A BBL, which is a banana banana bread latte. But it's unlike anything else you've had. It's delicious.

Monique Ramsey (07:16):
Ooh, okay. Ya ya's Coffee. I'll have to find out where she's going to pop up next. That sounds delicious. What advice would you give to somebody who's coming to La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center for the first time?

Jillian (07:31):
I always advise patients to do as much research as possible. Look at the before and after photos, read up on the doctor that they're interested in, and that will help you relax a little bit more during the consultation and just prepare you a little bit better. So I always tell patients to look at the website as much as possible.

Monique Ramsey (07:55):
Yeah, there's a lot of resources on the website. It's a very big website because I think on year one of the internet when people could have a website, we started, and over time it's grown and grown and I do think it's a really good resource to learn about some procedures to see before and after pictures, especially of the procedure you think you might want, and then talk to us and you'd be one of the people they would talk to set up a consultation. And so the last question I have for you, and this is a good one for you because being in an aesthetician and being in beauty your whole life. So for listeners of our podcast, we have, if you show us that you're a subscriber, you can save 25 off, $50 or more on an Alastin product. So Jill, and in your four months, I don't know if you've tried any Alastin, but if you have, do you have a favorite product?

Jillian (08:58):
The mineral screen I think is my favorite. Yes.

Monique Ramsey (09:02):
Yeah, the tinted,

Jillian (09:04):
Yes. The tinted mineral.

Monique Ramsey (09:06):
SPF? Yeah, it's really good. It's beautiful. And every time I use it when I don't feel like putting on full makeup and I just put that on, and if I'm on a video call, people are like, your skin looks so good. And I'm thinking, all I did was put on the Alastin SPF tinted daily, whatever they call it, SPF 36. We'll put a link in the show notes to it. And because we have, you can order online through our web store. But it's a great one, and it's nice because it's, and they have an untinted version as well. But yeah, the tinted is a really good one. And

Jillian (09:40):
Yeah, just simplifies your routine too, which is I'm always for that.

Monique Ramsey (09:45):
Yeah, exactly. Well, thanks Jillian, for talking with us today. It was good to get to meet you and we will see everyone on the next podcast. Thank you.

Announcer (10:02):
Take a screenshot of this podcast episode with your phone and show it at your consultation or appointment, or mention the promo code PODCAST to receive $25 off any service or product of $50 or more at La Jolla Cosmetic. La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway in the Ximed Building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus. To learn more, go to ljcsc.com or follow the team on Instagram @ljcsc. The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast is a production of The Axis, theaxis.io.