Running a plastic surgery practice takes much more than surgical skill. It requires a team of dedicated professionals, each contributing their expertise to ensure smooth operations, exceptional patient care, and business success. Every practice structures roles differently depending on its size, stage of growth, and available resources. Smaller clinics often rely on staff wearing multiple hats, while mature practices usually have more defined roles, stronger systems, and highly trained staff.
The most successful practices are those where surgeons learn to delegate effectively and empower their team to take responsibility. When each role is clearly defined and supported, efficiency improves, patients feel cared for, and the practice is positioned for growth.
Here is a guide to the key roles in a plastic surgery clinic and the typical tasks they perform.
Medical Receptionist / Front Desk
Receptionists are the welcoming face of the clinic. They create the first impression for patients and play a crucial role in ensuring smooth front-of-house operations.
Typical tasks include:
- Answering phones and emails promptly
- Greeting patients on arrival and assisting with enquiries
- Scheduling appointments and sending SMS reminders
- Processing deposits, pre-pays, and patient payments
- Managing referrals and accurate documentation
- Filing, scanning, and updating spreadsheets
- Ordering stationery and supplies
- Sending surveys and handling mail or parcels
- Keeping reception areas tidy and well presented
- Supporting product sales and promotional efforts
- Assisting with admin projects such as audits
- Contributing to social media support or photo uploads when required
Patient Coordinator
Patient coordinators guide individuals through their surgical journey. They provide education, reassurance, and follow-up support while also focusing on conversion and patient satisfaction.
Typical tasks include:
- Managing the surgeon’s diary to maximise efficiency and yield
- Handling inbound enquiries and providing clear information
- Conducting patient consultations and guiding decision-making
- Following up with patients to maintain engagement
- Managing cancellations, rescheduling, and patient communication
- Preparing quotes, pricing, and financial consent documentation
- Tracking sales performance and compiling conversion statistics
- Asking satisfied patients for referrals
- Filling the surgeon’s clinic and theatre lists efficiently
- Assisting with patient photos and supporting consultations
Medical Administrator / Surgery Coordinator
This role is central to preparing patients for surgery and ensuring the surgical process runs smoothly from start to finish.
Typical tasks include:
- Organising hospital theatre lists and liaising with hospital staff
- Coordinating anaesthetists and surgical assistants
- Managing patient consent forms and medical documentation
- Ensuring pre-operative requirements, tests, and results are complete
- Ordering implants and consumables, while maintaining stock control
- Preparing pre-op and post-op documents and FAQs for patients
- Liaising with sales reps and staying informed about new products
Clinic Manager / Practice Manager
The practice manager is the leader of day-to-day operations. They ensure the clinic runs efficiently, remains compliant, and continues to grow.
Typical tasks include:
- Overseeing the practice calendar, rostering, and wage control
- Managing expenses, budgets, and financial reports
- Ensuring compliance with OHS, WHS, AHPRA, Medicare, and safety standards
- Developing and refining systems, policies, and procedures
- Monitoring KPIs, sales results, and pipeline activity
- Overseeing billing, collections, and outstanding accounts
- Handling complaints, litigation, and risk management
- Building hospital and supplier relationships
- Managing IT systems, cybersecurity, and clinic maintenance
- Approving pricing changes and financial planning decisions
- Supporting non-surgical and medispa services
- Leading HR activities, including recruitment, training, and staff engagement
- Running incentive programs, recognition systems, and team-building activities
- Coordinating one-off special projects and practice improvements
Practice Nurse
Nurses provide essential clinical support before, during, and after surgery. They ensure safety, healing, and patient confidence throughout the treatment journey.
Typical tasks may include:
- Communicating with patients pre-op and post-op
- Providing wound care, dressings, and scar management
- Assisting the surgeon in theatre and during patient rounds
- Managing sterilisation and infection control processes
- Supporting injectables and non-surgical treatments if qualified
- Assist surgeon with all patient post op and review appointments
- Post Op patient photos taken and recorded on EHR for each visit
- Organise or Download operative photos and op notes
- Oversee prep/distribution of pt preop bags, recovery packs and postop bags
- Maintain medical records in EHR with thorough up to date medical progress notes and accurate healing photos
- Deal with inbound patient phone calls of a medical nature within 1 hour of receiving the call
- Within 2 hours liaise with surgeon re any healing issues or patients not feeling well, medications
- Post-operative Bandaging Dressings/ Wound management as required
- Assist with in-rooms Procedures as required
- Preop phone call confirmation to patient – liaise with patient coordinator
- Post op phone call after surgery
- Follow-up scans and path
- Organise MRIs, and Seroma Ultrasounds
- Medical clearance certificates
- Sterilising Instruments
- Ordering of medical supplies
- Ordering and monitoring of postop garments stock
- Patient Garment fitting
- Assist with Patient Reviews and referrals
- Liaise preoperatively with anaesthetists if any clinical issues
- Refer to wound specialists as required
- Hospital rounds when patients are inpatients (includes weekends)
- After hours patient phone calls monitoring
Bookkeeper
Financial accuracy and stability are vital to the success of any practice. Bookkeepers ensure all accounts and reports are managed correctly.
Typical tasks include:
- Managing accounts payable and receivable
- Processing patient billing and collections
- Handling DVA, TAC, and private health fund claims
- Preparing staff payroll and entitlements
- Collating receipts, invoices, and bookkeeping records
- Preparing BAS and liaising with accountants
- Producing monthly, quarterly, and annual reports
In-Clinic Marketer / Aesthetic Marketer
Marketing plays a key role in attracting patients and building the reputation of a clinic. This role must always operate within AHPRA advertising guidelines.
Typical tasks include:
- Managing social media and ensuring advertising compliance
- Handling before-and-after patient photo processes
- Creating, editing, and publishing digital content and videos
- Coordinating in-clinic events and promotional campaigns
- Building relationships with referrers and conducting GP visits
- Managing the annual marketing calendar
- Driving internal promotions for products and medispa services
- Coordinating PR activities and publicity opportunities
Surgeon
The surgeon is the clinical leader and visionary of the practice. Beyond surgical excellence, they set the tone, culture, and future direction of the clinic.
Typical tasks include:
- Conducting consultations, performing surgery, and managing post-ops
- Handling complications and ensuring patient safety
- Leading the team by modelling practice values and vision
- Continuing professional development through CPD, audits, and peer discussions
- Mentoring and training team members and junior surgeons
- Creating content, videos, and research to strengthen the clinic’s brand
- Supporting the public hospital system where possible
- Balancing professional responsibilities with personal health and wellbeing
Shared Responsibilities across the
Some responsibilities are shared across the clinic team and require collaboration.
Examples include:
- Participating in social media and marketing activities
- Preparing and sending medical letters
- Managing after-hours patient calls and enquiries
- Supporting local area marketing initiatives and referrer engagement
- Organising travel, conferences, and CPD requirements
- Preparing medico-legal reports and documents
- Sending holiday cards or gifts to referrers
- Documenting and improving clinic systems and processes
- Covering roles during staff leave or surgeon absence
Taking Action
A plastic surgery clinic thrives when every role is clearly defined, well supported, and aligned with the practice’s vision. The surgeon may be at the centre, but success is always the result of a strong, capable team. When responsibilities are allocated effectively, systems are documented, and staff are empowered, the entire clinic runs more smoothly. Patients benefit from seamless care, the surgeon gains more focus time, and the business grows with confidence.
Building a practice is not about doing everything yourself – it’s about leading, delegating, and trusting your team to deliver excellence at every step.
Further Reading