As we approach what we hope is the end of the worst effects of the pandemic in Ireland, the team at HRBR have reflected on how the pandemic has affected the clinic, our patients and the demand for hair transplants.
Since the initial lockdown in March of 2020, the team have noted a steady demand for new patient appointments. Google searches from January to March 2021 are up over 40% compared to the same period the previous year and we have seen a surge in bookings particularly since the start of 2021 with bookings for hair transplant procedures up over 70% for January and February 2021 compared to the same period in 2020. What factors are causing this increased demand?
The Video Conferencing Effect
The increase in interest and bookings may be partly due to the increase in video meetings during the pandemic. For those with hair loss the move to Zoom and other video meeting platforms has meant an increased focus on their appearance. Often patients with hair loss will avoid mirrors in their day to day lives but with remote working, avoiding your image can be more challenging.
Additional Free Time
Many patients are also now finding themselves with time that they did not have before. Our team were used to accommodating patients with specific requests for dates that were planned around life events such as weddings, a holiday or an important business meeting. Now our patients are requesting to come in as soon as possible with many looking to have their procedure completed before their lives return to their normal busy pace.
Working from Home
Working from home is also allowing people an extra layer of discretion. While our FUT patients return to work within a few days with no one being the wiser, many patients are enjoying the fact that they don’t have a return to the office hanging over them when planning their transplant.
More Discretionary Income
For those that have been fortunate enough to maintain their businesses, work and income over the year they find themselves with considerable savings with fewer ways of spending their money. According to the Irish Times “Irish households squirrelled away €13.4 billion of savings in banks and credit unions in the 12 months to the end of November”.
For the team in house due to our normal procedures to ensure patient safety and privacy, the additional measures around social distancing, mask wearing and hand hygiene have come naturally. The addition of weekly Antigen testing of all staff at HRBR is giving an extra layer of precaution as we continue to ensure the very best and safest service to our patients.
To book a consultation or to speak to the team about arranging a hair transplant at HRBR contact us on +353 1 209 1000
About the Author
Nicola Murray
Financial Director
BComm, MAcc, ACA, AITI
Nicola Murray is Financial Director at HRBR. She has worked with the company since 2010. She holds a first class honours degree in Commerce from UCD as well as a master’s degree in Accountancy from the Michael Smurfit School of Business. She qualified as a chartered accountant with Chartered Accountants Ireland in 2008. The following year she qualified as a chartered tax advisor with the Irish Tax Institute. Prior to joining HRBR, she has worked with some of the world’s leading firms including KPMG and Google.
