05/15/2012    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON -CLINICAL) - PART 3

RE: Is It Time to Bring Back Chiropody?

From: Richard Jaffe, DPM (H. David Hottlieb, DPM)

I am sitting in a state of amazement regarding this discussion. Don't you know that chiropodists are no longer called chiropodists? Internationally, they mostly refer to themselves as podiatrists. Led by the British, who receive diplomas as “Chiropodist/Podiatrist” after 3-4 years of education post high school, the FIP which is comprised of 26 counties has also adopted our name.

And who could blame them for wanting some prestige? The British dream of the scope of practice which exists in the U.S. and most of Europe aspires to...

Editor's note: Dr. Jaffe's extended-length letter can be read here.

Other messages in this thread:

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12/24/2012    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON -CLINICAL) - PART 3

RE: Efficacy of "Pain" Creams

From: Bryan C. Markinson, DPM

I feel compelled to comment on the discussion of the efficacy of topical compounded combinations of agents for indications of pain, neuropathy, skin rashes, etc. I have a different question besides efficacy. When I was in pharmacy school in the mid 70s, compounding pharmacy was already a "historical" subject. Although compounding principles were taught, it was already a thing of the past, and only a handful of physicians wrote for compounded formulas. I remember distinctly learning that the mixing of agents in different vehicles raised questions of solubility, compatibility, stability, and potency. I also remember that certain active agents have to be solubilized first before they are joined together in combination, and that creates other questions of what agent is soluble in water, or alcohol, or another medium.

I just wonder if the current purveyors of compounded pharmaceuticals are screened by anyone for adherence to compounding principles that allow these combinations to indeed be stable, potent, compatible, and remain in solution or suspension, whatever the case may be. Is it possible that all that is desired to be compounded may not be able to be made? Ordering up a jar of your favorite agents in combination is not as easy as you think. Perhaps one of the compounding pharmacy scientists can comment on this?

Bryan C. Markinson, DPM, NY, NY, Bryan.Markinson@mountsinai.org

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11/21/2012    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON -CLINICAL) - PART 3

RE: Shoe Recommendation (Ayne Furman, DPM)

From: Peter Harvey, DPM

Few people realize that Nordstrom started as a shoe store and made its name by selling mismatched shoe sizes for people with polio at no extra charge.They still specialize in hard-to-fit feet. Perhaps they can help.

 

Peter Harvey, DPM, Wichita Falls, TX, pmh@wffeet.com

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08/24/2012    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON -CLINICAL) - PART 3

RE: Terminating an Office Manager (Name Withheld)

From: Lynn Homisak

It is not uncommon in many offices to find that a doctor will take their very functional, long-time “assistant” and move her up… into a management position, when in fact, she has had no management training for that position. If employees are not given the proper tools to succeed, they cannot. So while she may be an excellent assistant, she will inevitably fail as a manager. It's not entirely her fault. Considering the stress, expense, and general upset that replacing an employee involves, your first thought should not be to dismiss her, but instead assess what qualifications she lacks and whether or not investing in her training and education would make her a BETTER manager, one who aligns with your definition of excellence.

If you are absolutely sure that she can’t cut it as a manager, recognize that you may be adding insult to injury by asking her to stick around to train another person to take her place. Her negative and hurtful resentment may turn to revenge and, admittedly, she would be in the perfect position to do some serious damage. In this case, I suggest making a clean break. Place an ad, interview some applicants, and when you find one who is promising, thank your current manager for her service, give her all her accumulated benefits, two weeks pay, and say goodbye. PS- Hopefully, you have documented her unsatisfactory performance!

Lynn Homisak, Federal Way, WA, lynn@soshms.com

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06/08/2012    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON -CLINICAL) - PART 3

RE: Ovation Medical (Art Hatfield, DPM)

From: Philbert Kuo, DPM, Eugene Batelli, DPM

A year or two ago, I received a "free" CAM walker boot sample from Ovation, only to be billed for it. When I inquired about it, they asked that I return the boot. I returned the boot and have not heard from them since.

Philbert Kuo, DPM, Chesapeake, VA, philbear@pol.net

I have used Ovation medical in the past. You get what you pay for.  They are inexpensive, but patients go through the AFOs in no time. I am currently using Breg Bracing, available through M3 Medical Resources (855-845-6379) out of Marlboro, NJ. The bracing and AFOs are awesome, all Medicare-certified, and patients seem to like them better.

 

Eugene Batelli, DPM, Clifton, NJ, eabdpm@gmail.com

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06/07/2012    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON -CLINICAL) - PART 3

RE: Vision 2015, Vision 20/20 (Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM)

From: Charles Morelli, DPM

 

Dr. Steinberg said something that could not be more true when it comes to what our responsibility is as not only members of this profession, but also for those dues-paying members of their state association. It is those doctors I am speaking to directly. The ones who are not dues-paying members of their respective associations (primarily here in New York), I really don't care that much about, as it is WE who are not only carrying the water for all podiatrists who will benefit from our labor, but also paying the bill for that water and that labor.

 

Regarding Title XIX, Dr. Steinberg states, "A permanent place in Medicaid requires the passage of Title XIX, something the APMA has thus far not been able to do. But, I don't place the blame at the feet of the APMA. I place the blame at the feet of every single podiatrist who cannot produce copies of multiple e-mails to their congressmen and senators."

 

As president of my local chapter of the NYSPMA, I ask repeatedly that our members simply send a letter, phone call, or utilize the Cap Wiz program to immediately send a letter to their respective legislator(s) regarding the issues we continue to fight for on a daily basis. The fact that the Cap Wiz site has been taken down by the APMA due to lack of use by members (and I do not blame APMA), speaks volumes to the apathy that exists in this profession by so many of us. For those of you who have not used Cap Wiz, or lobbied your Legislators, gone to "Lobby Day" or sent a check to either the APMA PAC as well as your local state PAC, you should not only be ashamed of yourselves, but you should also not bitch and moan when things do not go your way.  Things may have been different if you had contributed.

 

Charles Morelli, DPM, Mamaroneck, NY, Podiodoc@gmail.com

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05/16/2012    

RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON -CLINICAL) - PART 3

RE: Is it Time to Bring Back Chiropody? (Richard Jaffe, DPM)

From: Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM

This is just another attempt to dumb down our profession. Dr. Jaffe rightly points out the results of unintended consequences. Podiatry is not necessarily our kind of podiatry in many other countries. That fact is being looked into in Australia where podiatrists are not allowed to be called doctors, and rightly so.

In the USA, colleges of podiatric medicine are approved by the CPME, as are our residency programs. Australia may be considering the acceptance of DPMs as doctors if they completed a CPME-approved program. I would be in favor of doctors of podiatric medicine being called doctors of podiatric medicine, as it means we are physicians and surgeons of the foot and ankle, and we are trained to a much higher level than many podiatrists in the rest of the world!

Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM, Schaumburg, IL, doc@footsportsdoc.com