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02/11/2014
RESPONSES/COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL)- PART 2
RE: Time for a Degree Change
From: Robert Bijak, DPM
For many years, PM News has provided a cross-section of insights on the podiatry profession. No one can disagree that the last issue (#4,984) portrayed podiatry as it really is. A poll revealed that the majority of podiatrists say that routine foot care is a major part of their practices. There were also articles about podiatrists discussing frostbite of the toes, and about how to buy shoes.
Despite claims of 3-year residency equality with MDs, and a bright financial future, the reality looms that unless the profession and colleges upgrade their curriculum and licenses to an MD scope, podiatrists will continue to be known for cutting toe nails, making arch supports, and doing minor elective surgery. The next major project announcement should be curriculum change and a degree change. What is the delay?
Other messages in this thread:
11/04/2014
RESPONSES/COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL)- PART 2
RE: Zocdoc's Sales Tactics
From: Justin Sussner, DPM
Friday, my receptionist answered a phone call from a woman claiming to be from Mt. Sinai Hospital, stating she had to talk to me. My office is roughly an hour northeast of NYC, and I am not on staff there. After trying to inquire to the nature of the call, my receptionist gave me the phone. The conversation began briefly as if it was about a specific patient referral to me ("Our patient is moving up to Suffern, NY"). It then transitioned to how many patient referrals a week can we handle? Then it became obvious. When I asked if this was a solicitation, which she previously denied to my receptionist, she admitted she worked for Zocdoc.
I was obviously disgusted that she would misrepresent herself, I told her so, and told her never to call my office again, and hung up the phone. I am curious if anyone else has had this experience with Zocdoc. I also want to warn others to be on the lookout for this scam. If a company needs to be deceptive to get you on the phone, then we do not want to give them our business.
08/13/2014
RESPONSES/COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL)- PART 2
From: Adam Ullman
The high costs for any new treatment is due to exorbitant costs associated with developing the product and bringing it to market. Before any new product or medical device is able to be sold, many companies spend years, sometimes decades, running extensive clinical studies and seeking approval from the FDA.
In order to prove efficacy and safety to the FDA, doctors, patients, and scientists, studies must be completed. These costs need to be amortized for the sold drug and for failed drugs as well. It’s the only way that doctors (and the FDA) can...
Editor's note: Adam Ullman's extended-length letter can be read here.
04/01/2014
RESPONSES/COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL)- PART 2
RE: American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgeons
From: Ira Baum, DPM
Congratulations to the ABPS on the name change which reflects the purpose of the board and its members. One of the motivations to develop a board was to put podiatrists in a position to obtain hospital privileges to enable podiatrists to perform surgery in the operating room. That objective was successfully met. However, in the following years as the requirements of podiatric residencies changed and pressure from some hospitals refined what surgeries a podiatrist could and could not perform, the ABPS reacted by adding categories to board certification to clarify the training and experience of a podiatrist.
In fact, what the ABPS, now the ABFAS, has done is confuse hospital administrations and orthopedic surgeons. Orthopedic surgeons do not have an alphabet soup or postscript degrees after their board certifications, and therefore their initials are less confusing. It’s probably too late to put the genie back in the bottle, but what a mess this has become for many podiatrists.
03/18/2014
RESPONSES/COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL)- PART 2
From: Simon Young, DPM
I don't know about Dr. Baum. Ten minutes to do a hammertoe surgery is really quick and you can miss things. My skills are not as honed, and it takes 20-30 minutes for an uncomplicated toe. I just did two hammertoes and it took 1 hour and 45 minutes. What about risk, travel time, malpractice insurance, etc.? If I were insurance representative and read Dr. Baum's post, I might pay even less.
02/17/2014
RESPONSES/COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL)- PART 2
From: Ira Baum, DPM
1. Is this normal practice and reimbursement for hospitals? Absolutely and it is not uncommon.
2. Are all physicians (orthopedists vs. podiatrists) paid the same? Absolutely not. I think I recall an equal pay for equal service bill that was presented in Maryland. I don’t know if there are any states that have passed that law. If they have, would the podiatrists speak up and tell us if they’re getting paid the same amount for the same services provided by an orthopedist (with the exception of those podiatrists who are associated with orthopedic groups and bill under an orthopedic group #)?
3. What can be done to ensure a reasonable fee-for-service? This inequity has festered for many years. Nothing has been done and, in all likelihood, nothing will be done unless podiatrists, colleges of podiatric medicine, state and national associations group together to fight this in court or legislatively. We have a couple of state and national legislatures; let’s see what they come up with.
11/25/2013
RESPONSES/COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL)- PART 2
From: Wm. Barry Turner, RN, DPM, CWS
I read Dr. Sullivan's note regarding a wound care center. I feel that his reaching out via PM News is a smart idea. Wound care centers, similar to surgical centers, can be very profitable, regardless if free-standing or hospital-based. I frequently wonder if there are any statistics available to show how many surgical centers actually become profitable versus those that never do.
I wonder how many hospitals have been put in financial ruin due to investing in wound care centers. I have opened three free-standing wound care centers. It is important to...
Editor's note: Dr. Turner's extended-length letter can be read here.
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