01/07/2016    Joseph Borreggine, DPM

IL Podiatrists Sue Makers of Dr. Scholl's Inserts

I think it’s a good idea. I agree with Dr. Weil
et al. Podiatrists are the best at prescribing
orthotics based on our knowledge training and
experience. Through the years, it seems that
everyone under the sun has cheapened this part of
our profession.

"Everyone", but podiatrists, seemingly have an
"orthotic" to sell whether it was through
infomercials back in the '90s, or with the
defunct Good Feet Stores, and even with "Align"
orthotics on Facebook, and finally with Dr.
Scholl and Walmart selling "Custom-Fit" orthotics
with their foot scanners magically telling
someone their foot type and the type of arch
support they need.

Dentistry has always had propriety of their
specialty durable medical product; "dentures".
Why? Because they are the only ones that can do
it and do it well. They do it right and their
profession literally "owns" this part of their
profession. It is a mainstay of their practice
and will be forever. I do not think there are any
other licensed or non-licensed professionals in
the dental field making dentures, except
dentists. Am I wrong? You have to see a dentist
to get them and no one else.

I believe that it should the same for
prescription orthotics. Our biomechanics
education is bar none is the best anywhere. It
takes us many years to understand "the science"
of the foot and how it works and then to evaluate
the foot to make the proper prescription foot
device.

Respectfully speaking, a podiatrist should be
fully in charge from beginning to end when a
patient is being considered to be a candidate for
receiving custom foot orthoses. The podiatrist
should be the only one who does the biomechanical
evaluation of the patient's feet, take the foot
impressions, fill out the lab form, and take it
all the way through to dispensing the devices and
eventually the regular annual follow-up visit(s).
I know, some of us are busy and just indicate to
the staff that "Mr. or Mrs. Smith needs
orthotics."

This then allows their office assistant simply
slap plaster or fiberglass sock on the feet; they
sketchily fill out the order form, and then let
the lab figure it out. "Viola' " in a few weeks
the orthotics appear at the office and dispensed
to the patient.
And now, with the advent of the in-office foot
scanner how are we any different than Walmart and
Dr. Scholl?? We have simply done it to ourselves
and simply allowed "others" to take ownership of
what was "ours" back in the day.

Ever wonder why through the years most
prescription foot orthotics are being denied as a
"covered" benefit by most health insurance
carriers?

Podiatry has always touted that orthotics save
money in the long run as a viable option to foot
surgery. Where is the literature or the "white
paper" that we need to prove the evidence based
medicine behind custom orthotic foot appliances??
We should be the "final say" when it comes to
anything dealing with the feet, but when it comes
to this we are not, and hence "others" speak for
us.

The art of biomechanics and prescription foot
orthotic gets cheapened more and more when
"others" think they can do it better. The public
is ignorant when it comes to who is the best when
it comes to orthotics. Silence is acceptance.

We need not be silent any more. I hope the APMA
and state affiliate associations can have a
yearly on-going public relations program in the
future to help better educate the at-large
patient population on how important it is to
consult with a podiatrist when getting
prescription foot orthotics. I have yet to see
any campaign like this from the APMA or any of
the state affiliates and I think it is about
time!

This class action lawsuit is a "wake-up call" not
only to Bayer, Inc., Scholl Inc., and Walmart,
but also to the podiatric profession to continue
to fight for what is historically "ours".
I applaud Dr. Weil, et al. and hope they can
prevail in this litigation.

Joseph Borreggine, DPM, Charleston, IL

Other messages in this thread:

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01/13/2016    Ray Margiano, PhD

IL Podiatrists Sue Makers of Dr. Scholl's Inserts (David T Weiss, DPM)

My name is Raymond Margiano, PhD, and I am the
CEO and founder of Foot Solutions. My background
includes over 30 years in the footwear and
orthotic industry.

The comments about Foot Solutions from David T
Weiss are completely unfounded and not based on
facts. We have a very unique model that has
nothing to do with the lawsuit filed against Dr.
Scholls or is nothing like Good Feet as well.
Unlike Dr. Scholl’s or Good Feet, we absolutely
make true custom orthotics and inserts at our lab
in Atlanta, GA.

Feel free to check us out. (www.shu-re-nu.com) –
you can find examples of exactly what we do and
provide.

We make thousands of custom orthotics weekly and
service the medical community.

Here are some FACTS about Foot Solutions:

A) We have over 130 Foot Solutions locations,
most of them are accredited by The American Board
of Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics or The
Board of Certification/Accreditation. We are
Medicare-approved suppliers, in compliance with
the strict CMS requirements and standards.

B) We are the only pedorthic organization to have
an accredited Pedorthic Certification Program
approved by The National Commission on Orthotic
and Prosthetic Education. Our Academy of
Pedorthic Science
(http://academyofpedorthicscience.com) has
trained hundreds of certified pedorthists
nationally, many of them employed within
podiatrist’s offices.

· Foot Solutions works closely with a number of
DPMs who refer their patients to us, and have a
healthy relationship with the medical providers
we work with.

· Foot Solutions stores offer a holistic non-
invasive approach to foot care; we are not a
medical facility and in no way claim to be one.

· We have a number of DPMs in our system as
franchisees or employees; we also have an
incremental business model for the medical
community.

We take our business seriously and follow up on
any complaints, and take corrective action with
franchisees, including termination when needed.

We also take any comments that could be
considered defamation of our business model
serious as well.

We invite Dr. David T Weiss to visit any Foot
Solutions store. We will be happy to show you
what we do.

If you have any specific issues or complaints,
please feel free to contact me directly (770)
955-0099 or email me at ceo@footsolutions.com .

Ray Margiano, PhD, Atlanta, GA