The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 12,500 Podiatrists Daily

February 28, 2011 #4,095 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD

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DC Opines on Socks vs. Nylon Stockings for Infantrymen

You might not think nylon stockings would come in handy on a long march, but some infantrymen wear them underneath their socks because that layer of nylon acts as a second skin, stopping their feet from rubbing against socks and thus preventing blisters. But how well does this technique work?  Given the choice between nylons and special socks, Dr. Stephen Pribut, a podiatrist in Washington, DC, recommends the socks. Blisters are caused by both friction and moisture, and nylon doesn’t get rid of sweat, Pribut said. 

Dr. Stephen Pribut

Socks made of polypropylene or Coolmax have small pores and channels to keep moisture away from your foot. But Pribut stressed that service members should use whatever solution that works best for them. “If someone has successfully used the pantyhose, it is okay with me,” he said. “The main thing is it is really important to go with what has worked well in the past.”

Source: Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes [2/24/11]

Scholl Student Places 4th at Research Forum

Jessica Minder, a third-year student at the Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine won 4th place and received the Sigma Xi Merit Award for her research entitled “Control of Lower Extremity Edema in Persons with Diabetes with Mild Compression Diabetic Socks” at the 2011 Midwest Student Biomedical Research Forum (MSBRF) in Omaha, NE. Jessica conducted her research as part of Scholl’s NIH-funded summer research fellowship program. 

Scholl student Jessica Minder with award-winning presentation

“Jessica competed against students from allopathic and osteopathic medical schools throughout the U.S. and Canada and placed 4th in the medical student poster presentation category.” said Dr. Stephanie Wu, Director of Scholl’s Summer Research Fellowship Program, who also served as Jessica’s research mentor, “We’re all very proud of Jessica’s accomplishments.”

 PA Podiatrist Teams up with Chiropractor to Collect Shoes for the Homeless

A pair of Waynesboro doctors wants to show how pairs of new or slightly used shoes can make a difference in the lives of those who need them, especially the homeless. Drs. Stephen Bui and May T. Cao -- along with massage therapist Dawn Wright of Advanced Chiropractic, Foot and Ankle -- have launched a shoe drive for the Waynesboro New Hope Shelter. In addition to collecting shoes, they are collecting socks and providing free foot screenings for New Hope Shelter residents. They encourage the donation of shoes for adults and children.

(L-R) Drs. Stephen Bui, May Cao, and Heather Monn (PhotoMarkell DeLoatch)

"The feet are the most neglected part of the body," said Bui, a podiatric physician. "We want to raise awareness and, at the same time, help the people in need." Since December, more than 100 pairs of shoes have been delivered. Bui and his office are preparing to make their third delivery. So far, they have 70 pairs of shoes for the drop-off.

Source: Roscoe Barnes, Public Opinion (PA)

NJ Podiatrist Retires After 50 Years in Practice

After 50 years of caring for Princeton’s feet, Dr. Lewis Sid Guttesman is putting up his own feet – this time for retirement. The 74-year-old podiatrist just returned from a 10-day Caribbean cruise with his wife, Barbara, after spending 10 years at Princeton Foot and Ankle Associates. Prior to that, Dr. Guttesman, fondly called Dr. G or Sid by his patients and colleagues, spent 40 years at the former Princeton Podiatry at the Princeton Shopping Center.

Dr. Sid Guttesman

”I started working on Feb. 1, 1961, so it has been exactly 50 years,” he said. “I just had to stick it out to 50. Each year, I kept saying, ‘I’m not ready,’ ‘I’m not ready,’ but now I’m ready. It was time.” He said that Jan. 29 — his last day of work — was one of his busiest ever because his patients wanted to squeeze in one more visit. ”They weren’t happy I was leaving, but they will be taken care of,” he said. “It’ll just be different.”

Source: Allison Musante, The Princeton Packet [2/21/11]

FL Podiatrist Sentenced for Medicare Fraud

A Boca Raton podiatrist has been sentenced to 21 months in prison and ordered to pay $324,491 in restitution for providing services to Medicare patients after being excluded from participating in the program. In 2002, Arthur C. Haspel, 65, was sentenced for unlawful distribution of the painkiller hydrocodone.

In June 2003, he was excluded from the Medicare program, but, according to court documents, continued to provide services and bill Medicare using the names of other physicians, who would pay him kickbacks. A whistle-blower, who filed a civil false claims complaint against Haspel and the other doctors whose names he used to bill Medicare, sparked the investigation.

Source: South Florida Business Journal [2/25/11]

Boost Your Popularity

Successful leaders know that if they want to gain support from others, they must show genuine interest in others’ needs, wants, priorities and concerns. Use these tactics to build that habit:

•  Practice shifting your attention from yourself to others. Make the effort to observe and understand them.
•  Discover interesting aspects about others. Look for facts you did not know or perspectives you were unaware of.
•  Be yourself, yet shift attention off of you and onto others and you will feel calmer.

Source:  Adapted from “Five Ways to Be More Popular,” Tips for Success via Communication Briefings

Query: Consent for Lasering Fungal Nails

I was wondering if written consent is necessary for patients who have fungal nails and would like to get them lasered.

Sean Ravaei, DPM, Los Angeles, CA

Editor's response: PM News does not supply legal advice. It's always a good idea to incorporate a consent for treatment as part of your initial intake forms. In general, if the laser you are using is FDA-cleared for fungal nails, no additional consent should be necessary. If the laser is not FDA-cleared for fungal nails, then patients should sign a consent that they have been informed that the laser being used is an off-label manner.

RE: EMR/EHR Gouging (Elliot Udell, DPM)
From: Donald Brann, DPM,

With regard to Dr. Udell's recent post where he states: "In our office, we are currently using Practicefusion.com which is a free program. Is it the best program? Probably not, but their tech support is terrific, the program satisfies the government requirements, does e- prescribing, and if the program ceases to exist, we've lost nothing because the program costs nothing."

We would all do well to remember, nothing is free. How does Dr. Udell think Practice Fusion makes money and profits as a business? Do you think that maybe these companies are well-positioned to acquire a lot of data from podiatrists and other physicians that might be useful to the insurance industry? And how would this information be used? And who would likely benefit most?

I don't think it will be the healthcare provider. DPMs who sign up with the "free" EMR programs do so at the detriment to us all by further empowering the insurance industry, which can only result in continued declining reimbursement and restrictive practices.

Donald Brann, DPM, Orland Park, IL, d.brann@comcast.net
 
Gouging clearly began before the stimulus incentives, with ridiculously slanted “return on investment” (ROI) type marketing. Much of what looks like hikes are due to modules that were once options and are now included in the package price. Previously, patient portal, e-RX, patient formulary, billing, and extra reporting modules were optional. Now they are (or soon will be) mandatory. There are lower cost options for EMR, however, I would encourage providers to consider all-in-one solutions, so that one company upgrades the billing, scheduling, and EMR and does not point fingers at someone else when one or the other is having difficulties.

Understand that each practice is different. Not everyone has trouble finding ...

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

RE: Call for Unity and Action Against Insurance Companies
From: Robert Kornfeld, DPM

I have read, with great interest, this debate over how to organize our profession in the "fight" against insurance companies. But I think we are truly missing the essential issue here. If there is a war to be waged, it is with yourself. Insurance companies are vying for the same premium dollars. When you sign contracts with them, you are actually giving them permission to pay you very little. What else would you expect? If they control the fees, which are independent of your expenses and intimately linked to their bottom line, there can be no other expected outcome from "participating." If you believe there is, you are deluding yourself.

The first question you need to ask yourself is, "What are my...

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

RE: H&Ps for Podiatrists (Robert Bijak, DPM)
From: Samuel S. Mendicino, DPM 

Dr. Bijak: Please let me thank you for the compliment. I haven't been called young in at least two decades. It's good to know that young is a relative term. Oh maybe a metaphor? So is training. How you were educated and trained shows with every one of your posts on this site. I am not trying to say you are not educated and trained but your experience was obviously different. Mine was different from that of any of my residents whom I train today. That doesn't mean they are better but I know they have better training than was available when this "young" DPM graduated. 

By the way, my post said it reminded me of 25 years ago when aging eyes said we should not be doing rearfoot surgery or ankle fractures. Many chiropodists, whom I knew and respected (and who paved the way for me), felt that way. Their opinions were based upon their training. I understood and respectfully disagreed. They also understood where I was coming from, and we remained cordial. Perhaps you may find a lesson in this?

Samuel S. Mendicino, DPM, Houston, TX, DrSMendo@aol.com

RE: H&P's for Podiatrists (Robert Bijak, DPM)
From: Mario Dickens, DPM, Douglas Pacaccio, DPM

Dr. Bijak's statement about the 34 years of regret he feels concerning our inequality speaks volumes about the undercurrent of the vast majority of his posts and those of others alike. First of all, a swift career change should've been implemented 33 years ago to become 'a real doctor' to avoid long-term feelings of inadequacies. Besides the occasional post concerning the qualitative hypothesis of the mechanism of action of phenol on the nail matrix, what substantive benefits result from consistently lambasting our profession? It's like telling a fat lady she needs to lose weight after she's lost 30 lbs by being on Jenny Craig for 3 months; SHE'S WORKING ON IT! Podiatry continues to move in a progressive direction in every aspect to meet the demand of the population we service. 

Mario Dickens, DPM, Chattanooga, TN, mariodickens@hotmail.com

It is clear from Dr. Bijak's last letter that he will not acknowledge the progress our profession has made.  It almost has an undertone of bitterness.  Aside from his clearly erroneous assumptions about what is taught in the schools, I clearly remember having a class in history and physical taking.  I still have the book (Bate's -the hard copy, eh?) on my shelf and I actually read it.  I'm not going to weigh in about this ridiculous argument on whether a DPM can/should...

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

RE: Query: Partial Ray Amputation
From: Robert Wunderlich, DPM
 
The key phrase in this query is 'partial ray amputation'.  This implies that a digit was amputated at the MTPJ, and then a distal portion of the corresponding metatarsal was excised. The description for CPT 28810 (amputation, metatarsal, with toe, single) implies amputation of the ENTIRE metatarsal with the corresponding toe, which clearly wouldn't be a 'partial' ray amputation.  Therefore, I believe the correct way to code a partial ray amputation is:
 
CPT 28820 (amputation, toe, metatarsophalangeal joint) and CPT 28122 (Partial excision, tarsal or metatarsal bone)
 
To my recollection, this is also the position presented by the ACFAS at their annual coding seminar.
 
Robert Wunderlich, DPM, San Antonio, TX, rwunder@gmail.com

RE: How to Look Natural

Here’s an idea for sneakers for those who favor barefoot running….

"Barefoot" Running Shoes

Source: Submitted by Artie Gudeon, DPM, Rego Park, NY

ASSOCIATE/OPPORTUNITY - PHOENIX 
 
Established practice seeking motivated min. PSR24+ personable, ethical, motivated person to join state-of-the-art multi-office locations. Partnership/Ownership opportunity in practice, real estate, surgical center. Also interested in existing practitioner to merge or work part time. Contact AZPODAssociate@aol.com  Must be pursuing or have AZ license.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - MARYLAND
 
IMMEDIATE Associate needed to join a multi-office podiatry practice in the Baltimore MD Region. Desired candidate should be surgically trained with Board Eligible/Certification. You must be hard-working, ethical, compassionate and confident in your abilities to deal with pathology, patients, staff and fellow physicians. Patient base is already established. Excellent income and growth potential for the right associate. Please forward a cover letter, resume, and surgical log (if a current resident) and availability to FootDocMaryland@Gmail.com
 

PART-TIME/FULL-TIME PODIATRIST NEEDED - INDIANA

Part-time full-time podiatrist needed for our Indiana offices. Must have Indiana license. Must have completed two years of surgical residency. If qualified email to f-massuda@footexperts.com

PART-TIME / FULL-TIME PODIATRIST NEEDED ASAP - CHICAGO

Part-time podiatrist needed for 2 offices in Chicago with an average of 20 hours/week. Must have Illinois license. Must have completed 2 years of surgical residency. If qualified, email to:     A-Storjohann@footexperts.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - NE GEORGIA SUBURB

Immediate opening for PSR24/36, ABPS Qualified or Certified individual. Hosp/Amb. Surg. Ctn privileges available. Good chance of partnership or practice purchase in foreseeable future. Send resume/CV to gramps395@yahoo.com

TWO ASSOCIATE POSITIONS - WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA

One in general podiatry, second with surgical residency. Good diagnostician, compassionate, hard-working individuals needed for high-tech group practice. flpodiatrist@tampabay.rr.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - KENTUCKY
 
Very well-established podiatry practice in Louisville, KY seeks a motivated, ethical practitioner trained in all phases of podiatry including routine care, surgery and wound care to join 2 other podiatrists. By joining our practice you will receive a competitive salary with a bonus structure and benefits. Our practice is equipped with DME, PadNet, Gait Scanner and on site retail store. There is a huge potential to grow your practice with our ideally located facility that has strong affiliation with leading area hospitals as well as 2 local residency programs. For immediate consideration, please forward CV to Samuel10530@yahoo.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION AVAILABLE - NY

Busy Midtown Manhattan state-of-the-art practice with 2 locations seeking part time/full time associate. Must be in-network Empire BC/BS. Looking for a personable doctor with immediate availability. Residents Need not apply. DrB@myfcny.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA

A great opportunity to join a very busy, well-established, diversified practice in Clearwater, FL. Seeking an associate who has the drive and desire to work hard, has strong work ethics, and is very personable. BC/BE and minimum PSR24 +. We offer competitive salary and benefits. Send resume to Jaye@fdn.com

IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE- ASSOCIATE POSITION - DAYTON, OHIO

Join a well-established modern practice with an excellent reputation and referral base. Base salary $100,000 and benefits with a bonus structure. EMR, diagnostic ultrasound, all aspects of DME, Padnet vascular studies, and CO2 lasers. We seek a surgeon that is well trained, personable and motivated to join our group of 3 Podiatric Surgeons. Would like this individual to buy in the practice eventually. Please send resume to ohiodoctors@aol.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION/PARTNERSHIP - CHICAGO

Chicago Podiatric Surgeons, one of Chicago’s leading podiatric practices, is searching for a FT podiatric surgeon. Applicant must be a personable and confident surgeon with ability to manage surgical patients independently and be at least board qualified. High compensation. Will be working in new 7000 sf state of the art office in AN upscale Chicago neighborhood. Ownership/partnership opportunities. Send letter of intent and CV to drcarr@chicagopodiaty.com

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY
 
Applications are being accepted for the Central Kentucky Diabetes Management Fellowship. Dr. Jonathan Moore, former UTHSC Diabetes Fellow, OCPM adjunct faculty, AAPPM board member and national lecturer and author on diabetes and practice management related topics is director and founder. Don't miss out on the most unique, dynamic fellowship in Podiatric medicine. Learn latest advances in Diabetes management/surgery along with knowledge to run and grow a successful practice. Generous stipend, full benefits and free housing in resort setting. Email CV and letter of interest to: jmoore@aappm.org  Visit our website

PRACTICE FOR SALE - MARYLAND, DC SUBURBS

Great opportunity. Well established and equipped practice for sale. Office includes state licensed Ambulatory Surgical Center. Present owner is retiring but will stay on as needed for smooth transition. Average gross over past 3 years is $575 K. dpmpracticeforsale@yahoo.com

PRACTICE FOR SALE - BOSTON SUBURB

A 12+ year practice, including all equipment is for immediate sale. Average gross is $100K while being open only one day weekly. The ability for increased growth potential is obviously excellent with increased hours. Doctor is looking for serious offers only. Reply to shop@thefootdoctor.com

SPACE AVAILABLE- NYC & LI

Office to sublet and share - East 60th Manhattan, and Plainview long island. access to an MRI, Joint Commission certified operating rooms, digital x-ray, diagnostic ultrasound, and access to a multi-specialty ambulatory surgical center. Turn-key operation - no investment needed 516 476-1815 PODO2345@AOL.COM

PM News Classified Ads Reach over 12,500 DPM's and Students

Whether you have used equipment to sell or our offering an associate position, PM News classified ads are the fastest, most-effective way of reaching over 12,500 DPM's. Write to bblock@podiatrym.com or call (718) 897-9700 for details. Weekly ad rates start as low as $109 for a 50-word ad THIS OFFER DOES NOT APPLY TO BUSINESSES PROVIDING PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. Note: For commercial or display ads contact David Kagan at (800) 284-5451.

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