The Voice of Podiatrists

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March 29, 2012 #4,422 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD

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CA Sports Podiatrist Discusses Injury to Yankees Pitcher

Howard Liebeskind, DPM, a foot and ankle specialist based in Los Angeles, commented on the open subluxation trampoline injury to New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain’s right ankle. Liebeskind said that he has seen a wide variety of open dislocations to the ankle, and said they can range from “career-threatening” to “something that simply sets an athlete back for a period of time.” 

Dr. Howard Liebeskind

“It will certainly set him back,” Liebeskind said. “And an injury to the right ankle of a right-handed pitcher who’s already on a program to rehabilitate an elbow injury will certainly complicate matters. He won’t be able to continue strengthening his arm to pitch at the professional level without a functional right ankle. It will not be easy.” Liebeskind is the team and consulting podiatrist to the UCLA Athletic Department, 2011 MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy, US National Soccer Teams, and Cirque du Soleil.

Source: Jeff Bradley, Newark Star Ledger, [3/25/12]

OH Podiatrist Uses AlterG Treadmill to Rehab Patients

Foot and ankle specialist Dr. Mark Mendeszoon is proud to be the only physician in the country to own a store specializing in running shoes. His Achilles Running Shop recently moved to a space that has room for the biomechanical analysis that's critical to the way he and his staff fit shoes. But he’s even prouder of the new AlterG treadmill he has installed in the office of his Chardon medical practice, Precision Orthopedic Specialties Inc. 

Dr. Mark Mendeszoon and the AlterG treadmill

“It uses the technology developed by NASA for the no-gravity training of astronauts,” he said. “We’re the only orthopedic practice to have one.” The gravity percentage can be adjusted for a low-impact workout while walking or running, and our physicians use it to help rehabilitate people with injuries and those recovering from surgery of the hip, knee, ankle or foot,” he said.

Source: Janet Podolak, Mentor-Willoughby News Herald [3/27/12]

PA Podiatrists Participate in Diabetes Alert Day

Tuesday, March 27th is American Diabetes Association Alert Day. To celebrate this day of awareness and education, Phoenixville Hospital  hosted a free, day-long health expo including health screenings and presentations by a variety of physicians specializing in the care of patients with diabetes. 

(L-R) Drs. Stephen Soondar and Nicholas Romansky

Podiatrist Nick Romansky, DPM presented a lecture titled "Diabetes and Foot Care—Dos and Don’ts." This was followed by a "Hot Topics in Diabetes" physician panel discussion with Leonard Ginsburg, MD, CDE, Ophthalmology, Stephen Soondar, DPM, Podiatry, Rajiv Dhawan, MD, Cardiology, Barbara O’Connor, RN, CDE, Edward Hovick, MD, Nephrology, and Helen Rawlins, RD, CDE, Nutrition.

Source: Barbara O'Connor, The Phoenix [3/27/12]

IPAB, Med Mal Could See Senate Vote This Week

A combined measure to establish federal malpractice caps and repeal a controversial Medicare cost control board could come up for a Senate vote as early as this week. The measure, which passed the House of Representatives last week, was formally placed on the Senate's legislative calendar, although no specific date for a vote has been set. 

Pharma Scales Back Drug Samples to Physician Offices

Pharmaceutical companies have slashed their sales rep force by about 30% from a high of 105,000 five years ago, according to industry figures. And as the number of detailers has fallen, so too has another hallmark of pharmaceutical marketing: drug samples. Drugmaker spending on the samples that drug reps leave behind in physician offices has gone down by 25% since 2007, said Cegedim Strategic Data (CSD), a global pharmaceutical market-research firm that surveys a rotating panel of 2,300 U.S. physicians to generate its industrywide estimates.

In 2007, drugmakers spent nearly $8.4 billion on samples. That figure fell to about $6.3 billion in 2011, the most recent data available. The number of detailer visits that included samples has dropped even faster, decreasing 35% from 116 million in 2007 to 76 million in 2011, CSD said.

Source: Kevin B. O'Reilly, AM News [3/26/12]

Create More Revealing Patient Surveys

Tap deeper into what your patients are thinking, and show them that you care. Make these changes to improve your patient surveys:

•  Ask for opinions, not just a check in a box. Provide a way for patients to tell you what they really think.
•  Solicit their advice on how to improve your surveys. Ask patients what questions they would add or delete and how you can make it easier for them to respond to surveys.
•  Respond to them. Tell patients what you are doing differently because of their feedback.

Source: Adapted from “Super Opportunity to Improve Every Customer Experience Survey,” Kate Nasser via Communication Briefings

Diagnostic Ultrasound Workshop?

Is anyone aware of an upcoming CME conference offering a diagnostic ultrasound workshop?
 
Jim Petko, DPM, Falls Church, VA

Query: Del Priore Insurance Services (Malpractice)

I was recently contacted by Del Priore Insurance Services as they are providing malpractice insurance to podiatrists. Has anyone had any experience with this company?
 
Barry Finkelstein, DPM, Bronx, NY

RE: Recommendations for EMR/EHR (Greg Caringi, DPM)
From: Elliot Udell, DPM
 
Our considerations for choosing an EMR program were 1) Cost 2) Ease of use. 3) Government approval for meaningful use. 4) E-prescribing  5) Minimal loss, if the company providing the EMR system should go out of business or be bought out by another company whose intentions are to sunset the program and sell you a new one.
 
After all considerations, we chose Practice Fusion. It is free. It meets government standards. With minimal free training and instant online help, the transition was fairly easy. If Practice Fusion goes out of business or is absorbed by another company, nothing is lost. Is it the best program out there? Probably not, but the price is right and it does what it is supposed to do and very efficiently.
 
Elliot Udell, DPM, Hicksville, NY, Elliotu@aol.com

RE: Issues with Cerner Billing Software (Scarlett Kinley, DPM)
From: Nadia Din, DPM

I too have had similar problems. Cerner also has not addressed the J code issue. We have been omitting the code just so we can get paid for everything else. Even with the NDC, it was not going through for some cases. Cerner has an Enhancement Form that you can fill out for the issues you are having with their system. Keep in mind that if you use this form, it must be TYPED. Cerner will reject it if it is handwritten. It is going to take more than an enhancement form to enhance this EMR system.

A new problem we have found is with the diagnosis not showing up in the actual note. And for some reason, there are times where our procedures/office visits are not even going through to the practice management part. I agree that Cerner should have had all software updates in place by November 2011. All the clients of Cerner should receive compensation from Cerner for this because of the amount of time our staff now has to put into fixing everything!

Nadia Din, DPM, Forked River, NJ, nadia7din@gmail.com

RE: Taking X-Rays on Patients with Ingrown Nails (Tony Poggio, DPM)
From: Howard Lepolstat, DPM

It seems to me that a subungual exostosis is a sufficiently frequent occurrence that the patient deserves to have an x-ray taken to rule out the possibility. The question is when. The first time the ingrown nail occurs, providing it is not terribly severe, I think it is appropriate to simply remove the offending nail spicule. At a recurrence and prior to attempting a "permanent" solution, would seem to be a reasonable time to take that x-ray. 

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