The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 13,500 Podiatrists Daily

April 17, 2012 #4,438 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD

A service of Podiatry Management http://www.podiatrym.com
E-mail us by hitting the reply key.
COPYRIGHT 2012- No part of PM News can be reproduced without the
express written permission of Kane Communications, Inc.

Warm up Before You Stretch: CA Podiatrist

"When your feet hurt, you hurt all over," says sports podiatrist and marathon runner Franklin Kase, DPM, FAAPSM. Foot pain can be excruciating, making you less likely to get up off the couch, let alone strap on sneakers and get exercising. But there are ways to minimize injury potential, says Kase, who has been a runner for 35 years and has never had a major foot or ankle problem. 

Dr. Franklin Kase

His secret? He wears supportive footwear and incorporates the five elements of exercise into his workout routines: warm up, stretch, aerobic exercise, cool down, then stretch again. You read that right: warm up first, then stretch. "If you stretch before warming up with a three-to-five minute gentle walk or other aerobic routine, your muscles will tense up and form knots,” he warns. And if your lower body muscles are tense and don't perform properly, your feet won’t be supported by your lower body – potentially resulting in injury.

Source: Reyna Gobel, WeightWatchers.com

MA Podiatrist to Run Boston Marathon

Kirksville resident Dr. Deb Holte, 46 will compete at the Boston Marathon Monday. Holte has been trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon for the past five years. She reached her goal at last in March of 2011, when she ran a marathon in Little Rock, AR, with a qualifying time of three hours and 57 minutes.

Dr. Deborah Holte

After spending the year training at 5 a.m., running through snowstorms, thunderstorms, and everything in-between, she could see her goal was in reach as she neared the finish line in Little Rock. Holte said she still needed a little push to get across the finish line. “I didn’t realize that I had a chance to hit the [qualifying] time until I saw the clock,” Holte said. “I wanted to walk the last hill, but I had a buddy running with me who was encouraging me. If I walked that last hill, I wouldn’t have qualified, but if I ran, I would. So I ran.”

Source: Josh Rizzo, Kirksville Daily Express [4/13/12]

CO Governor Appoints Podiatrist to State Board

While the Colorado House wrestled with the 2012-13 state budget last week, the Senate continued to plow through its calendar and Gov. John Hickenlooper maintained business as usual. Among the governor's actions was the appointment of Dr. Benjamin Marble of Pueblo West to the Colorado Podiatry Board.

Dr. Benjamin Marble

Dr. Marble graduated from podiatry medical school at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science in North Chicago, Illinois and completed a three-year residency program at the University of Utah. The governor’s appointments are subject to confirmation by the Colorado Senate.

Source: Patrick Malone, The Pueblo Chiefain [4/15/12]

Future Podiatry Student to Hike Entire Appalachian Trail

Hiking the 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail is one of the ultimate tests of endurance, and two sisters from Frederick hope to complete that test this year. McCamie and Alexandra DeArmon set off on April 5 from Springer Mountain, GA, the southern terminus of the trail, which travels through 14 states. They hope to arrive at Mount Katahdin, Maine, the northern terminus, in about four months. 

(L-R) McCamie and Alexandra DeArmon (Photo: Adam Fried)

The odds are against them. Only about 25 percent of hikers who attempt the entire trail in one journey actually make it. However, McCamie has run six marathons and has completed the JFK 50 Mile Run in Boonsboro twice. Later this year, after the hike, McCamie hopes to enroll in podiatry school. But until then, life can wait.

Source: Karen Gardner, Frederick News Post [4/15/12]

Editor's Note: PM News is proud to present excerpts from Meet the Masters.

Bret Ribotsky: What's your feeling about routine x-rays of patients with ingrown nails?

Dr. Howard Zlotoff

Howard Zlotoff: If insurance carriers see a pattern developing where you are taking x-rays on every patient who comes to you with an ingrown nail, you’re going to have problems because it’s really not justified. Now, there may be 20% or 30% of those individuals where an x-ray is reasonable to get to rule out a particular pathology, whether it’s an infection, or a subungual exostosis, or some other bony pathology that’s causing this problem. 

Dr. H. F. “Bunny” Brown, III

Meet the Masters is broadcast each Tuesday night at 9 PM (EST). This week's guest is APMA past president, Dr. H .F. "Bunny" Brown, III. You can register for future events by clicking here

Malpractice Insurer Increases Legal Coverage for Podiatrists

ACE USA, the U.S.-based retail operations of the ACE Group has announced that its ACE Medical Risk Division now offers increased reimbursement limits for legal expenses incurred due to an action by a federal or state agency arising from a podiatrist’s participation in the Medicare or Medicaid programs. This new Podiatrist Professional Liability Coverage Endorsement helps mitigate and manage rising legal expenses by raising the coverage limits from $30,000 to $50,000 per action, with an annual aggregate of $50,000. This product is underwritten by companies within the ACE Group, an A.M. Best “A+” rated carrier, and is offered to podiatrists exclusively by RPS Healthcare, National Program Administrator of the Podiatry PLUS program.

Source: Wall Street Journal [4/14/12]

Query: T Brace

Does anyone have any experience using the T Brace by Toad Corporation?  Is it effective for off-loading plantar ulcers, and is it Medicare reimbursable?

Brent Rubin, DPM, Bradenton, FL

RE: Onychomycosis in a Ten Year Old (Tip Sullivan, DPM)
From: Robert Kornfeld, DPM

Owing to the fact that onychomycosis in a ten year old is rare, I think it is best to look beyond the diagnosis for answers. In other words, a diagnosis was made and recommendations for treatment are being offered. However, it is essential to discover why this child is infected. A mechanistic/functional look at epigenetics will usually reveal why. Addressing the mechanisms will be the safest and only health-promoting way to resolve the infection.
 
Robert Kornfeld, DPM, Manhasset, NY, Holfoot153@aol.com

RE: Urgent Care Clinics
From: Elliot Udell, DPM

I spent this past week at a family vacation in Lancaster, PA. Three  of us needed to see a doctor for non-life-threatening emergencies. We were recommended not to go to the hospital or a private doctor, but to one of several facilities called "urgent care clinics." We were pleasantly surprised. These facilities were quite impressive. They are open until 9 at night and are staffed by internists. No appointments are necessary, and they take you right in.

One was located in Walmart and the other next to a CVS, making the filling of prescriptions very convenient. I hope this trend continues, because most primary care doctors will not take you in the day you get sick, and hospital ERs not only make you wait hours and hours to be seen, but most insurance companies will make you pay a massive co-payment for an ER visit. What is also nice is that the health records, including x-rays, were linked to the hospital, so that if there were any complications, the hospital ER would have our records. 
 
Elliot Udell, DPM, Hicksville, NY, Elliotu@aol.com

RE: EMR Survey (Brent Rubin, DPM)
From: Roger Friedman, DPM

I notice that there are many questions posted on PM News relating to EHRs and meaningful use. There is a wealth of information available online, but most of it is scattered among various sites, without a central repository of this information as it pertains to the practice of podiatry. Fortunately, PM News helps to fill that void; however, in this ever-changing world of EHR and MU, I feel a dynamic collection of links, along with DPMs' personal experiences would be quite useful.

To that end, I have started a blog and am requesting anyone who has useful information and links to help our colleagues navigate the EHR-MU process, please feel free to add this information here.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with nor do I promote any EHR program.

Roger Friedman, DPM, Elyria, OH, roger@rogerfriedman.com

RE: Nd-YAG Laser 90% Effective Eradicating Toenail Fungus: IL Podiatrist
From: Bret Ribotsky, DPM

How can anyone say, "90% effective in eradicating toenail fungus"? I'm sure that Dr. Gavin truthfully stated the facts to the reporter, who "twisted them" to make it a better story. Let's all together realize that lasers play a tremendous role in the MANAGEMENT of onychomycosis, but a cure - show me the data! I remain tremendously hopeful that one day we will determine what is the correct wavelength of energy to destroy each type of fungus, and thus a cure can be claimed.

Today, we don't cure diabetes, hypertension, and many other diseases - we manage them, and that's okay for now. Use the laser for the management, tell the patients the truth, and let's all track our outcomes. I would hate to see a flood of lawsuits over mis-expectations.

Bret Ribotsky, DPM, Boca Raton, FL, ribotsky@gmail.com

RE: Code for Adjusting a Brace (Alan Sater, DPM)
From: Ron Werter DPM
 
A while back, I was asked as a favor by a neighbor to speak to their house guest who was waiting for her fractured 5th metatarsal to heal. It seems that the guest had gone to a local podiatrist who was going to dispense a CAM walker. The patient/guest, who had no insurance for many years, had declined the CAM walker. Instead, the guest had gone on the Internet and bought one herself because it was cheaper. But she bought the wrong size. I advised her to go back to the local podiatrist and follow his advice and treatment, and have the podiatrist fit and dispense a CAM walker properly. She was a bit dubious about my advice, but she did ask me if I would buy the CAM walker that didn't fit her from her at the inflated Internet price!

Ron Werter, DPM, NY, NY, hawkeyedpm@aol.com

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE

Office space available Wednesdays & Fridays (possibly Saturdays) on 46th & Madison. 2 Exam Rooms + Reception Space. Share with General MDs, Chiropractor & PT's. Potential for cross referrals. Downtown space at Fulton & Nassau also available on Thursdays. Call Kathy @ 646-483-1337 for more details.

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. Also availability E 22nd between 2nd and 3rd and E 70th off 3rd. Turn-key operation - no investment needed 516 476-1815 PODO2345@AOL.COM

ASSOCIATE POSITION - MANHATTAN

Podiatrist needed for busy state-of-the-art offices in Manhattan. Offices are located near Penn and Grand Central Station. 10+ years experience only and an out-of-network doctor for most insurances.  Please forward your information and CV to: roni@myfcny.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - SENIOR CARE DIVISION - ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Village Podiatry Centers, LLC: Immediate openings for physicians who are interested in caring for the elderly in nursing homes throughout Georgia. Full time position. Excellent salary, benefits, and opportunity for growth. Must understand the coding/billing process and have excellent documentation skills. You don't have to be board certified in foot or ankle surgery for this position.
If interested, please contact Dr. Helfman at dhelfman@vpcenters.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - ATLANTA, GEORGIA AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES

Village Podiatry Centers, LLC: Immediate openings for board eligible or certified, 3-4 year trained surgical physicians. Equity based model, Excellent salary and benefits to start depending on qualifications. (Average physician salary is 2-3 times industry median salary).Full benefits included. Access to practice owned surgery centers, pathology lab, imaging center(s), and other in house ancillaries. Very selective process: must be flexible, well trained, and must participate in our "Physician Training Program." You live off income and retire off wealth! Serious inquiries only! E-mail: David N. Helfman, DPM, FACFAS at dhelfman@vpcenters.com

PHYSICIAN FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH DIVISION - ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Village Podiatry Centers, LLC: If you have experience in running clinical research trials and would like a full time position in managing and overseeing multiple clinical research trials for our growing group, please contact Dr. Helfman @ dhelfman@vpcenters.com. Excellent salary, benefits and equity opportunity for the right individual. 

ASSOCIATE POSITION - TENNESSEE/NORTH GEORGIA

Multi-physician, Multi-office practice looking for motivated new associate leading to partnership. We are a busy practice with state of the art technology: EHR, Digital X-ray, Diagnostic Ultrasound, PADnet, EPAT machine. Applicant should be PMS 36/Board Qualified/Certified. Applicant should be ethical, personable, hard working and interested in providing all aspects of podiatric care to our patients. Competitive Salary and benefits. All interested candidates please send a CV with two letters of reference tomybestnewjob@gmail.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION – VIRGINIA

Two office practice, hospital and surgery center privileges, trauma call, modern offices, EHR, digital x-rays. Excellent compensation package. Position may lead to partnership. Candidate needs to be experienced in foot and ankle reconstruction and trauma. Email letter of interest and CV to Dr. Joe Disabato at jdisabato@vfasa.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - MARYLAND

Looking for 3rd associate. Must be personable, well trained and highly motivated. Great locations in Southern Maryland, including an Ambulatory Surgical Center. We currently have EHR, digital radiography, dispensing center and PADNet. Looking for immediate hire! Please send CV to: myfeetfeet@aol.com

ASSOCIATE POSITIONS - MULTIPLE STATES

Podiatrist Needed in Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Oklahoma. Expanding multi-state medical practice seeking podiatrists to service long-term care community residing in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. We offer an established patient base, scheduling, equipment allowance and cover travel expenses. Provide generous compensation, bonus opportunities, disability, health insurance benefits, malpractice coverage and flexible scheduling. Looking for a Podiatrist with excellent skills, able to provide expert and compassionate care to patients. Email CV to: careers@aggeus.org or call 773-770-0140 x300/x305.www.aggeus.org

ASSOCIATE POSITION - KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

Kansas City may be the perfect move for you and your family. I am looking for an entrepreneurial minded associate who wants to grow and then own part of an already successful practice. If you are the right candidate for this associate position, you will enjoy a competitive compensation package and you will be working with a doctor who is as committed to your success as he is his own. Go to: www.YourFutureInPodiatry.com for full details.

PRACTICE FOR SALE - AUSTIN TEXAS

Great opportunity for new practitioner or an additional office. 18 year practice with large patient base. Current physician transitioning to part time then retiring to pursue another business opportunity. Start turn-key without need for a bank loan. Great area to live and work. Susieintx@aol.com (512) 565-6634

PRACTICE FOR SALE - SOUTH NEW JERSEY

Great practice for sale, lease it, work in practice, rent-free first year, associateship possible. Must have NJ licensure have own TIN participation for Horizon, Cigna, Aetna, etc. Retiring. Anyone is welcome to make offer or come up with other ideas. Contact footcare@comcast.net

ASSOCIATE POSITION - PART TIME - OCEAN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

Looking for PSR 24/36, board eligible preferred. Busy podiatric practice with up to date EMR & practice management program. Practice currently offers digital x-rays, ultrasounds, vascular studies and laser treatment. Good mix of general podiatry, wound care and surgery. Must be ethical, hardworking and committed to quality patient care. NJ license needed. Competitive salary and benefits. Send cover letter and resume to: AOKNDPM@gmail.com

PODIATRIC SPORTS MEDICINE FELLOWSHIP - ORANGE COUNTY CA

July 1, 2012 and ending July 31, 2013 (13 months). Responsibilities include assisting in all types of foot and ankle surgery, (approx. 500 cases), office and outside rotations including Sports Medicine Orthopedics Family Medicine, Biomechanics and Physical Therapy. Benefits include salary of $60,000/year, medical, dental, malpractice, and CME allowance. APPLICANTS MUST BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A CALIFORNIA LICENSE. Min. 24-month surgical residency training is a pre-requisite. Letter of interest, and CV to: Philip Radovic, DPM, Fellowship Director, 665 Camino de los Mares Suite 304, San Clemente, Ca. 92673. Ph: 949/493-8020 Fax: 949-488-0868. Email: Info@feetfixer.com.

PM News Classified Ads Reach over 13,500 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 13,500 DPM's. Write to bblock@podiatrym.com or call (718) 897-9700 for details. Weekly ad rates start as low as $115 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.

• To Post a message, send it to:    bblock@podiatrym.com
• Notes should be original and may not be submitted to other publications or listservs without our express written permission.
• Notes must be in the following form:
  RE: (Topic)
  From: (your name, DPM)
  Body of letter. Be concise. Limit to 250 words or less). Use Spellchecker
  Your name, DPM City/State
• Subscribers are reminded that they have an ethical obligation to disclose any potential conflicts of interest when commenting on any product, procedure, or service.