The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 13,500 Podiatrists Daily

April 25, 2012 #4,445 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD

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SC Podiatrist Honored by State Legislature

A reception held in honor of ACFAS President Michelle Butterworth, DPM, FACFAS at her home hospital in Kingstree, SC on April 20. The reception was attended by 200 civic and healthcare leaders in the region. SC State Senator J. Yancy McGill presented Dr. Butterworth with  a resolution from the South Carolina legislature recognizing her national leadership in foot and ankle surgery and on being the first South Carolinian to serve as ACFAS president in its 70 year history. 

SC State Senator J. Yancy McGill presented Dr. Michelle Butterworth with a resolution from the South Carolina legislature

Dr. Butterworth is in private practice at Pee Dee Foot Care, Kingstree, SC, with offices and surgical privileges in Kingstree, Lake City, and Manning, SC.

NYCPM Professor and Students Off to India to Set Up Diabetic Clinic

Dr. Anthony Iorio and a group of twelve students from the class of 2014 are going on a mission trip to India. The students are Pooya Lashkari, Mina Hanna, Kunal Amin, Aakruti Bhalja, Ana Pimentel Tejeda, Corey Bess, Mark Shearer, Gabriel Lopez-Ross, Emily Pepyne, Jalpen Patel, Prakash Panchani, and Anshini Dalal. The students, along with Dr. Iorio, will be going to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Kolkata, India. Their main goal is to help set up a diabetic limb salvage clinic.

Dr. Anthony Iorio

Dr. Iorio and the students will be traveling to India on April 24th and returning May 2nd. They will be working alongside doctors in India throughout surgical, clinical, and hospital rotations in the villages and communities that need the most help.

Source: Cailin Rubino, NYCPM Alumni Report  [Spring 2012]

Podiatrists in Demand in Australia

Australia's aging population has resulted in an increase in the demand for podiatry work and a significant industry shortage, the Queensland University of Technology has found. Podiatry Associate Professor Lloyd Reed said 40 per cent of people would have a foot problem in their lifetime.

Lloyd Reed

As it stands, there are fewer than 650 podiatrists practicing in Queensland, which is not nearly enough, Assistant Professor Reed said. "We definitely need more podiatrists than that, particularly in the area of diabetes," he said. "Diabetics foot complications are a big issue for the healthcare system and podiatrists can prevent those problems from occurring.

Source: Ava Benny-Morrison, The Queensland Times [4/23/12]

NJ Podiatrist Appointed to NJ State Board of Medical Examiners

NJ Governor Chris Christie recently appointed Steven Maffei, DPM, of Mercerville, NJ, as the podiatric representative to the NJ State Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. Maffei graduated from Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia, PA in 1984 and is a fellowship graduate of the Seton Hall University Doctoral Program in South Orange, NJ. 

Dr. Steven Maffei

In addition to his new position, Dr. Maffei also serves on the Antibiotic Review Committee of Robert Wood Johnson Hospital at Hamilton, NJ, as well as on the Pharmacy and Therapeutic Committee. He is also a Board of Trustee member of the Quakerbridge Professional Association Surgical Peer Review Committee for Robert Wood Johnson Hospital at Hamilton, NJ and served as President of the NJ Podiatric Medical Society in 2009.

CA Podiatrist Publishes Biomechanics Text

Thomas Sgarlato, DPM has published a new book titled A Podiatric Practioner's Biomechanic and Surgical Guide. This text contains a concise analysis of the structural movement of the body when walking and describes the muscle phasic activity of the lower extremities, including the foot, in a manner that invites the reader to understand the subject thoroughly. 

Dr. Thomas Sgarlato

There is significant analysis of the use of surgical implants for the great toe and lesser toes. The reader will find information regarding surgical correction of ankle rotation limitations. Dr. Sgarlato describes an improvement in hallux valgus correction and discusses advancements in correction of lesser MP joint dysplasias, in addition to many other important surgical procedures.

Medicare Hospital Trust Fund Insolvency Date Remains 2024

Medicare's hospital trust fund insolvency date remains 2024, according to Monday's annual report by the program's trustees, but only because of a 2% reduction in provider payments scheduled to start in January. The solvency date would have accelerated without the cut, the Social Security and Medicare trustees board reported, because of technical changes in their short-term cost assumptions. The Medicare provider cut is part of the deficit-reduction package to which Congress and President Obama agreed last summer.

The trust fund's expenditures have exceeded its income each year since 2008. Despite projections that over the next 10 years the fund's expenditures will grow by an annual average of 5.3% and its income by an average 6%, the fund is expected to have enough revenue by 2024 to pay only 87% of projected costs for that year.

Source: Rich Daly, Modern Healthcare [4/23/12]

Query: 9-Digit Zip Codes on All Medicare Claims

I hear that 9-digit zip codes are now required on all medical claims for Medicare beneficiaries - this is from my billing company and NGS Medicare. Is this a requirement for Medicare Advantage programs as well?

Russell Trahan, DPM, New York, NY

Response: This is only partially true. 9-digit zip codes are required for DMEPOS claims when the item is delivered to the patient. It is not required for DMEPOS devices dispensed in the office. For services provided in your office, hospital, skilled nursing facility, etc., the location's 9-digit zip is required, but not the patient's.

For services provided in the home, I would use the patient's 9-digit zip code. Many patients do not know what their 9-digit zip code is. Simply ask them to see an unopened utility bill (if you are doing a house call). This will have the 9-digit zip code on it. Alternatively, the post office site, usps.com, can give you this information.

Paul Kesselman, DPM, Woodside, NY

Editor's note: Dr. Kesselman will be lecturing at the Greenbrier Coding & Practice Management Workshop on August 20-22nd.

Codingline subscription information can be found here
APMA Members: Click here for your free Codingline Silver subscription

RE: The Passing of John Pagliano

Dr. John Pagliano was at the forefront of biomechanics and will be sorely missed by our profession. My heartfelt sympathy to his family.

Michael J. Schneider, DPM, Denver, CO

RE: Healthcare Alliance Fax (Richard A. Simmons, DPM)
From: Al Musella, DPM

I run a brain cancer foundation, and one of the programs we have is a drug discount card for people who have no (or bad) drug coverage.  There is absolutely no privacy issues - we do not even ask for the patients' names. They do not register at all and can share the card with friends. They can download the card -without registering- from my website.  They just show the card to the pharmacist - it works at most of the chain stores, and they get a discount which varies but can be very significant for the more expensive drugs. One of my members told me that a drug that cost $1,100 per month went down to $100 per month.  It can be used for any prescription items - even OTC products if you write a prescription for them.
 
That webpage has a directory of pharmacies that accept the card. There are 105 pharmacies within 5 miles of my house that accept it!
My organization gets a small donation every time the card is used. I also have plastic cards that can be handed out - if anyone wants some, email me your mailing address privately and I will send you some.
 
We also have a program to help pay for co-payments for some brain cancer treatments only. We give up to $5,000 per patient per year. Hopefully nobody here needs that, but I mention this because there are many charities out there that have similar programs for many of the expensive drugs. There are also a lot of coupons available that save significant amounts of money. To find a list of them, go to needymeds.org
 
Al Musella, DPM, Hewlett, NY, musella@aol.com

RE: Patient Appointment Reminder Service (Claudine DuPont, DPM)
From: Fay Mushlin
 
We have been using Medi-Call for several years. It has integrated perfectly with TrakNet, our current software system, and prior to that Advanced Data Systems. We were so pleased with the system that we wanted to use it when we went with our new EHR program.

Our practice has four doctors, and it was taking our support staff 3 hours a day to confirm the appointments. The Medi-Call system takes 5 minutes a day. TelTech Systems Inc. is the company where we purchased the system. TelTech had an excellent demo. The installation and training for our staff went very smoothly. A contact person at TelTech Systems, Inc. is Jody Sherman. Her contact information is: jsherman@TelTechsystems.com
 
Fay Mushlin, Practice Administrator, Newtown Square, PA, teegee46@gmail.com

RE: Sterilizing Bits Between Debridements (Jeff Kittay, DPM)
From: Ivar E. Roth DPM, MPH

If one uses a hygienic clean drill bit for each patient and a vacuum system for the drill, I think that nail debridement would become a safe activity for podiatrists. Am I wrong? I have developed a new nail debridement technique for fungus toenails that is quite effective, utilizing a drill and vacuum system. My hope is to make this new technique available to the profession in the near future. As far as whirlpools, as long as you clean them out with proper technique and cleaning agents, this should not be a problem. As podiatrists, we should be offering our patients the best available treatments, and part of that is filing nails and using whirlpools.
 
Ivar E. Roth DPM, MPH, Newport Beach, CA, ifabs@earthlink.net

RE: OH Podiatrist Discusses Celebrity's Neuroma
From: Nicholas Taweel, DPM, DPT

It is quite possible that Steven Tyler's second toe subluxation is indirectly due to a neuroma IF he had injection(s) in the second interspace. I have been referred multiple cases of spontaneous rapid subluxation proximate to an injection(s). It is commonly known that the steroid weakens collagen and can produce localized ligamentous laxity. 

The second MTPJ seems more susceptible, especially in individuals with first ray dysfunction (most likely due to increased mechanical stress when compared to the third or fourth). In fact, I've only seen this phenomenon with the second. I am collecting data of such cases for a paper. If Steven Tyler did not have injection(s), then I doubt the deformity has anything to do with said neuroma.

Nicholas Taweel, DPM, Philadelphia, PA, ntaweel@gmail.com

RE: Red Stripe Creepy Foot Doctor Ad
From: Brian Kiel, DPM

Before everyone gets crazy and insulted over this commercial, just take a deep breath and laugh. It is funny. Lighten up, life is too short.
 
Brian Kiel, DPM, Memphis, TN, Footdok4@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.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - SE FLORIDA

Growing practice in SE Florida (Palm Beach Co.) seeks personable, hard working 3-year trained Podiatric surgeon for associate position. Rearfoot/Ankle trauma & reconstruction experience preferable. Competitive salary and benefits. Reply to: sflfootandankle@yahoo.com 

ASSOCIATE POSITIONS - MULTIPLE STATES

Podiatrist Needed in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin,  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 - NEW YORK

Full-time position available immediately in Capital District multiple doctor practice. Good salary with percentage. All phases of podiatry. NYS license required. Email resume to Lchittenden68@gmail.com or call Lori at 518-577-6171

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 to his own. Go to:www.YourFutureInPodiatry.com for full details.

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 atdhelfman@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 - 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

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

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

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