The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 9,500 Podiatrists Daily

June 04, 2007 #2,952 Editor-Barry Block, DPM, JD

A service of Podiatry Management http://www.podiatrym.com
E-mail us by hitting the reply key.
COPYRIGHT 2007- No part of PM News can be reproduced without the
express written permission of Kane Communications, Inc.

Midwestern Opens State-of-The-Art Medical Clinic

It is just what the doctor ordered - everything to make a patient feel better, from bright spacious waiting areas and cheery décor, to state-of-the art equipment and top notch medical care. Midwestern University officially opened their new medical clinic last Monday morning.

Midwestern's New State-of-The-Art Medical Clinic

“We are open for patients and accepting new patients at all practices,” Clinic Manager Marci Williams said. “We are fully handicap accessible and have both elevators and stairways.” The four specialty areas of the clinic include: family medicine, osteopathic manipulative medicine, optometry and optical.

The Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Clinic headed up by podiatrist Gary N. Friedlander is located on the second floor. Podiatric medicine provides foot, ankle and leg care for patients of all ages. Physicians treat complications from diabetes, skin and nail disorders, gait abnormalities, sports medicine and more. “It should be open the beginning to mid June,” Williams said. “It has a ‘gait analysis area' used to measure a person's ‘walk' to diagnose problems.”

Source: Elizabeth Jackman, Glendale Star (AZ) [6/1/07]

OH Podiatrist Pushes For Casino, Hotel, and NASCAR Track

Dr. Brad Pressman and Rick Lertzman, the two men who want to create a casino-based destination site in Ohio and who last week said Clinton County is a top contender, are not new to the effort. Pressman said, "The truth of the matter is Ohio is the only state in the entire Great Lakes region that currently doesn't have some type of casino-style gambling. Friends for 40 years, both men are from northeast Ohio. Pressman is a retired podiatrist, no longer able to practice after developing a visual problem.

Dr. Brad Pressman

Their vision is not of a casino only, but a destination site including hotels and restaurants. Pressman's personal dream is a NASCAR track. One thing they say they want to make sure of is that some of the money the casino generates gets returned to local communities where people who participate in casinos will benefit. "Unlike other plans before, which earmarked money for specific purposes, we would let each county government decide how the money should be spent," said Pressman.

They said they don't believe in having a neon, glitzy building to house the casino operations. "We believe in using Midwestern sensibilities," said Pressman. "I just think Ohioans at this point would prefer a brand new resort destination, entertainment facility - one that is competitive with Argosy, a full-size casino," said Pressman.

Source: Gary Huffenberger, Wilmington News Journal [6/1/07]

WA Revokes Podiatrist’s License For Substandard Care

The Podiatric Medical Board of Washington State has revoked the license of podiatrist Charles P. Darcy of Walla Walla (PO0183). Darcy provided care that was below the standard. He was fined $5,000 and cannot reapply for ten years.

In February 2000, the Podiatry Board suspended Darcy for unprofessional conduct. The suspension was based upon prescribing high doses of narcotic medications to patients he had diagnosed with minor foot ailments, failing to maintain adequate treatment records, patient history, and reason for prescribing high levels of narcotics. The suspension was also based on failure to evaluate and monitor patient's use of narcotics and possible addiction. His license suspension was set for two years, but was to be stayed subject to successful compliance with certain conditions. He was also fined $4,000.

Source: Washington State Department of Health [5/31/07]

Query: Podiatric-Specific Billing Software

Does anyone have recommendations for podiatric-specific billing software?

Diane Phalen, DPM, San Marcos, TX

RE: No Evidence of Flip-Flop Danger (Joel Lang, DPM)
From: Jon Purdy, DPM

Not wearing flip-flops as regular footgear is sound public advice. It is similar to not putting a Q-tip in your ear. Of course you can put a Q-tip in your ear if you do it correctly, but it also poses problems and therefore is best to warn the public not to do.

Dr. Lang challenges the lack of evidence showing that flip-flops are dangerous. He further chastises podiatrists for speaking based on anecdotal evidence and teaching what we “think” and not on what we “know.” What is amusing is that he uses his own practice and anecdotal evidence to counter the point. With the lack of supporting studies, what else do we have to go on but what we “think” based on our education and experience?

In a world with normal anatomy and body mass, flip-flops and the like may be just fine daily footwear if that is what one has worn all their lives. Since that is not the case, I would like answers to these questions: With an American populous that is 62% overweight, and 34% obese, am I to believe these patients can strengthen muscles / tendons to compensate for that? What about the pathologic flatfoot with TPD due to OVERUSE? Are we helping them by having them use that tendon more? What about the Achilles tendon pathologies seen from shoe wear induced equinus?

People are going to wear what they want and eat what they want no matter how much we preach. When one takes into consideration issues of tripping, contusion, sun exposure, puncture possibilities, insect bites, as well as pathology, I would have to say that advice to not wear flip flops should go unchallenged.

Jon Purdy, DPM, New Iberia, LA, podiatrist@mindspring.com

• 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.