The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 13,500 Podiatrists Daily

June 05, 2012 #4,480 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD

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There's a Time and Place for Everything: VA Podiatrist

"There are so many things that can be involved in pain in the feet," said Dr. Limor Glazer, a podiatrist with the Mechanicsville office of Foot & Ankle Specialists of Virginia. Along with the foot's bones, there are tendons, muscles and nerves, and all are a potential source of pain, Glazer said. 

"I don't like to tell women 'don't wear fashionable shoes, don't wear flip-flops, don't wear flats,'" said Glazer, who prefers the comfort of 3-inch heeled Dansko sandals with a platform wedge heel at work. "There is a time and place for everything." In a heel, anything more than 3 inches has a potential for problems, she said.

Source: Tammie Smith, Richmond Times-Dispatch [6/3/12]

Barefoot Runners Need to Start Slowly: WI Podiatrist

Podiatrist Dr. April Borchardt with Prevea Health says she was initially against barefoot running. However, after looking into it and trying it out, she says her mind was changed... slightly. "The key is that it's not for everybody and that's what I found out," said Borchardt. Borchardt says a major benefit of barefoot running is that it strengthens small foot muscles that are unused because of the traditional types of shoes. 

Dr. April Borchardt

But to do it safely, she says you have to have the right foot type. Often, she says, many patients of hers try running barefoot too much and too quickly, leading to problems. "A lot of that comes down to not conditioning properly. So, they decide to go for their full two mile run the first time in a Vibram FiveFinger, which is not going to work. It's really, you start out with 5 minutes, and gradually increase your time slowly."

Source: Bill Miston, Fox News [6/2/12]

NYSPMA Elects New Officers and Trustees

The New York State Podiatric Medical Association has elected the following officers and trustees at its 116th Annual House of Delegates in Cooperstown. 

(L-R) Drs. Robert Russo, Vito Rizzo, Gary Stones, Joseph Sciandra, Executive Director Leonard Thaler, and Dr. William Spielfogel

President - Gary Stones, DPM 
President-Elect - Robert Russo, DPM 
Vice President - Joseph Sciandra, DPM
Treasurer - William Spielfogel, DPM

Trustees: 3 year terms: Paul Sheremeta, DPM and Patricia Nicholas, DPM, 1 year term: Jeffery Falcone, DPM

South Bay Surgery Clinics Overbilled, Insurance Giant Claims

Dr. Thomas Elardo is a successful podiatrist -- one of Silicon Valley's best and busiest -- but he knows how hard it is these days to make good money in medicine. So he knew "something wasn't right" when another doctor one night at a restaurant showed him a $980,000 "bonus check" and invited him to become part of a surgery center. 

Dr. Thomas Elardo

Aetna Insurance reached the same conclusion: In a $20 million lawsuit, it claims the Santa Clara County company behind that check is making millions of dollars and enriching doctors by sidestepping state laws meant to protect patients and control costs. The suit says Saratoga-based Bay Area Surgical Management has recruited dozens of local doctors to invest in its outpatient facilities and then to refer patients to those facilities, which charge exorbitant prices for medical procedures. The management firm denies the allegations.

Source: Lisa M. Krieger and Beth Mole, San Jose Mercury [6/3/12]

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

Bret Ribotsky: Does using electonic medical records reduce the risk of a malpractice suit?

Dr. Ross Taubman

Ross Taubman: PICA currently is focusing on risk management on this particular issue. There are a couple of business studies that Harvard recently published which show that those who use electronic medical records gets sued less often than people who do not use them (with a caveat that you are basically using the electronic medical record in the appropriate way to document). 

Dr. Kathleen Satterfield

Meet the Masters is broadcast each Tuesday night at 9 PM (EST). This week's guest is ACFAOM President Dr. Kathleen Satterfield. You can register for future events by clicking here

RE: Allscripts My Way (Chuck Ross, DPM)
From: John Parmelee, DPM

I have been using All Scripts My Way since September 2011. I got it at a good price through Costco of all places. My system is supported by eTransmedia. The program is good and we have finally got things smoothed out but it took 7-8 months of getting the kinks worked out.  During this time, I limited the number of patients I was seeing so my staff did not jump ship. We are electronically billing most insurance companies, using their eRx program which is good, using the scheduling program, and I fax my chart notes through ActiveFax which is a great Internet program and has eliminated our need for a paper fax. 

We have a scanner that is easy to use and gets intake forms, lab reports, outside doctor notes into My Way. Training and support are key so you want to make sure the reseller is solid on these. We had a hard training process because there was no training manual, and we had to frantically scribble notes while we were trained via go-to-meeting on the Internet. Afterwards, I spent a lot of time retyping and editing my scribble to come up with a manual for our office that we can refer to. Allscripts has a nice help menu, but it would have been a lot better if we had a step-by-step training manual that we could follow as we were being trained. I can give you all of my notes, about 44 pages, if you decide to go with Allscripts. 

Also you have to spend about 100+ hours customizing the program for your office because my program was generic for all medical specialties and not podiatry-specific. I use Dragon Medical 11 to dictate into the HPI, PE, and plan and use the mouse to click in the other parts of the chart note. Our office is going for meaningful use money July-Sept. I will never go through this EMR process again, and hope All Scripts is still standing for the next 10+ years. 

John Parmelee, DPM, Seattle, WA, parm15@msn.com

RE: Ovation Medical (Art Hatfield, DPM)
From: Jack Ressler, DPM

Several months ago, I received a call from Ovation medical offering  a free pneumatic boot. I agreed and received it about a week later. Although I have never used it, it looked to be of high quality compared to other similar products I have used in the past. I did receive an invoice but with a zero balance. Just last week, I received another call from Phillip Michel, my rep from Ovation. They were having a special on post-op shoes. I did not need any, but I inquired about some off-loading wedge shoes. He said he would research them and get back to me. I got an email from him that same day telling me they don't carry that product. Included in the email were links to other companies selling the product I needed. You don't see that type of service often. I receive calls from Ovation from time to time, but I must say they have been a very reputable company to our practice.

Jack Ressler, DPM, Delray Beach, FL, redwingcrzy@aol.com

RE: Exparel (Allen Jacobs, DPM)
From: Keith Gurnick, DPM

Exparel is very, very expensive (about $150 -$250 for a vial of 20 ccs.) and will not be introduced in small vials at this time. It is only usable on one patient and then must be discarded. 

The bunion study done (supported by the manufacturer) does not show it provides analgesia for 72 hours, but rather "up to" 72 hours in some of the patients in a relatively small sample. The one study I received from their drug rep last year, along with the cost of the medication (no reimbursable code), does not substantiate use. New and improved, maybe, but way too expensive. And they would not even sample the medication for me to try on a few patients when I requested it.

Keith Gurnick, DPM, Los Angeles, CA, keithgrnk@aol.com

RE: Tablet PC Recommendations (Lori Weisenfeld, DPM)
From: Martin E. Wendelken, DPM

I have extensive experience using tablet PCs for EMRs and  digital planimetry for quite some time now and found that the ASUS EEE slate is excellent. It has all the features you need including a blue tooth  keyboard, power adaptor, and stylus. You can use the stylus or your finger on the crystal clear screen. It has a 12” screen, 4 gig RAM, and a solid state hard drive 64 GB powered by an I5 Intel processor. 

Samsung also makes a similar device with a larger 128 GB solid state drive. It should be noted that there are going to be many new tablet PCs coming later this year running Windows 8, designed to directly compete with the iPad. They will have the same “instant on” no boot up features, dual cameras, along with powerful high resolution retina displays that are expected to exceed that of the ipad.

Martin E. Wendelken, DPM, Bronx, NY,  drmew@optonline.net

RE: Unethical Behavior By Foot Solutions (Peter M Mason, DPM)
From: Lauretta M. Fernandez, LPed

I am the owner of the Foot Solutions store to which Dr. Mason referred. We have always valued our relationships with the medical community and medical practitioners. We see ourselves as allied professionals within those communities, working towards the same goals – providing the best solutions for your patients.

Foot Solutions has been a respected member of the community for almost ten years, assisting tens of thousands of Bay area residents. We have great respect for the medical community and have a long track record of working harmoniously and successfully with not only podiatrists but also orthopedists, physical therapists, and general practitioners.

As it relates to this incident, we believe that there is a misunderstanding, and welcome the opportunity to clear up any issues. With that in mind, I had a chance to speak with Dr. Mason on May 28 and had a cordial and professional discussion about his concerns. I hope we cleared up any misunderstandings. We again offered our help and support to Dr. Mason and his patients and hope to be of assistance to them in the future.

Lauretta M. Fernandez, LPed, Owner, Foot Solutions, Largo, FL, largo@footsolutions.com

RE: Success Tips From the Masters (Allen Jacobs, DPM)
From: John Fusco, DPM

Perhaps, as we realize the enormity of our profession's potential involvement in the many subdisciplines of both podiatric medicine and podiatric surgery, we need to to evolve a post-graduate/academic infrastructure similar to dentistry or allopathy/osteopathy, i.e.  first, a professional degree (DPM), followed by either a residency in podiatric medicine or a residency in podiatric surgery. This would more efficiently utilize professional resources: If patients need care with (what is surely a multitude of) problems that are mainly, for want of a better term, 'non-surgical', then they should see a podiatric medical specialist. Likewise, patients who need surgical evaluation should see a podiatric surgeon. Just like in allopathic/psteopathic medicine or in dentistry, a patient sees an internist or sees a surgeon. He/she sees a general dentist or an oral surgeon. 

The length/extent of post-graduate training in each branch (Pod. Med. vs. Pod. Surg.) should be defined, independently of the other branch, to reflect the realities of real-life practice; possibly, one branch may require more elaborate training or even subspecialty fellowships (e.g. surgical: external-fixation, traumatology, skin & soft-tissue, etc.; and, e.g. medical: dermatology, vascular, diabetology, neurology, etc.)

In any event, most podiatric practices should not be all-encompassing. As the study of human medicine continues to grow at such a fast pace, each of us trying to do everything (not to mention understand everything) herself/himself is not in the best interest of the patient. 

John Fusco, DPM, Bellefonte PA, JOHNFUSCODPM@aol.com

MI Podiatrist Loses on Cell Phones, But Wins on Conflicts 
From: Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM

An interesting article, but Dr. Kahn did not go far enough. If an elected official has a conflict of interest, or a potential for a conflict of interest, not only is it prohibited for him/her to vote, it is also prohibited for him/her to participate in the discussion. There is probably something to this effect in state law.

Robert Scott Steinberg, DPM, Schaumburg, IL, doc@footsportsdoc.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. 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

PRACTICE FOR SALE - BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

Established 40+ year old well-rounded practice of both surgical and non-surgical care with special emphasis on sports medicine. Medicare and BS/private insurance base, no Medical assistance. Needs to transition to a confident well trained individual. Purchase can include building. Contact:podiatrypracticesale@gmail.com

PRACTICE FOR SALE — BROOKLYN, NY

This practice has been in the same location for 31 years, seeing 80-100 pts/week, working 4.5 days/week. Grossing $350K and netting close to 70%. All surgery referred out. Low rent, option to buy the building in future. Asking $225K, doctor willing to finance. Call 800-983-4194, or email: contactus@podiatrypracticeconsultants.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - VIRGINIA

Immediate opportunity just became available in Boston for FT or PT surgical or non-surgical podiatrist(s). Established rapid growth cash Laser Clinic. No insurance hassles Profit sharing. Reasonable hours. No hospital call. Contact chrismichaud@yahoo.com for more information.

ASSOCIATE POSITION – PHOENIX, WEST VALLEY SUBURBS

A well-established, solo-physician practice seeking a Full Time Associate Podiatrist. Applicant should be well trained physician with sound surgical skills and applicant must have completed a 24-36 month residency, & be board eligible/certified. Practice offers a state of the art practice setting, with a good general mix of all aspects of podiatric medicine and surgery. Competitive salary and benefits. Partnership opportunities available. Fax resume: 623-935-5783 or email to AzPodiatrist@gmail.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - NYC

Full and part-time opportunity available in 40 year old practice in downtown Brooklyn. State-of-the-art office with EMR and digital x-rays. Must be experienced, highly motivated with good clinical skills. Competitive salary. Possible buy-in opportunity available. please email resume to dpm10019@yahoo.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 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.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN

Immediate opening for a full time/part-time PSR 24/36 podiatrist in a 30 year old, well established practice with an excellent reputation and referral base. State-of-the-art office with EMR, digital x-ray, diagnostic ultrasound and beautiful office. Generous base salary, malpractice insurance, health insurance, benefits and bonus structure. A well rounded and energetic podiatric surgeon needed for this group of 4 board certified podiatric physicians and surgeons. Please send CV tomichiganfootandankle@gmail.com

ASSOCIATE - MANHATTAN

Part-time associate position making home visits in Manhattan. Please fax resume and references to 718-987-6648.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - NEW JERSEY

Immediate opening for a full-time podiatrist in a rapidly expanding multi-office practice in central New Jersey. Well established referral base with full admitting hospital privileges. Availability to become part owner of a multi-room, multi-specialty ASC. Excellent opportunity for the right doctor with potential to achieve $200K in the first year. Wonderful working conditions. Applicant must have at least PSR-24 surgical training. Valid NJ license and Medicare number is required. Applicant should also be familiar and competent in biomechanics, trauma, ESWT, PRP, wound care, and ultrasound diagnostics. Participating insurance #'s a plus. Please fax resume to: (609) 259-6637.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - ILLINOIS

Full and Part-time opportunity to provide conservative, ethical podiatric care to residents in long-term care throughout Illinois . Full time position includes health, disability, 401, auto/travel expenses. Ideal Full-time candidate would be willing to travel 2-3 days per month, or be located in central or downstate IL. We have a 30 year history of providing exceptional care and service, with appropriate reimbursement. Please email queries or resumes to: gh@podiatryplus.net

ASSOCIATE POSITIONS – NEW YORK CITY

Looking for someone with some working experience in a podiatric office. Two sessions (1/2 day) a week for July and August for Upper West Side of Manhattan. References a must. One 8 AM to 12, one 12 to 5 PM. Reply to fabienne.rottenberg@gmail.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION AVAILABLE - NORTH CAROLINA

New associate position available that may lead to partnership. We are a very busy practice providing care in both office and hospital settings. We are fully integrated in a large tertiary teaching hospital. We are located in the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina. Research opportunities are available. Applicant should be ethical, personable, hard working, and committed to quality in patient care. We are offering a competitive salary with bonus opportunities and a wide range of benefits. All interested candidates should send a CV to MFAS828@aol.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS

Podiatry practice in Worcester Massachusetts is looking for an associate podiatrist. Busy 2-person practice. High surgical numbers. No nursing homes. Call to hear free recorded message for more information. Call 641.715.3800 Access Code 32299 and message 4 to learn about the practice. Visit our website www.centralmasspodiatry.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - BEAUTIFUL LONG ISLAND

Business-oriented, mature Board eligible/certified podiatrist who is not just looking for a job, but a secure future. Buy-out of practice will be available. Practice does in excess of $500K. 2 hospitals available. No nursing homes, no Medicaid. Competitive package. Please fax CV to 631-581-0857

ASSOCIATE POSITION - YORK, PA

Three-office practice with hospital, surgical center & nursing home privileges. EMR since 2000. Digital x-ray, ultrasound, progressive practice. Competitive salary and benefits offered. Practice offers good mix of surgery, wound care, and general podiatry. Open to associate with potential future buy-in. Please forward your information and CV to footdocpa@aol.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - FLORIDA

Looking to hire an associate who is caring, friendly, and holds a patient in the highest regard. I am a single practitioner with a large podiatry practice in Tampa, FL. Will provide an outstanding salary with additional incentives, excellent healthcare benefits, retirement and cell phone. Please email resume to:Heliodiety@aol.com or fax to 813-854-6105.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - NEW YORK

WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER. Join a modern, well-established 42-year-old podiatric medical/surgical practice within a multi-specialty office. Located just 20 minutes from NYC. Must be responsible, compassionate, driven, and self-starter. Enjoy cross-referrals from other specialists and support of medical assistants, office managers, and medical billers with over 50 years combined experience. Utilize modern technology: state-of-the-art diagnostic ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, ESWT (machine is owned by practice), physical therapy, x-ray, circulation testing, NCV, and in-office operatory suite. Very strong and effective advertising/marketing program. No nursing homes, No HMOs, No Medicaid, No Medicare. Must be licensed for podiatry in New York. Send cover letter/CV to: linchpindpm@yahoo.com

ASSOCIATE POSITIONS – MARYLAND

Are you motivated, personable and enjoy working with the elderly? We are offering part-time positions in Maryland. Our group, Podiatry Management Services, provides care in Nursing Homes, Assisted Living, Senior Homes, Adult Daycare and other similar facilities. Please e-mail your CV to: drhprosen@verizon.net or fax to 410-486-2049 or call Dr. Herbert Rosen at 410-580-0255.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - CENTRAL FLORIDA

Busy, two office group practice seeking a full-time, self motivated and hard working podiatry associate. Good mixture of general podiatry and surgery. Applicant should be PMS 36/Board Qualified/Certified. Competitive salary and benefits are offered. Please email CV to: toesrus7@yahoo.comorg

LOCUM TENENS - TEXAS STATEWIDE

It is that time of year, and you want to go on vacation, but can't or won't leave your practice, I can help. Please contact me at: netexasl@gmail.com I will forward a CV.

GREAT OFFICE STAFF FOR HIRE - SOUTH JERSEY

Very experienced office staff needs jobs. Office is closing and they are experienced people to hire in South Jersey. E-mail for CV and or what you are looking for They know podiatry and are both certified podiatric medical assistants. They do billing, scheduling, chairside, and much more Footcare@comcast.net

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

Retiring from practice. Equipment For sale. Mini x-ray. One year old Ultrasound with MS arterial/venous X-ray plates. Great condition Ritter chairs. Drills, surgical tools. So much. Just ask, I probably have it: Footcare@comcast.net

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: EPAT

(Extracorporeal Pulse Activation Treatment) for sale. D-Actor 200. This machine is still new. Purchased in late 2011.( new machines>30K). It is the conservative alternative to surgery. Treats Plantar Fasciitis, Heel spurs, Achilles Tendonitis, Joint pain. Great Buy. $19,995 or best offer. Please call 713-541-3199 for more information. or email contactus@houstonfootankle.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.

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