The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 12,000 Podiatrists Daily

August 20, 2010 #3,936 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD

A service of Podiatry Management http://www.podiatrym.com
E-mail us by hitting the reply key.
COPYRIGHT 2010- No part of PM News can be reproduced without the
express written permission of Kane Communications, Inc.

Flip-Flops Increase the Risk of Skin Cancer of the Feet: FL Podiatrist

In Florida, Flip-flops are as hot as the weather. Dr. Andrew Levy sees a steady stream of patients hobbling in on their aching feet. “The feet don’t work as well as in traditional shoes or sneakers because the toes have to grip the flip-flops,” says Levy.

Dr. Andrew Levy

Additionally, Dr. Levy warns that the excessive use flip-flops carries more risks than just blisters and sore toes. “Patients come in with sunburn on the feet because they don’t realize that the skin on the feet is just as susceptible as skin on other parts of the body exposed to the sun,” says Levy. He reports an increase in skin cancer of the foot during the last few years.

Source: WPTV, [8/11/10]

OCPM Welcomes 1st Year Class at White Coat Ceremony

OCPM recently welcomed 126 students into its first-year class at the OCPM White Coat Ceremony. Led by OCPM Associate Professor and Chair of General Medicine, Dr. Edweana Robinson, the students took their first step into their professional journey of one day becoming a podiatrist. 

OCPM Students at Whitecoat Ceremony

The OCPM White Coat Ceremony signifies the transition from undergraduate and/or pre-professional life to the start of a professional life. The ceremony also is an introduction to professionalism and the development of a code of conduct which the students agree to adhere to, in which they will treat each other and patients in a professional manner. 

AAPPM Presents BC Egerter Award 2010

Les Appel, DPM received the prestigious American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management BC Egerter Award for 2010 during the Pittsburgh Boot Camp meeting August 14th. The Board of Trustees of the AAPPM presents this award to the individual who impacts the podiatric profession nationally in the field of practice management in a positive manner. Dr. Appel's work with Powersteps as founder and his support of the practice management curriculum at OCPM has and will continue to influence the future of podiatry. 

(L-R) Dr. Jeffrey Frederick presents BC Egerter Award to Dr. Les Appel.

Dr. Hal Ornstein, Chairman of the AAPPM commented that "Les continues to help doctors improve their patient outcomes by supporting podiatry on many levels." Dr.  Jeffrey Frederick, President of the AAPPM added that "Les, is in great company of previous giants in podiatry who have received this award, Dr. Barry Block and Dr. Brad Bakotic." The AAPPM BC Egerter award is only given to those deserving recognition in advancing practice management while improving the profession of podiatric medicine.

OH Podiatrist Named Assistant Medical Director Of Wound Clinic

Recently, Dr. Animesh Bhatia was named Fairfield Medical Center’s Assistant Medical Director of the Wound Clinic located in Lancaster. Dr. Bhatia now joins Dr. Andrew Murry as the new Assistant Medical Director. The clinic’s team of board-certified physicians and wound-certified nurses dedicate themselves to treating hard-to-heal wounds that may be a result of diabetes, poor circulation, trauma, surgery, or other conditions.

Dr. Animesh Bhatia

Dr. Bhatia has been in private practice for over ten years as the CEO of Columbus Podiatry and Surgery in Columbus, Ohio. He serves as a wound consultant for three other area hospitals and over 25 acute and long-term care facilities in the Central Ohio area. He is a Certified Wound Specialist, and a Fellow of both the American Professional Wound Care Association and the American Academy of Podiatric Practice Management.

Study Says Doc Ownership Affects Likelihood of Surgery

Patients treated by doctors who had ownership interests in a specialty hospital or ambulatory surgery center were more likely to receive arthroscopic knee surgery or carpal tunnel and rotator cuff surgical repair than patients treated by physicians who had no such interests, according to a new study in the Archives of Surgery based on an analysis of five years of claims data from a large private insurer in Idaho.

The report, written by Jean Mitchell of the Georgetown Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University in Washington, examined outpatient surgical data from ambulatory surgery centers, specialty hospitals, and community hospitals in Idaho for 2003 through 2007. The report concluded: "The increased utilization that characterizes physician self-referral arrangements will continue to lead to higher health insurance premiums, which in turn is likely to result in more uninsured and underinsured persons."

Source: Andis Robeznieks, Modern Physician [7/16/10]

Query: Swiss Compression Technique

A Chicago podiatrist is advertising bunion surgery on Friday and back to work on Monday using a procedure called the Swiss Compression Technique. I contacted the doctor but did not get a response. I have not been able to find a description of the procedure on-line. Does anybody have any information on this surgery?

John Swangim, DPM, LaPorte, IN

Query: Painful Venous Conformation (Robert Fridman, DPM)
From: Multiple Respondents

I have seen this in  both the foot/ankle and the hand/forearm. This is a venous malformation that can usually be excised. All branches must either be tied off and ligated with removal of the venous mass. I also suggest a venous mapping in addition to the MRI for further understanding and anatomical representation.

Fred DeLucia, DPM, Queens, NY, fred.delucia@gmail.com

I have never heard of the designation "conformation", but I am certain that any surgical intervention will be a compounded nightmare for patient and physician. This lesion requires an embolization procedure, performed by interventional radiologists and/or vascular surgeons. Several hospitals in Dr. Fridman's area are experienced in handling these lesions.

Bryan C. Markinson, DPM, NY, NY, Bryan.Markinson@mountsinai.org

I had a similar patient with the same presentation in the plantar aspect of the foot which was painful. After some research, I referred her to a interventional radiologist with some experience with vascular malformations. Apparently, they can be embolized. You might want to check with your local hospital or a teaching institution.

Bill Trabulsi, DPM, Tampa FL, trab3@msn.com  

RE: PECOS and Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Paul Kesselman, DPM

CMS has announced that in order for healthcare professionals to be eligible to receive stimulus payments under the EHR incentive program, they must be enrolled in PECOS. This annoucement should come as no surprise. CMS, in its continued attempt to reduce fraud and abuse, has made it perfectly clear that PECOS enrollment will be mandatory to receive any Medicare funding. With the January 2011 deadline for PECOS enrollment looming for services requiring an ordering/referring/prescribing physician, it is absolutely mandatory to check your Medicare enrollment status. Take whatever steps are required to enroll in the PECOS database by the upcoming deadline.

With respect to EHR, a list of mandatory examination measures which physicians may choose to perform was announced. On the list was a diabetic foot examination. The exact details of that examination have just been released and are similar to those found in PQRI measures 126, 127, and 163. In addition, there are minimum thresholds of those measures required to be reported. More information on these measures will be forthcoming.

Earlier this month, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) announced it would develop tools to promote meaningful EHR use and incorporate them into its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, which its 24-member boards use to push physicians toward lifelong learning and self-assessment. It is likely that the specialty podiatric boards will soon follow suit.

Paul Kesselman, DPM, Woodside, NY, pkesselman@pol.net

RE: Beech Street (Ronald Werter, DPM)
David Helfman, DPM

It is obvious that insurance companies will do anything possible to cut costs, and one of their main strategies is to access “rental networks” such as Multiplan, Beech Street, PHCS, etc. Insurance companies will utilize these networks to offer insurance in new markets, or the larger payors like United Healthcare will utilize their lower fee schedule to pay providers less when they are out-of-network with United Healthcare. What you need to do is have these networks carve out the larger payors in your contracts, which can be done. For example, let’s say you are contracted with Beech Street but not with United or Cigna. You need to carve this out of your agreement with Beech Street, if you want to stay out-of-network with United and or Cigna.

Sometimes, you will get lucky and they will take United and/or Cigna off the contract. Other times, they will not do this. It all depends on your ability to negotiate and on your relationships with the payors in your areas. What this does for payors like Cigna or United is allow them to pay you at a much lower rate if  United or Cigna members visit your office by defaulting to the Beech Street fee schedule. This tactic has baffled me. I have discussed this with our insurance commissioner who wasn’t even aware of this tactic. You might want to contact your local insurance commissioner’s office and get their opinion.

David N. Helfman, DPM, Atlanta, GA, dhelfman@vpcenters.com

RE: Two of Atlanta’s Largest Surgical Practices Consolidate
From: Mitchell Hilsen, DPM

I have been on both sides of small vs. large group practices. I am currently a partner at Village Podiatry Centers and have seen that, with an ethical honest group of doctors, this is a great way for any doctor to practice. The group practice allows doctors to not have to worry about daily practice, insurance companies, human resources, compliance issues. With a large group, there is always coverage for doctors and staff for vacations and sickness. There is a support system to take worry away from doctors to allow them to treat patients with only the highest quality. There is an environment and atmosphere unlike any other practice I have been in or observed. It allows a doctor to be a doctor.

Large practices in some places and specialties can be about huge volume and poor patient quality, but in a model like Village Podiatry, this is definitely not how we practice. Each physician is responsible for their own patients and are in their own offices as if they were operating a solo office. The difference is the support of a large company behind them, ensuring that they are benefiting from their hard work and efforts. Village Podiatry provides a well-oiled machine for proper and accurate billing, excellent collections, compliancy for possible audits, accessibility to ancillaries (MRI, pathology, surgery centers), and a high level management team to guide our company.

Mitchell Hilsen, DPM, Partner, Village Podiatry Centers, MHilsen@villagepodiatrycenters.com

MANHATTAN - FULL-TIME POSITION

Available for a Board certified/qualified podiatrist (PSR-24, PM&S-36 ). Located in Downtown Manhattan in a multi-specialty  Orthopaedic office. We have a high-volume practice that treats routine care, trauma, sports-related injuries, hospital consults, and ER Consults. Contact fscudese@seaportortho.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - SW FLORIDA

Golf, Boating and Beaches - Great opportunity to join a well established Podiatry Practice. Excellent mix office/surgery, motivated experienced staff. Seeking full time Associate PSR 12-36. Excellent salary & benefits, early buy-in for the right hard-working, personable candidate. Email resume to capecoralpodiatry@live.com or fax to 239-573-9201

ASSOCIATE POSITION - FREDERICK, MARYLAND

Fredericks premier group practice is located only 45 minutes from both DC and Baltimore. Immediate opening for a minimum PSR 36 Podiatrist for full time position. We have it all: EMR, digital x-ray, ultrasound, ASC, etc. Excellent salary with bonus structure and benefits. Please email resume to docsbnb@aol.com

PODIATRY POSITION AVAILABLE – WISCONSIN

Affinity Medical Group, an integrated health care organization in East Central Wisconsin, is seeking a BC/BE Podiatrist for our Appleton location. This is a General Podiatric practice opportunity including routine care, sports medicine, and surgery. The Appleton area offers a unique quality of life, combining a family centered, university community with all season recreation, a nationally acclaimed educational system, and a diverse and growing economy and population. For information, contact or send your CV, to: Sara Roth, Affinity Medical Group, Physician Recruitment, Phone: 800-722-9989; Fax: 920-727-4350; E-mail: sroth@affinityhealth.org Visit our website at: www.affinityhealth.org EOE.

IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE- ASSOCIATE POSITION -CT (FAIRFIELD AND NORTH HAVEN)

Great opportunity. Join one of the largest podiatric groups in Connecticut. Well-established and progressive offices. Electronic medical records, digital x-ray, diagnostic ultrasound, Padnet vascular studies, nerve conduction studies, pinpoint and CO2 lasers, electrical stimulation and ultrasound therapies. Seeking a well-trained, personable, and highly motivated individual. Please send resume and current photo to dr.kassaris@yahoo.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - MANHATTAN

Associate needed in Upper West Side area one day a week for house calls. Earn reasonable income with virtually no overhead. Immediate employment available. Call me ASAP 201-491-2173 or email myfootdoctor2@aol.com

FULL-TIME ASSOCIATE NEEDED FREDERICK/HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND

Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Institute, LLC needs full-time DPM at least PMS 36 to join premier group in Frederick/Hagerstown, MD. ASC, EMR, DR-digital radiography and ultrasound, Vascular/nerve testing, DME, retail store, strong hospital affiliations, salary, bonus and benefits. Respond to drmichaels@rfainstitute.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION – NEW YORK

Busy, well-established for 35 years, multi-site practice in upstate New York looking for licensed podiatrist who is ready for a thriving practice. Must be highly motivated, personable and great with patients. Competitive salary and benefit package. Send CV or letter of interest to associateinfoot@yahoo.com 

ASSOCIATE POSITION – LONG ISLAND, NY

• 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.