The Voice of Podiatrists

August 28, 2006 #2,674 Editor-Barry Block, DPM, JD

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NYCPM Appoints Four New Faculty Members

The New York College of Podiatric Medicine has appointed Anthony Vincent D’Antoni, D.C., M.S.; David Gitlin, D.P.M.; Stephen Holt, M.D.; and Mark Allen Young, M.D., M.B.A., as members of the faculty.

Dr. Anthony Vincent D’Antoni was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, and will teach the Histology Laboratory and Research Methodology courses. He will also be developing a course in Evidence-Based Medicine. He is currently working toward both an M.P.H. degree and a Ph.D. in Health Sciences.

Dr. David Gitlin was appointed as an Instructor in NYCPM’s Surgery Department. He is a 2002 graduate of the College, and served his residencies at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital’s Foot and Ankle Institute and at Joint Township District Memorial Hospital’s Foot and Ankle Centers of Ohio, in St. Marys, OH, where he was Chief Surgical Resident from 2004-5. He then completed a Trauma and Limb Reconstruction Fellowship at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, in Brooklyn, NY.

Dr. Stephen Holt was appointed Adjunct Professor of Primary Podiatric Medicine in NYCPM’s Department of Primary Podiatric Medical Sciences. He has held professorial appointments at several leading medical schools in the U.S. and the U.K. He is a best-selling author in the areas of health, wellness and natural medicine, and the founder of four healthcare corporations: Natures Benefit, Inc.; Holt M.D. Consulting, Inc.; Natural Clinician L.L.C., and Wellness Publishing, Inc.

Dr. Mark Allen Young was appointed as an Adjunct Professor of Orthopedics in NYCPM’s Department of Orthopedics/Pediatrics. He is Chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Maryland Rehabilitation Center/Workforce and Technology Center of the State of Maryland Department of Education’s Division of Rehabilitation and Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Maryland. Dr. Young received his M.D. degree from Finch University of Health Sciences/ the Chicago Medical School and earned an M.B.A. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Business and Professional

Medicare to Delay Payments for Last Nine Days of Fiscal Year

Physicians, hospitals and other healthcare providers will not receive Medicare reimbursements from Sept. 22 through Sept. 30, the last nine days of the current fiscal year, to move some program expenditures into the next fiscal year, the AP/Washington Times reports.

The Medicare "holiday," which Congress ordered, will allow the federal government to move $5.2 billion in Medicare expenditures to the next fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1. Providers affected by the delayed Medicare reimbursements will receive payments in full after Oct. 1, but the federal government will not pay interest.

Source: American Health Line [8/25/06]

Overtime Pay For Employees

Physicians are used to working a lot of extra hours without automatic overtime pay. However, labor attorneys and consultants say some physicians forget that if their office staff is working those extra hours, too, many of them should be getting extra pay.

Regarding who gets paid, the quick answer for most small practices is: everybody but the doctors. Professionals, defined as someone who is in a job that requires a very specific course of study, are exempt from overtime. Anyone who is in a supervisory position can be exempt from overtime. Anybody making more than $100,000 a year isn't required to be paid overtime. But anybody making less than $23,000 a year (full-time) is. Experts say these rules apply to every employee, including the niece you might have hired for the summer.

Generally, any hours worked that exceed 40 hours per week require overtime pay, at 1½ times the employees' regular rate. In some states, the clock on overtime starts after eight hours in a day, no matter the hours worked per week. For the so-called nonexempt employees, lunch hours (or half-hours) don't count as part of the payday. So if they're eating lunch, they're not on the clock. But if they're eating lunch and working at the same time, they are.

Attorneys and consultants recommend physicians trying to figure out the nuances of overtime in their own offices check out the Dept. of Labor's Fair Pay website
(www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/whd/fairpay/main.htm), which has many resources on overtime law. And, of course, attorneys and consultants recommend physicians talk to a labor lawyer or expert to make sure they are 100% in compliance.

Source: Bob Cook, AM News [8/28/06]

Query: Wide Steel–Toed Shoes

Does anyone know of a source for custom-molded, steel-toed shoes for very wide feet?

Miki Hori, DPM, Harrisonburg, VA, mikihori@mindspring.com

Query: APMA Hispanic Campaign

With regards to the Hispanic diabetes campaign I am curious to know if the APMA has consulted with Hispanic podiatrist particularly those in urban settings dealing primarily with this population or if they just regurgitated facts via translation from the English campaign.
Respectfully

Luis Leal, DPM, Edgewater, NJ, drleal@optonline.net

Response: The APMA Public Education and Information Committee, which I chair has used the input from Hispanic podiatrists along with input from a PR company with a focus on the Hispanic community. Together we have come up with our campaign and our materials.

Joseph M. Caporusso, DPM, Chairman PE&I Committee, Trustee, APMA

Query: Abrasion Arthroplasty Ankle

I have scheduled a patient to have the following procedures, and I am unable to locate some of the procedure codes. How would the following be coded:

- diagnostic arthroscopy right ankle
- synovectomy right ankle
- chrondoplasty right ankle
- abrasion arthroplasty right ankle?

The diagnosis is synovitis, right ankle.

William Namen, II, DPM, Jacksonville, FL

Response: CPT 29898 - extensive debridement of the ankle - would be the best single code.

When you do a procedure, the diagnostic arthroscopy is always included. The synovectomy and chondroplasty would be part of the abrasion arthroplasty (extensive debridement).

Walter Pedowitz, MD, Linden, NJ

Codingline subscription information can be found at http://www.codingline.com/subscribe.htm

RE: Shoe for Cavus Foot Type (Noah Blumofe, DPM)
From: Robert S. Schwartz, C. Ped

Eneslow carries the following brands of good dress shoes for women with an anterior cavus foot type.
ARA, Langenfeld, Germany, www.ara-shoes.de;
Durea, Drunen, Netherlands, www.durea.nl;
Kumfs, Auckland, New Zealand, www.kumfs.com;
Thierry Rabotin, Parabiago (Milano) ITALY, www.thierryrabotin.com.

All of these vendors have sales reps in the USA and are in better-grade and pedorthic retailers.

Robert S. Schwartz, C. Ped., NY, NY, rss@eneslow.com

HOUSE CALL PRACTICE FOR SALE – SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

House Call practice for sale which includes approx. 400 patients and continued referrals. Perfect for solo practitioner. Extremely easy and profitable practice to run. Yearly gross of over $200K. Current DPM is retiring. Financials will also be provided. Please contact ccipinc@ccipinc.net

ASSOCIATE POSITION - NEW JERSEY

Seeking associate for practice in Ocean County area. Seeking a hardworking, ethical, energetic and well trained (PSR 24/36) individual. MUST be willing to do all aspects of podiatry! Competitive salary and benefits package. E-mail CV to NJFEET@aol.com

PRACTICE FOR SALE – SOUTH FLORIDA

Miami-Dade and SW Ft. Lauderdale, well established surgical practice for sale. This one has everything. Surgery, Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Trauma, ER, General Podiatry. Participates in all local and national managed care plans. $850,000 but will discount depending on amount up front. Mature, serious inquires with business experience preferred. Email response to podfootdocs@aol.com

ASSOCIATE WANTED – SOUTH FLORIDA

Miami-Dade and SW Ft. Lauderdale, well established surgical practice needs part-time podiatrists to assist in surgical cases and patient volume. Email response to podfootdocs@aol.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - NEW ENGLAND

Terrific Opportunity Now Available in growing New England practice. Well established and respected practice with new, large office space, latest technology, very helpful staff, loyal patients and solid referral base. Close proximity to hospitals with modern surgical suites. Opportunity for shared ownership. Prefer 24 month PSR with clinical practice experience or an experienced doctor looking to improve their situation. E-mail CV and particulars to NEAFC3@aol.com

HOUSE CALL PRACTICE OPPORTUNITY- CHICAGO / NORTHWEST INDIANA

Chicago-Home Physicians specializes in house calls to the elderly homebound. Full and part-time positions available in Chicago/Northwest IN. Competitive Compensation, including malpractice. Contact Scott Schneider. Phone-773-292-4800. Fax-773-486-3548. E-mail sschneider@homephysicians.com www.homephysicians.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION – TUCSON, AZ

Associate needed for practice in Tucson and Southern Arizona, seeking a hardworking, ethical, and well trained individual. MUST be willing to do all aspects of podiatric medicine and surgery, competitive salary is negotiable. E-mail CV to drd@premiersurgeons.com

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