The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 11,000 Podiatrists Daily

October 08, 2009 #3,669 Publisher-Barry Block, DPM, JD

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We just posted an article titled: A Step-Wise Approach to Orthosis Decision-Making by Cherri S. Choate, DPM.

Dr. Cherri S. Choate

You can read this informative and useful article at: http://www.podiatrym.com/pmarticle.cfm?id=128

CT Podiatrist Uses Radio Frequency Therapy for Heel Pain

According to a 2009 survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association, 39% percent of adults have experienced heel pain, more than any other foot ailment within the last 12 months. To help those suffering from heel pain, Sound Foot Care Center of Connecticut, offers the NeuroTherm radio frequency therapy as treatment.

Dr. Harris Greenberger

NeuroTherm is an innovative therapy that uses radio frequency energy to disrupt nerve function. By transmitting radio frequency energy through a thin needle inserted into the heel, the NeuroTherm treatment is able to stop the nerve from transmitting pain. The treatment takes only 25 minutes and was designed specifically for the treatment of pain caused by plantar fasciitis and neuromas.

“Heel pain sufferers should not be hesitant to receive treatment,” Dr. Harris Greenberger said. “NeuroTherm treatment is minimally invasive and has been shown to have a 92% success rate in completely eliminating heel pain from plantar fasciitis. It is an important step towards a lifetime without heel pain.”

Source: Norwalk Plus [10/6/09]
 

Insurers Announce e-initiative to Ease Paperwork

Major health insurers have launched an initiative in Ohio to help establish a single-source, electronic-transactions system between insurers and providers. Staff members currently spend too much time and money accessing multiple channels to get the information needed to complete basic requirements for confirming eligibility, billing and referrals, according to a written statement from America's Health Insurance Plans. The Ohio initiative aims to simplify the work associated with patient visits by providing a new tool to physician practices to check patient eligibility, benefit coverage and claim status from one source.

Participating insurers include Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Cigna Corp., Humana, Kaiser Permanente, Medical Mutual of Ohio, UnitedHealthcare and WellCare Health Plans. AHIP and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association plan to sponsor similar initiatives in other regions and states beginning in November.

Participating physician groups included the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Cardiology, the American College of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association, Doctors for America, and the National Medical Association.

Source: Jennifer Lubell, Health IT Strategist [10/6/09]

House Lawmakers, Obama Officials to Meet on Reform

Republican representatives are taking the opportunity to meet with House leadership and Obama administration officials this week to discuss their views and concerns on healthcare reform. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) told reporters he intended to “carry on conversations with my Republican colleagues” on healthcare reform, and would meet with Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) on Thursday “to determine what we can agree upon.”

In making assessments that the parties could reach 80% agreement on the House reform bill called the America's Affordable Health Choices Act, certain GOP members are showing awareness that “the American people want reform to succeed,” Hoyer said. Personally, Hoyer said he “hadn't yet found that 80% yet, but I'm still going to look” for areas where the party could reach consensus. Members of the conservative Republican Study Committee, in the meantime, plan to meet with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday to discuss healthcare reform, congressional aides said.

Source: Jennifer Lubell, Modern Health Care [10/6/09]

Jump Off the ‘Do More’ Bandwagon

Do you feel exhausted and overwhelmed yet still don’t know how—or don’t have the courage—to say “No” when people ask you to do more? Offer these responses:

• “I am not the best fit for that.” You do no one a favor by accepting a task that is beyond your capabilities. Whenever possible, recommend a colleague who is more suited to the task. That is not passing the buck; that is providing a better solution for the team. Be willing, however, to step out of your comfort zone occasionally.

• “I can do it later.” Offer to complete the task when you are less busy. If the task cannot wait, the person will seek someone else with more time to spare.

Source: Adapted from “Say No to Extra Work,” by Dimitri Ly via Communication Briefings

Keeping Track of Your Expenses

If you travel for business, you have to keep track of your expenses. If you are the owner, that “boss” called the Internal Revenue Service is likely to ask for your travel and entertainment expense documentation.

Neat Receipts

There is a program called Neat Receipts that comes with a nice portable sheet fed scanner that can take receipts, documents to save, even business cards. If you scan a receipt, say from Office Depot, it keeps the image for the IRS. It then converts the image to text using optical character recognition. Then, knowing the receipt is from Office Depot (because it recognizes the name), it can automatically determine the format of the receipt and enter the right amounts for office supplies and taxes, etc. 

The program seems to have a large collection of receipts it can automatically recognize so when you scan one, all the work, even down to classifying what expense category the receipt is for, is done automatically. When you get home, you can print an expense report, or export the data to another program.

Source: Adapted from Gregg Marshall, CPMR, CSP

Query: Alcohol Availability
 
Lately, my supplier is only selling a full sleeve (ten ampoules) of the alcohol for neuroma injections - at quite a high price. Does anyone have a good supplier for the alcohol in smaller quantities?
 
Sloan Gordon, DPM, Houston, TX

RE: A Comparison of Negative Casting Techniques Used for the Fabrication of Custom Ankle Foot Orthoses
From: Michael Turlik, DPM

It is always comforting to review a publication whose conclusions are in line with my personal beliefs and treatment paradigms.  The more important point currently for the profession is not how the negative impression is obtained but whether it is needed at all.¹ 

Podiatric physicians need to focus their attention on rigorous controlled trials which use patient-important outcomes to determine the efficacy/effectiveness of custom foot orthoses rather than anecdotal information and descriptive studies, which use surrogate outcomes such as plantar pressures, foot kinematics, and the shape of negative impressions.

If rigorous, adequately powered, comparative trials using patient-important outcomes continue to demonstrate no difference between custom foot orthoses and over-the-counter foot orthoses for the treatment of common podiatric conditions, how one obtains a model to fabricate a custom foot orthoses will not matter in the future.

1. Hylton B Menz  Foot orthoses: how much customization is needed?  Journal of Foot and Ankle Research 2:23, 2009.

Michael Turlik, DPM, Cleveland OH, mmturlik@aol.com

RE: Scope of Practice to Treat Obesity (Tip Sullivan, DPM)
From: Paul R. Scherer, DPM

I recently completed a topic-related article published in Podiatry Management Magazine (September 2009) that identified obesity as one of the co-factors of flat feet in children. There are several articles that document this fact, and I think we see the majority of the patients. The following might help guide you correlating obesity with foot pathology.

Bordin, D Minerva , Pediatrics, 2001
Dowling, AM, Int. J. Obesity and Related Disorders, 2001
Mickle, KJ, Int J. Pediatric Obesity 2006

Paul R. Scherer, DPM, San Francisco, CA, hpoc@aol.com

RE: NSC Inspection and 26 vs. 21 Supplier Standards
From: Paul Kesselman, DPM

NSC inspectors are employed by an outside security agency and may only have been trained with respect to compliance with the 26 supplier standards. To these inspectors, anything less would therefore be construed of as a lack of compliance. Most inspectors for the NSC and OIG are not well versed in what goes on in a physician's office as opposed to the retail DME stores. It may, in fact, be the inspector’s first visit to a physician’s office.  Physicians are not in the position to "educate" inspectors, nor should we tell them how to do their job. That's a recipe for a failed inspection.

Suppliers exempted from Supplier Standards 22-26 certainly don’t have to comply with regulations not applicable to them. It would make perfect sense that we need not inform our patients of rules not applicable to us.  However, until the NSC and CMS formally train their inspectors that suppliers exempted from the Quality Standards (Supplier Standards 22-26) only have to post the original 21 standards, there would seem to be no harm in providing patients with all 26 Standards. This, of course, could lead to further inquiries regarding Facility Accreditation and Surety Bond status. Stay tuned!

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

RE: Obama's Health Care Plan (Richard Gosnay, DPM)
From: Jon Purdy, DPM

Dr. Gosnay, in my opinion, as well as evidenced by fact, is somewhat inaccurate in his description of where we are with healthcare today. Insurance is not at all socialist by its nature. Socialization is one entity taking from you involuntarily and then distributing it how it sees fit. Forms of private insurance are....

Editor's Note: Dr. Purdy's extended-length letter appears at: http://www.podiatrym.com/letters2.cfm?id=29407&start=1

ASSOCIATE POSITION - CHICAGO AREA

Join one of the most successful, long-established podiatry practices in the Chicago area, with excellent salary and benefits. We have an immediate opening for a full-time podiatrist in a multi practice location in Chicago. Must have two years of surgical residency. Please e-mail resume to fmassuda@footexperts.com

DIABETIC RURAL OUTREACH PROGRAM - FLORIDA

We are seeking ethical, motivated podiatrists to treat homebound diabetic patients in Central and North Florida. Minimal travel. Must have valid Florida License and Active FL Medicare and Medicaid numbers. FAX CV TO 866- 258-9993 or call 800-779-8551.

EQUIPMENT FOR LOCUM TENENS/ASSOCIATE—PHOENIX

Busy multi-location practice in South East Valley seeks immediate well-trained personable individual. Part time Locum position may lead to permanent part-time, full-time, and buy- in potential if desired. Please send letter of interest and C.V. to AzToesRus@aol.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION - WASHINGTON, DC

Interested in working in Washington D.C.? Our group is looking to add a highly motivated, hard working, well trained podiatrist to our practice. Must have surgical training. We have a very busy multi-office practice. We practice state of the art podiatry with EMR and digital radiography. Associate to partner on a fast track for the right person. E-mail CV and cover letter to Washingtonpod@aol.com

ASSOCIATE POSITION (SURGICAL) – CONNECTICUT

Connecticut Surgical Group is seeking a Board-Certified podiatrist to add to our Surgical Podiatry division based in Central Connecticut. This podiatrist will provide all aspects of Podiatric care with a focus on wound and surgical care to a well-established patient base. We require PSR-36 training and board certification or eligibility, excellent surgical and wound care skills, a strong focus on providing compassionate care to our patients, and the ability to work as part of a team in a group practice setting. To apply please visit our website . EOE

ASSOCIATE POSITIONS - INDIANA/OHIO

PrimeSource Healthcare is a leading provider of mobile, on-site healthcare services at long-term and skilled nursing facilities. Our exceptional growth has created an immediate need for traveling, independent contractors of podiatry services in Indiana/Ohio. Earn between $175k and $225k per year. E-mail CV to kwright@pshcs.com. Visit us at pshcs.com.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - FREDERICK, MD
Well-established and growing 2 office state-of-the-art practice located in medical/professional buildings. EMR, Digital X-ray, Ultrasound, DME provider, etc. Competitive Base Salary plus bonus, malpractice, health insurance, etc. PSR 24 minimum/Board Qualified or Certified with ability and desire to take ER call. If interested, forward CV to DOCSBNB@aol.com

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE - HISTOFREEZER H60

170 ml gas, 30 2mm, 30 5mm applicators in original box, never used. Retail $299, only $225! I have five to sell. Closing satellite office. Other items available. 30 ga 1” and ½” BD needles only $15.00/box, retail $25.00. 941 922-3840

PRACTICE FOR SALE - FLORIDA—CENTRAL/SOUTH

Turn-key operation grossing $570,000 annually based on one full-time doctor. Great opportunity for growing the top-line. Surgery is only 14% of the professional man-hours; it can significantly increase income. Medicare makes up 64% of revenues. Seller will assist with transition. Call 863-688-1725, ask for Chas.

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE - ORTHOTIC FABRICATION SYSTEM

Amfit Orthotic Insole Fabrication System with Footfax SL Contact digitizer- For Sale Machine, Laptop, rolling bag, small inventory of shoes, insoles, all cords, parts and hardware Asking $8k. OBO! Please contact Jeff at Jhunt@psbank.net for further information, pictures.

ASSOCIATE POSITION - AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO AREAS

Seeking well-trained ABPS board certified/qualified foot surgeons for surgical practice with national foot/hand/orthopedic surgery group.  Excellent salary/benefits. Email CV and cover letter to: slb99@pdq.net

PRACTICE FOR SALE - FLORIDA - ST. PETERSBURG AREA 

Part-time office, remodeled 4 years ago. Fully equiped and stocked, 2 treatment rooms, x-ray and processor, billing software. Low overhead ,good signage. Asking $40k. Contact mwftdr@aol.com

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE - AMFIT ORTHOTIC MANUFACTURING MACHINE

Includes digitizer, fabricating mill, new updates have been added and enough supplies to pay for the machine in the long run. At $200 per pair = about $28,000. Selling FOR $25,000, O.B.O, F.O.B. americanfoot@email.com or 405-733-2783.

NEEDED CHICAGO -- NW IND & BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON, DC PODIATRISTS

Home Physicians, a medical group specializing in house calls is looking to hire podiatrists in Chicago, Northwest Indiana, and Baltimore, MD. Full and part-time positions are available. Competitive Compensation including malpractice. Contact Scott Schneider. Phone-773-342-4201 FAX 773-486-3548-E-Mail sschneider@homephysicians.com Visit our website

PODIATRY PRACTICE FOR SALE- NEW YORK

Excellent Bayside location. Established twenty years. Fully equipped and computerized. Part-time, mostly palliative care, podiatric  medicine, and orthopedics. Very little surgery. Priced to sell. Call weekdays after 8pm...718-465-5239

ASSOCIATE POSITION - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Looking for board certified/board eligible ABPS associate to join a multi doctor practice with 2 offices. May lead to eventual buy-in and purchase. Must have minimum 2-year residency and comfortable with rearfoot procedures and diabetic care, ER call. Must be dependable, honest, ethical individual. Send cover letter and CV to familyfootcenter@earthlink.net

OFFICE SPACE/ MRI RENTAL – NYC, LI

Turn-key space available, daily, monthly; East 60th off Park Ave, East 22nd St. off 3rd Ave, Hicksville and/or Plainview Long Island. JACHO-certified operating rooms available, as well as all surgical equipment and anesthesia. Extremity MRI Rental. Stark compliant. All exams read by board certified radiologist. Call for details. 516 476-1815

PM News Classified Ads Reach over 11,500 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 11,500 DPM's. Write to bblock@podiatrym.com or call (718) 897-9700 for details. 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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