From: Lloyd Bardfeld, DPM
I find this post extremely upsetting. There is no place for this aggressive negative activity in our profession today. I question both the legality as well as the willingness of the few podiatrists to choose to remain on staff of the facility. I was the first resident at Peninsula Hospital Center in 1970. At the time, there were no surgical privileges for podiatrists and they were part of the adjunct staff. Surgical privileges opened up and soon after, the bylaws were changed, making us officially part of the medical surgical staff.
Similarly at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway New York, where I started podiatry, things went from podiatrists not being allowed to be members of the medical board to me being president. These achievements did not come easy. It required us displaying our professionalism and not accepting being treated as secondary citizens. As we are all aware, podiatry is now more than ever not only a crucial medical profession, but an extremely lucrative addition to any hospital. We as a profession absolutely cannot accept situations like this.
I suggest a member of our profession in the area of the hospital request a meeting with the CEO of the hospital and discuss the situation and if possible settle it amicably. If that does not achieve results, the APMA must get involved, and if necessary, pursue legal action against the administration.
Lloyd Bardfeld, DPM, Far Rockaway, NY
