Spring 2013 - Canadian Federation of Podiatric Medicine

Volume 7 • Number 1 • Spring 2013the official publication of the Canadian Federation of Podiatric MedicinePEP TalkPage 19Take YourPractice fromGood to GreatPage 26

2 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013sean@uxr.ca • www.uxr.ca

CFPM CONTACTSPRESIDENTIan McLean – Alliston, ON1-888-706-4444CEOStephen Hartman – Waterloo, ON1-888-706-4444BOARD OF DIRECTORSSheilagh Rose – Orillia, ONSonia Maragoni – Alliston, ONSally Brodrick – Winnipeg, MBVicki Werkman – Oakville, ONCristol Smyth – Cobourg, ONBrian Johnson – St. John, NBAxel Rohrmann – Regina, SKMichael Turcotte – Cornwall, ONJodey Young – Alliston, ONNorine Keeling – Cobourg, ONCOMMITTEESEducation CommitteeSheila RoseResearch CommitteeTBAAssistant DevelopmentVicki Werkman (Chair)Seal of ApprovalSonia Maragoni; Ian McLeanInsuranceMike TurcotteMembershipSonia MaragoniNational IssuesBrian Johnson (Chair)ConferenceStephen Hartman (Chair)International CommitteeStephen Hartmanthe Canadian PodiatristEditorCindy Hartman 1-888-706-4444Advertising & ClassifiedsCindy Hartman 1-888-706-4444Published ByCFPMdesigned ByKimagine Graphic DesignPrinted BySt. Jacobs Printery Ltd.CFPM200 King St. S., Waterloo, ON N2J 1P91-888-706-4444 Fax: 519-888-9385www.podiatryinfocanada.caIn this issue...President’s Message:Ian McLean ............................................ 4Register for FREE Email Updates onFoot & Ankle Reserarch from JFAR ...... 7CFPM Attends Canadian Health CareAntifraud Association Conference ..... 11CFPM Honorary Membership Award:Dr. Alan Borthwick .............................. 11Highlights of the 2012Annual Conference ............................. 12Winners of the 2012CFPM Awards ...................................... 13Secrets of Success: The Golden Rulesof Professionalism (for the entire office)By Lynn Homisak ................................ 15Highlights of the CFPM 2013Winter Getaway Seminar .................... 16Understanding Your InsuranceBy Mark Holman ................................. 17PEP Talk: Diabetes, Healthy Feetand You ............................................... 19LONDONPOPULATION 489,274HOME OF THE CFPM13TH ANNUAL CONFERENCEVolume 7 • Number 1 • Spring 20132012 Conference HighlightsPEP TalkUsing SEO To Boost TrafficTo Your Website .................................. 23Did you know.....? .............................. 23Getting To The Heart OfPatient ComplaintsBy Dr. Tina Del Buono ......................... 24College VS Association ....................... 25Take Your Practice from Goodto Great By John A. Hultman............. 26Cold Feet – A third year English studenton clinical placement in CanadaBy Georgie Evans................................ 34CFPM 2013 Annual Conference ........ 35Exhibitor Booth Awards ...................... 35Classified Ads ..................................... 36Podiatry Added to New Classesof Practitioners Regulations .............. 38Manitoba Provincial Update .............. 38Upcoming Events ............................... 39page 12page 19disclosureThe Editor and Board of Directors of theCanadian Federation of Podiatric Medicinedo not accept responsibility for opinionsexpressed by contributors to the Journal; andwhile every effort is made to ensure accuracy,they cannot accept responsibility for anyinaccuracies in the information provided.Take Your Practice fromGood to Greatpage 26© Canadian Federation of Podiatric Medicine,Spring 2013Publication Number 42242022the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 3

Message from the President...by Ian McLean, B.Sc., D.Ch., B.Sc. Podiatric Medicine, President the Canadian Federation of Podiatric MedicineJust like last year, I find myself writing mypresident’s message shortly after thebeginning of the New Year. Having nowcompleted my first year in this position, I findmyself reflecting on the past year and boy whata busy year it was.I found myself traveling, but traveling witha purpose, to represent the CFPM at meetingswith insurance companies at the Canadian Life and Health InsuranceAssociation conference and the Canadian Insurance Anti-fraudconference, making sure that those who cover our services, areaware that we are more than just orthotics. That we as podiatrists/chiropodists provide comprehensive foot-care, and that in mostprovinces we are regulated and should not be lumped in with thosewho are not regulated and provide only orthotics and call themselves“foot specialists.”I travelled to meet with representatives from our provincialorganizations to provide support and input into changes that arehappening across this country to our scopes of practice and helpingto ensure that any change to our scope of practice needs to beCanadian based. It is not suitable to be told that we need or canupgrade our skills, but to do so we must cross the border. Educationand skill upgrade for those who practice here in Canada needs to beavailable to all who wish it here at home.Finally I was happy to represent the CFPM at the MichenerInstitute second year student meet and greet. It was truly a greatevent and gave me an opportunity to talk with many students fromall three years of the program. These individuals are the future of ourprofession and it is always encouraging to see so many people whoare passionate about podiatric medicine. The future looks bright.However, just as we all make resolutions for the New Year, soto must we as a profession going forward into 2013. My goal is tocontinue to open doors with organizations and groups who influencepodiatry in Canada. Lines of communication need to be improved ifwe are ever to see the roadblocks that prevent the progression of ourprofession, torn down and I am committed to continue these talks.I also strongly believe that everyone who practices podiatricmedicine in Canada needs to not rest on their laurels and needto continue to promote our accomplishments across this greatland. Whether this is by meeting with and providing education forcommunity groups, politicians, health authorities, or promotingnew and exciting technologies in your practice, we at the CFPM arecommitted to supporting chiropodists and podiatrists with this goal byoffering opportunities for life-long learning and practice managementthrough our award winning conferences and seminars.We will continue to make sure that all practitioners in Canadaare supported and their voice is heard. The CFPM was proud in thislast year to make sure that the federal “New Class of Practitioner”legislation included all those who practice podiatry in Canada,and that practitioners in Canada who under their provincial healthregulations can prescribe oral medications were not excluded.The original legislation listed only Doctor of Podiatric Medicine asmeeting this requirement, which we pointed out was a degree, not aprofession and to restrict the legislation only to DPM’s would excludethe majority of Canadian practitioners, many of whom are able toprescribe oral medication and perform surgical procedures that maybenefit from pain control.All of these accomplishments that the CFPM has had over the pastyear are only achieved by having a strong and informed membership.We need your support and involvement, whether it is by attendingour conference, volunteering for meetings or most importantly by justbeing a member and providing the executive feedback on how thefuture of podiatry should look. So please become a member if youare not, and if you are, pass this message on to someone else youknow who may be sitting on the fence. Membership is very affordableand comes with benefits such as discounts for our conferences andmalpractice insurance, weekly e-mail updates on upcoming eventsand soon a membership rewards program. In the next few yearsthere are many potential changes to the profession that may affectyou ability to practice, so a strong and growing membership base isthe key to our future.Still, because I am a “glass half full” rather than a “glass halfempty” kind of guy; as I said before I still believe the future is bright.Thank you to all those who supported us in the CFPM during the lastyear and Happy New year everyone!!ANN CICALEINE CANADA 15/07/09 8:28 Page 1Ask for yourFREE sampleand info pack1-800-387-1990mail@larima.cawww.larima.caBYINSTANT RELIEFAND VISIBLE RESULTSIN JUST DAYS!UNTREATED FOOT TREATED FOOTEROFEBRETFAWith Silk Lipesters ®(ASEPTA PATENT)Paraben FreeUrea FreePROVEN EFFICACYIN 3 CLINICALSTUDIES!SERVICING FOOTPROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDEFOR OVER 60 YEARS4 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

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Register for FREE Email Updateson Foot & Ankle Research from JFARBecome a registered user of theJournal of Foot and Ankle Research(JFAR) and receive FREE updates oninternational research on the foot andankle. As a registered user you can:• Submit Manuscripts• Receive Email Updates• Post Comments on ArticlesJournal of Foot and Ankle Research, is an open access, peerreviewed, online journal that encompasses all aspects of policy,organisation, delivery and clinical practice related to the assessment,diagnosis, prevention and management of foot and ankle disorders.Journal of Foot and Ankle Research covers a wide range ofclinical subject areas, including diabetology, paediatrics, sportsmedicine, gerontology and geriatrics, foot surgery, physical therapy,dermatology, wound management, radiology, biomechanics andbioengineering, orthotics and prosthetics, as well the broad areas ofepidemiology, policy, organisation and delivery of services related tofoot and ankle care.All articles published by Journal of Foot and Ankle Research aremade freely and permanently accessible online immediately uponpublication, without subscription charges or registration barriers.Why publish your article in Journal of Foot andAnkle Research?High visibilityJournal of Foot and Ankle Research’s open access policy allowsmaximum visibility of articles published in the journal as theyare available to a wide, global audience. Articles that have beenespecially highly accessed are highlighted with a ‘Highly accessed’graphic, which appears on the journal’s contents pages and searchresults.Speed of publicationJournal of Foot and Ankle Research offers a fast publication schedulewhilst maintaining rigorous peer review; all articles must be submittedonline, and peer review is managed fully electronically (articlesare distributed in PDF form, which is automatically generated fromthe submitted files). Articles are published with their final citationimmediately upon acceptance in a provisional PDF form. The articlewill subsequently be published in both fully browsable web form, andas a formatted PDF; the article will then be available through Journalof Foot and Ankle Research, BioMed Central and PubMed Centraland will also be included in PubMed.FlexibilityOnline publication in Journal of Foot and Ankle Research gives authorsthe opportunity to publish large datasets, large numbers of colorillustrations and moving pictures, to display data in a form that canbe read directly by other software packages so as to allow readers tomanipulate the data for themselves, and to create all relevant links(for example, to PubMed, to sequence and other databases, and toother papers).Promotion and press coverageArticles published in Journal of Foot and Ankle Research are includedin article alerts and regular email updates. Some may be included inabstract books mailed to academics and are highlighted on Journalof Foot and Ankle Research’s pages and on the BioMed Centralhomepage.In addition, articles published in Journal of Foot and AnkleResearch may be promoted by press releases to the general orscientific press. These activities increase the exposure and numberof accesses for articles published in Journal of Foot and AnkleResearch.CopyrightAuthors of articles published in Journal of Foot and Ankle Researchretain the copyright of their articles and are free to reproduce anddisseminate their work (for further details, see the BioMed Centralcopyright and license agreement).For further information about the advantages of publishing in ajournal from BioMed Central, please visit www.jfootankleres.com.the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 7

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Secrets of Success: The Golden Rulesof Professionalism (for the entire office)By: Lynn Homisak, SOS Healthcare Management Solutions, LLC - www.soshms.comProfessionalism is described in many ways,shapes and forms – from attitude to actionsto knowledge to appearance and patientsexpect us to be professional in every sense of theword. Are you doing all you can to fulfill their expectations?Here are some simple reminders of thingsthat earn us the respected title of “a professional.”Share them with your staff because it’s not justwhat ONE of us needs to do – it’s what we need todo as a healthcare TEAM.1. Treat patients promptly and courteouslyConsider each new patient that walks into your office and sees it forthe first time. This initial connection is an opportunity for them to judgeyour practice and (make no mistake!) your staff plays a critical rolein making them feel welcome by offering a friendly, first impression.Their immediate need for acknowledgement and guidance should beyour staff’s number one priority, because if they are forced to standthere unattended for ANY length of time, they are uncomfortable.Ignoring them (even for 5 seconds) is never an option.2. Don’t blame someoneelse for mistakesWhether they are your mistakes orsomeone else’s, there is no need to airyour dirty laundry. Patients who don’treceive their orthotics by the expecteddate given to them do not want to hearexcuses like, “Well, they would havebeen here if Mary sent them out ontime, but she forgot to.” Instead, onbehalf of the reputation of the practice,work hard to rebuild lost credibility byapologizing to the patient and make anextra effort to correct the mistake. “Mrs.Jones, I will have Mary call the lab todayand see if they were sent out. If not,we’ll request rush delivery and will be intouch with you later today after we getmore information.”3. Staff should never do anything they are notqualified or trained to doStaff should never administer patient care without first being properlytrained in the procedure. Don’t assume they know…make SURE theydo by observing them perform a hands-on demonstration on you or ona co-worker before giving approval to go solo. Take advantage of themany opportunities to increase their knowledge – in house training,seminars, workshops, webinars, etc. Also, assure they are educatedin what they are doing so that they can appropriately respond topatient questions.The Golden RuleDo unto othersas you wouldhave them dounto you.4. Never criticize your physician or anotheremployee in front of your patients“I would never!” is what I’m told, yet I hear comments from disgruntledstaff to patients like, “Oh you think the doctor is so great? You shouldWORK with him/her!” Or from doctors, “My staff doesn’t know anybetter…next time just ask me!” Comments like this are a very poorreflection on the practice and patients see it as a personality flaw.They may think, “If doctors and staff in this practice talk negativelyabout each other…what are they saying about me when I’m nothere?” Similarly, if a patient looks to you to concur with a disparagingcomment they’ve made about another physician, refrain fromagreeing with them. This type of defamation of character alwaysseems to come back to you in a bad way.5. Dress appropriatelyA professional appearance contributes significantly to the reputationof the practice and sends a non-verbal message to your patients. Thatmeans everyone’s general appearance should be neat, not sloppy;clean, and free of body odor or overpowering perfumes/colognes. Nowrinkles, rips, tears or stains on scrubsor labcoats. Wear scrubs that fit, shoesthat are clean and name badges tohelp patients connect. No visible bodytattoos, facial piercings, heavy makeupor extreme jewelry. It is importantthat the practice enforce their owndress code to outline appropriate andinappropriate appearances.6. Protect patient privacyThe introduction of HIPAA into our liveshas made all of us (including patients)to be more aware of ways in which weshould protect our patients’ privacy,so even though patients are genuinelyconcerned about a friend or familymember, we must all remember ourresponsibility to the patient and notrelease unauthorized info. It would bebeneficial to have the patient list andsign off on particular individuals with whom it is acceptable to sharetheir PHI. To stay in the loop, continue to keep your team educatedin HIPAA policy via continued education and compliance discussions.7. Keep personal phone calls brief and quiet(follow your written office policy re: usage)Cellphones are pervasive today, so if you don’t have a phone/internet/texting policy, do everyone a favor by developing and initiating one.Then make sure everyone understands the particulars, including theContinued page 34the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 15

Seminar Registration SpeakersHighlights of the CFPM 2013DR. ANDREW SCHNEIDER:Winter Getaway SeminarOn Feb. 16 & 17, 2013, the CFPM heldits 2013 Winter Getaway Seminar at theFairmont Hotel in Mont Tremblant, Quebec.As the #1 Ski Resort in Eastern North American,Mont Tremblant was the perfect location for thoseinterested in enjoying all that Quebec as to offer.Delegates were treated to a variety of interestingand educational lectures from Dr. Andrew Schneider,a podiatrist from Houston, Texas. He spoke on suchtopics as Wound Care and Internet Marketing. Otherhighlights included Integrating a Podiatric FootcareNurse into Your Practice, by Tina Rainville; Orthosesfor Different Skiing Pathologies by Dr. Zyad Hobeychi;and Diagnostic Ultraound Workshop by Karl Tabares-Chevarie of Canicom.Here’s what your colleagues had to say:“Thoroughly enjoyed the presentations on DiabetesWound Management and Neuropathy. Presentationon Google Analysis was very informative and gavea lot of information and advice on web design.Definitely a great learning opportunity combinedwith a world class ski/snowboard resort.”Name: _________________________________________________________________Address: _______________________________________________________________City: ___________________________________________________________________Prov: _____________________________ PC: ________________________________Phone: _________________________________________________________________Email: __________________________________________________________________SEMINAR FEESBEFORE JANUARY 31, 2013■ CFPM member $350 + GST = $367.50Dr. Andrew Schneider is in private practicein Houston, TX. He is a member of theBoard of Trustees and a Fellow of theAmerican Academy of Podiatric PracticeManagement. Dr. Schneider has been published in APMA News,Podiatry Management, and the Journal of Medical PracticeManagement on topics relating to internet marketing andpractice management. He is co-author of Social Media for theHealth Care Profession: The New Shingle for Today’s MedicalPractice published by Greenbranch Publishing.■ Quebec Podiatrist $350 + GST = $367.50TINA RAINVILLE:■ “The CFPM non member conference $500 + GST = $525 provided a fantastic opportunityAFTER JANUARY 31, 2013■ to CFPM members learn, $450 + GST network = $472.50 and communicate with■ Quebec Podiatrist $450 + GST = $472.50■ colleagues, CFPM non member $650 + GST = $682.5 whilst encompassing an enjoyablePAYMENT METHODtime skiing in the beautiful mountains.”■ Cheque or money order to the CFPM■ Visa ■ MC ■ Amex #Tina Rainville D.Ch. graduated from theChiropody program at The Michener Institute forApplied Health Sciences in 1997. After which shewas employed at Hawkesbury General Hospitalas staff Chiropodist; where she became fluent in French. In August1998 she joined her husband Patrick Rainville D.Ch. to practicein Timmins. Together, Tina and Patrick have created a verysuccessful Chiropody clinic in Timmins, Ontario.Through the past fifteen years, Tina has taken an active rolein educating the public regarding foot health. She has presented“Great venue. Time for business and time for___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___Name leisure. on Card _________________________________________________________The family enjoyed this time very much.”Expiry Date ___ ___ / ___ ___ (MM/YY)and spoke to various organizations including Les Filles D’Isabelle,Women Who Win, Timmins Rotary club, Metis Nation of Ontario,Canadian Diabetes Association, Northern College Students, RolandMichener High School students, Heart and Stroke foundation andTimmins Family Health Team. She has participated in community“First CFPM Conference. I found it informativeSignature ______________________________________________________________MAIL in TO: CFPM a close, 200 King Street South, friendly environment.”Waterloo, ON N2J 1P9Phone: 1-888-706-4444and employer health fares to educate and promote foot healthincluding Gold corp, Hydro one, Ontario Government Complexand Wabun Tribal Council Health. For the past three years, inher spare time on weekends, Tina has been teaching the basicand advanced nursing foot care course at Northern College SouthFax to: 519-888-9385“Very informative, great venue and interpersonalOr register online at www.podiatryinfocanada.caCANCELLATION/REFUND dialogue.” POLICY: Full refunds, less $75.00 processingfee per registrant will be granted for cancellations received in writingprior to Jan. 31, 2013. Refunds will not be granted after Jan. 31, 2013.Porcupine and Haileybury campuses.Tina and Patrick are preparing to expand their clinic into abrand new facility next summer.Refunds will not be given for no-shows after the conference.“I really enjoyed Andrew Schneider’s segmenton dispensing. The location was fabulous and theopen forum was great. Great work as always.”WinterGetawaySeminarFairmont Hotel, Mont Tremblant, QuebecFebruary 16-18, 2013SPONSORED BY:Thank you to our generous sponsors of the 2013 Winter Getaway Seminar16 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

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A Podiatrist’s and Chiropodist’s Journeyto Bring the PEP Talk: Diabetes, Healthy Feetand You program to Their Local CommunityAxel Rohrmann BSc Pod MedPodiatrist, Regina, SaskatchewanAndrew Springer BSc DChChiropodist, OshawaMariam Botros D.Ch, CDE, IIWCCDirector, PEP Talk Program, Canadian Associationof Wound CareChiropodist, Women’s College Hospital Wound Healing ClinicToronto, OntarioJanet L. Kuhnke BSN MS ET RNCo-Director, PEP Talk Program, Canadian Associationof Wound CareCornwall, OntarioMarc Despatis BSc MSc MD RVT FRCSChief of Vascular SurgeryCentre hospitalier universitaire de SherbrookeSherbrooke, QuebecGail Woodbury BScPT PhDProgram Evaluator, PEP TalkProgram, Canadian Associationof Wound CareAssistant Professor,School of Rehabilitation,Queen’s UniversityKingston, OntarioIntroductionSuccess has been defined a asa time when preparation meetsopportunity. “I believe that theCanadian Association of Wound Care (CAWC) is experiencingtremendous success currently and will continue to do so, as theorganization is empowering healthcare providers and people withdiabetes to improve overall health-related quality of life,” says AxelRohrmann, a podiatrist based in Regina, Saskatchewan . “The CAWCis achieving this by bringing together experts in their fields andpartnering with key organizations. Learning about the efforts of theCAWC, with respect to wound care and people living with diabetes hasenergized and empowered me to deliver a thorough and consistentmessage to patients in various communities.”PEP Talk: Diabetes, Healthy Feet and YouThe PEP (Peer Education Program) Talk: Diabetes, Healthy Feet andYou program is the only national peer-led program in Canada thatprovides support groups and educational sessions on preventive footcare for people with diabetes.“The workshop was very informative. As aperson with diabetes, I was told to watchmy feet but I didn’t know what to watchfor until I attended this workshop. Now,knowing what to watch for really makesme aware of how serious this can be to myhealth regarding amputation.”PEP Talk has taken expert knowledge and developed a programthat allows participants to learn about proper foot care, as well asshare personal experiences, challenges and outcomes; so that lowerlimb complications can be either avoided altogether or addressedearly on. Thus, the person living with diabetes has an improved overallquality of life. By learning from others, participants often want tofeed back to the group and try to influence others, so the positiveeffects of group sharing continue.PEP Talk peer leaders are helpingCanadians living with diabetes to:• prevent diabetic foot ulcers;• understand the early warningsigns of neuropathy, vascularinsufficiency and foot ulcers;and• know the steps needed toensure effective care if anulcer develops.Dedicated volunteer healthcareprofessionals also work togetherwith peer leaders to developcommunity outreach action plans to connect, educate and supportpeople living with diabetes. These healthcare professionals includediabetes educators, physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners,chiropodists, podiatrists, dieticians or other allied healthcareprofessionals. In addition, they further support peer leaders by:– Manitoba workshop participant, June 2012• helping them identify community resources that supportpeople living with diabetes;• identifying and referring people with diabetes to attend PEPTalk community workshops; and• encouraging colleagues to refer their patients with diabetes toPEP Talk community workshops.A portal website in English and French is also available, whichconnects all Peer Leaders, healthcare professionals and communityContinued page 28the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 19

In This Economy, Where AreYour New Patients Coming From?New patients are finding you on Google, Yahoo and Bing.Your referrals are reading reviews about you online.Patients are searching for your practice on their mobile devices.Call your WebPresence Advisortoday to learn more!Call 855-208-9121www.offiCite.Com/podiatryMake sure patients can find your practice online“1,278new patients!”dr. robert J. abrams, Newhall, Ca“3,053new patients!”Greg renton, orlando, fl“962new patients!”dr. mitchell waskin, richmond, Va22 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

Using SEO To Boost Traffic To Your WebsiteAhigh percentage of online traffic comes from the searchengines. But if your website doesn’t rank well, it will be hard fornew patients to find you on Google and Bing. For this reason,it is important that practices are continually working to enhancetheir position on the search engines—an essential online marketingtechnique known as search engine optimization (SEO).SEO is the process of structuring your website and your contentso that it can be found and indexed by search engines. A strong SEOstrategy helps to make your site visible in the search results andtherefore to the potential patients searching for you and your services.There are many reasons you must be optimizing your website forthe search engines, including:Improve your visibility on the major searchenginesA higher search engine ranking will naturally result in more traffic toyour website. People rarely click past the first few pages of the searchresults, and the higher the position you achieve on Google or Bing,the more clicks your site will receive from interested prospects.Earn the trust of online usersGoogle and other major search engines work hard to provide onlineusers with the most relevant and trustworthy results. When a potentialpatient finds you ranked at the top of the organic search results, youwill not only gain their respect as a credible practice, but you will bemore likely to earn their click, their phone call and their appointment.Gain the competitive edgeIf your website isn’t ranked on the first page of Google and other majorsearch engines, then that means other physicians are occupyingthose spots. By ensuring your website is properly optimized for thesearch engines, you can make sure that potential patients are findingyour practice first and not your local competitors.Working with the right search engine optimization company is asimportant as SEO itself. Find a company who is well-versed in searchmarketing for podiatrists, and start getting new patients searchingfor your services online today.Building a successful web presence is easy when you team with anexpert in medical web design and online marketing. The CFPM andOfficite have partnered together to offer professional websitedevelopment and online marketing for Members at a discountedrate. Officite offers premier designs, easy self-editing capabilities,search engine marketing, reputation management, mobile websitesand social networking—designed to educate and attract newpatients while creating a prominent presence for your practice inthe marketplace. To learn more, visit www.officite.com/cfpm orcall 888-817-4010.Did you know.....?The CFPM uses your email address as the first and foremostmedium for communicating with its members. For this reason,we must have a valid email address in order to inform youregarding virtually all of the activities of the CFPM including:• important information• announcements• registration renewals• surveys• upcoming events• promotions and specials• upcoming deadlines• CFPM activitiesPlease contact the CFPM as soon as possible if you change youremail address. For membership renewals, email address can bechanged in your membership profile using your username andpassword via the CFPM website (www.podiatryinfocanada.ca)**** The Canadian Federation of Podiatric Medicine doesnot give out member’s email addresses****If you have any questions or comments, please feel free tocontact us at cfpmexe.dir@cfpmcanada.ca or phone us at1-888-706-4444.the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 23

Getting To The HeartOf Patient ComplaintsWritten by Tina Del Buono, PMACGetting to the heart of patient complaintsis not always easy and many timesthe physician doesn’t even know thata patient has complained about somethingbecause the staff may not consider what theysaid to be a “big deal” or they may have justthought that the patient was in a bad mood.At times patients may say a negative thingabout their visit or treatment, but then laughand make a joke about it. Remember the age old saying “the truthis said in jest”? All staff members need to be eyes and ears for thephysicians they work for and not take negative statements, no matterhow lightly they are said, something to be brushed under the carpet.When a patient says something negative something is not rightwith the patient and we need to figure out what we can do aboutunderstanding how they are feeling and then set things right.The incident below is one that happened in our office and bytaking the steps in the “LEAD” method we were able to resolve thepatient’s frustration and have a better line of communication withher and her understanding of the treatment protocol that the doctorhad given her.Mrs. Jones just finished her appointment with the doctorand heads to the front counter to checkout, when thefront office assistant asks her “did you need to scheduleanother appointment?” Mrs. Jones curtly replies, “whyshould I, it doesn’t seem to do any good. I am leavinghere with the same problem that I came in with 3 weeksago and it is not any better.” Believe it or not, patients willcomplain to the physician’s staff and never mention thatanything is wrong or bothering them to the physician.So, what should the staff member do if they hear thesecomplaints? Your assistants should be trained to bringany complaint that a patient has aired directly to youand right away. They should NOT just let the patientleave the office and never inform the physician of theincident, it is not their judgment call to make, it is thephysicians. An excellent office policy to have in place isif a patient airs a complaint at the checkout window, toa back office assistant, or to any staff member is to havethat patient step back into the treatment room to takecare of what is bothering them right away. Then informthe doctor what the patient has said or how they arefeeling and let the physician go and talk to the patientto work things through. Patients are pleasantly surprisedthat the office staff and physician care enough to takecare of any issues right away. One of the best solutionsto taking care of patient complaint issues is the “LEAD”1. “L”method. By taking the following steps you will not only beable to turn around “most” negative patient issues. Youwill be able to lead yourself into better relationships withyour patients, which creates satisfied customers and areferral source stream that will continue to feed yourpractice for the future.Take the time to listen to what the patient is saying. Do notinterrupt, wait until they are finished and then make your commentson how you can help them.2. “E”Empathize with the patient and how they are feeling. You may nottruly understand where they are coming from, but you can understandhow they feel.3. “A”Act on what they have told you. Whether they are unhappy becauseyou made them feel rushed or because the treatment protocol hasnot produced the results that they would like, you need to act on this.Either explain in further detail what the treatment plan is and whyit will take time for symptoms to subside, or change direction in thetreatment plan and tell them what the new expectations are. For onereason or another they are feeling like “nothing is working and theymight as well give up on what you have told them.” They need to bereassured and shown that you care for them. Far too many times wehear patients complain that their physicians do not take the time toreally communicate with them and today’s medicine is done in therush in, rush out method by the physicians. What if this was yourmother or father, how would you want them treated?4. “D”Document. Above all document, document, document. Eachperson’s conversation with the patient needs to be fully documented.Remember, if it wasn’t documented it didn’t happen. You neverknow when a patient/physician relationship will go sour. You needto document in your chart as if you were preparing to go to trial todefend yourself.Have a brief office meeting this week to make sure that all ofyour staff understands the importance of resolving any patientdissatisfaction, right away. Our patients come to us because theyneed help. Let’s make sure we (physicians and staff personnel) areall ready to jump on-board to give our patients the best understandingand care for their healthcare problems possible.24 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

College VS AssociationDo you know the differences between a regulatory agency and an association?Here are the top 10 differences between a regulatory agency/College, such as COCOO and an association ofprofessionals, such as the CFPM:RegulatorAssociation1 Acts in the interest of the public Acts in the interest of the profession2Governed by a Council consisting of professional membersand government appointed public membersGoverned by a Board of Directors consisting ofprofessionals3Registers members based on legislated criteria.Membership is mandatory in order to practiceAccepts members based on association-determinedcriteria. Membership is voluntary4Requires members to participate in legislated qualityassurance programsProvides members with opportunities for continuingeducation5Sets standards of practice to ensure safe and competentservice for the publicProvides competency enhancing opportunities formembers seeking to work to a “gold “ standard6Engages the public in order to inform them of the value ofregulated professionalsEngages the members in order to serve their professionalneeds7Required to have a complaints process in place to respondto members who do not practice to the set standardsThe national/provincial association is not required to havea complaints process in place8910Advocates for the public in order to ensure safe, effectiveand equitable service across the provinceProvides accessible information to the public regarding theprofessions, the registry of members, expected practicestandards and the complaints processAccountable to the public, the government and themembersAdvocates for the profession in order to effect changes toservice delivery, to develop specialty certificates, increasepublic awareness of professional servicesProvides accessible information to its members regardingprofessional development opportunities, developments inthe professional fields, political developments that affectthe professionsAccountable to the membersthe Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 25

Take Your Practicefrom Good to GreatWritten by Jon A Hultman DPM MBAWhen I began providing consultingservices for medical practices, I fullyexpected that doctors who needed myservices would be the ones who were struggling.Instead, what I encountered were successfuldoctors who had already built good practicesand were seeking to create great practices.With success had come high patient volumeand greater complexity, leading to backlogs,longer patient waits, delayed access, staffing problems, billingmistakes, and a host of volume related issues, all affecting patientsatisfaction, the doctor and staff’s enjoyment of work, profitability,and other measures of “greatness.” How could these conditions bealleviated and these good practices made great?A 1991 book published byJim Collins entitled Good to Greatencompasses five years of rigorousresearch targeted at identifyingcommon factors which separategood companies from great ones.One of the hardest questionsCollins had to answer was, “Whybuild a great company at all? Isn’ta successful company enough?”His conclusion was, “If you’redoing something you care thatmuch about, and you believe in its purpose deeply enough, then itis impossible to imagine not trying to make it great.” Collins feelsthat if you are not compelled to become great at whatever type ofwork you are engaged in, you are probably engaged in the wrong lineof work. As doctors, we need to know what it takes to build greatmedical practices, and in comparing my findings (from working withmedical practices) with Collins’ research on companies, I discoveredmany similarities. Perhaps one of the most significant parallels isthat it is easier and more fun to create and work at a great company(practice) than it is to create and work at a good one. In this article,I will discuss the areas identified by Collins in his research in thecontext of my experience of working with medical practices.When I published my book Reengineering the Medical Practice in1995, one of my motivations was that I felt many of the managementprinciples suggested by experts for improving medical practiceperformance was flat out wrong. One of the adages we were taught byour surgical professors was, “The enemy of good is better.” This wasalso a widely held belief amongst company managers. If this weretrue, going from good to great would be a mistake. Another adagewas, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” If this were true, there would beno need for reengineering or continuous quality improvement. Whentechnology was introduced into medical practices, the suggestedapplications defied the laws of physics as they applied to workflowand efficiency. The list of erroneous management principles beingMany practice management experts acceptthe adage, “People are the most importantasset any manager has.” It is rare to seean article where a successful CEO or doctordoes not credit staff as one of the mostimportant factors behind his/her success.taught to doctors was almost endless. For this reason, I dedicatedthe early chapters of my book to what I felt were the basic areas onwhich to focus when attempting to improve practice performance.I derived many of these from disciplines of companies engagedin manufacturing, and this included workflow, process efficiency,continuous quality improvement, statistics, economics, finance, andother concepts not traditionally taught in medical school. I have beentesting these concepts over the past ten years to determine how theyapply to patient, paper, and information flow in a medical practiceand what their impact on patient satisfaction, quality, cost, andrevenue might be. It is only recently that the Institute of Medicine hasidentified these areas as core physician competencies capable ofaddressing medical errors, quality problems, treatment variation, andhigh cost in healthcare. The unchanging principles underlying theseconcepts have held up in the “realworld” and form the foundation forsound practice improvement.I first quoted from Jim Collins’“timeless principles” several yearsago. He stated that, “While thepractices of engineering continuallyevolve, the laws of physics remainrelatively fixed.” Collins felt thatthe principles basic to the greatcompanies he had identified wererelevant no matter how much theworld changed. I agree. Let us take a closer look at some of hisfindings and discuss the relevance of each one to our practices andour profession.Level Five LeadershipYou could fill a library with books on leadership. Almost by definition,a good practice has a good “leader.” In fact, I find that doctors whohave built good practices are often leaders in several areas, includingtheir communities, hospitals, and professional associations.Leadership qualities are difficult to put into words, but words oftenassociated with leaders include: trustworthy, competent, confident,effective, influential, visionary, and attentive listener.There is no question that building a good practice requires thefactors listed above, but in his study, Collins was seeking to identifyfactors necessary for building something great. He found that greatcompanies were built by those he termed Level Five Executives.Collins delineated a hierarchy of five levels of executives: a LevelOne leader being a highly capable individual possessing manytalents, Level Two: a contributing team member, Level Three: acompetent manager, and Level Four: an effective leader. Certainly,a Level Four corporate leader is capable of building a good company,just as a Level Four doctor is capable of building a good medicalContinued page 3026 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

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Continued from page 19participants to ensure a continuum of learning and growth (please visitwww.diabetespeptalk.ca). The CAWC project team also works withpeer Leaders and healthcare professionals to identify appropriateindicators and targets, based on their community’s population andcontext. PEP Talk utilizes existing brochures, posters and pamphlets,as well as other materials developed by the CAWC’s Diabetes, HealthyFeet and You program. PEP Talk workshop locations are identifiedin Table 1.• “That this program will lessen foot andleg amputations.”• “To see changes and improvements inthe field of diabetes.”• “That the information receives will helpothers hopefully in a domino effect.”ProvinceNewfoundlandLocation(s)Gander– Hopes and aspiration of peer leaders for their peersNova ScotiaNew BrunswickPrince Edward IslandOntarioQuebecSaskatchewanManitobaAlbertaBritish ColumbiaTable 1. PEP Talk workshop locationsSydney, IngonishMonctonCharlottetownLondonSherbrooke (French)Pinehouse Lake, La Ronge(Aboriginal)Pine FallsCalgaryVancouverSupport modelsPeer-led support models – such as the one utilized in the PepTalk program – shift some of the responsibility for education fromhealthcare providers to volunteers who are eager to help fellowpeople living with diabetes. Peer-led support models can be used toteach many valuable skills, including dealing with stress, managingand monitoring symptoms and navigating healthcare systems.At-risk populations such as Aboriginal, First Nation and Metis canparticularly benefit from peer-led support. These populations oftensuffer from a lack of access to healthcare services and culturallyrelevant diabetes education and materials in appropriate languages,formats and reading levels.Peer-led groups can directly counter both of these problems,as peer leaders will speak the same language, both literally andcontextually, as the peers they are educating.Andrew Springer, a member of the national expert advisory teamand a chiropodist who works as part of the Southern Ontario AboriginalDiabetes Initiative, says “Screening clinics held in Aboriginal, FirstNations and Metis communities often attract people living withdiabetes who are motivated and well-controlled. The higher riskpatients who are most likely to develop ulceration and subsequentcomplications generally remain hidden and are rarely the peoplewho show up to be seen and evaluated. By empowering volunteersin the community, the PEP Talk program brings the informationneeded to the grassroots and increases the likelihood that peoplemost likely destined to be negative statistics are appropriatelyeducated and become adherent to treatment plans that will reducetheir risk profiles.”Dr. Rohrmann noted “I’m privileged to be able to work in bothurban and rural communities in Saskatchewan, and have found thatmy approach to education must be specific to both the individual andthe community”Finally, Dr. Rohrmann noted: The old adage that knowledge ispower does not always hold true; indeed, knowledge is only potentialpower, in this case, the power to improve diabetes self-care and avoidlower limb complications. I have seen the benefits of the PEP Talkprogram firsthand and would strongly suggest that as a healthcareprovider you become involved, get energized and be rewarded bybuilding relationships.”ConclusionsPeer leaders are the future of promoting optimal foot care andpotentially reducing amputations across Canada. The key factor tothe success of Pep Talk: Diabetes, Healthy Feet and You is the abilityof peer leaders to relate to workshop participants with diabetes whohave experienced neuropathy or will experience it in the future.“It has long been said that, with diabetes, if you ignore your feet they’ll go away. That has neverbeen more true than today. Every 20 seconds, someone loses part of their leg due to thissinister disease. The good news, though, is that through programs like Diabetes, Healthy Feetand You we can make a major difference in stemming the tide.”– David G. Armstrong DPM MD PhDDirector, Southern Arizona Limb Salvage Alliance28 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

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Continued from page 25practice, but building a great company takes a Level Five Executive,and the two characteristics that Collins says differentiate thisexecutive from the others are personal humility and professionalwill. The professional will associated with Level Five Executives isnot surprising; an executive must be committed and possess thepersonal resolve to do whatever is necessary in order to make acompany great; however, the finding of personal humility as akey leadership factor enabling the building of a great companywas unexpected. The data that Collins found supporting this wasoverwhelming and convincing. These findings require an expansionof the set of words on our “leaders list” to include: quiet, humble,modest, reserved, shy, gracious, mild-mannered, self-effacing, andunderstated – traits not typically mentioned in the same sentencewith leadership. Obviously, for the second list of traits to be anasset, a leader must also possess those on the first list. As wediscuss the other areas Collins found necessary for building a greatcompany (practice), it will become clearer why these Level Five traitsare so important.The Right PeopleMany practice management experts accept the adage, “People arethe most important asset any manager has.” It is rare to see anarticle where a successful CEO or doctor does not credit staff asone of the most important factors behind his/her success. Collinsexpands this adage, however, citing that it is not people who are acompany’s (practice’s) most important asset, but rather, the rightpeople. This is a subtle, but critical, distinction, one which has beenproven over and over again. Leaders who build great companiesuniversally love what they do, but much of this love has to do withwhom they work. This insight tends to contrast with conventionalwisdom. Most people believe that vision, direction, and strategycome first, but great companies always focus first on what Collinsrefers to as “getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people offthe bus, and then getting everyone into the right seat.” Only after thisis accomplished, should it be determined where “the bus” is going.Collins’ “right people on the bus” concept has strong applicationsfor building great practices. It applies to choosing partners, associates,merger candidates, staff, and setting office policies. Collins foundthat most of the good companies he selected to compare with greatcompanies consisted of “a genius with a thousand helpers.” Eachhad a smart leader who set a vision and then recruited capablepeople to help attain this vision. This model is complex, requiresconsiderable bureaucracy and supervision, and encounters difficultywhen the vision changes or market realities dictate a change indirection. This is the point at which many busy, “successful,” medicalpractices find themselves struggling. Usually, a doctor does not havethe luxury of employing an executive staff or managers to superviseemployees, and using traditional models, cannot supervise staffwho are “out of sight” (performing clinical and business functionsin other areas of the office when s/he is in treatment rooms withpatients). Following the “good to great” model, and getting all theright people on the bus before determining where the bus is going,in conjunction with employing information technology at all officelocations, provides the solution.Persistence, determination, and a positiveattitude are critical for success and for goingfrom good to great; however, these traits mustbe combined with what Collins refers to as“confronting the brutal facts.” This is the pointat which charismatic leaders or “geniuses witha thousand helpers” can run into problems.Every doctor has experienced the agony of having the “wrongperson on the bus.” Most employers are reluctant to fire suchemployees, but an important point that Collins makes is that this isin the best interest of the employee as well as the practice. It isa great disservice to everyone in a practice, including the offendingemployee, to keep the wrong person on staff. This creates a burdenfor the employees who are achieving, and it delays the opportunityfor the “wrong person” to find a new job for which s/he is the “rightperson.” The last thing you want to have happen is to lose the rightperson because you failed to remove the wrong one. The “right”people don’t need to be closely supervised because they are selfmotivated to produce results. Attitude is more important than skills.The right attitude cannot be taught, but skills can. Most doctors havefound that when they have the right people with the right attitudes,work is more fun, less supervision is needed, and the practice ismore productive.To go from good to great in the future will require collaboration,teamwork, and group practice. To accomplish this effectively willrequire the right people, and they should be recruited before settinga vision or developing a strategy. Collins’ three recommendationsfor acquiring and keeping the right people are: 1) If you haveany doubts about hiring a person, it is better to keep looking,2) When you know you need to make a “people change,” takeaction immediately, and 3) Put your best people on your biggestopportunities, not your biggest problem. It is often difficult to becertain if someone is the wrong person and should be “removedfrom the bus.” To determine this, Collins suggests you ask thefollowing questions: 1) If you were making a hiring decision, wouldyou hire this person again? – and 2) If this person told you that heor she were leaving to pursue a new opportunity, would you feelterribly disappointed? – or secretly relieved?Confronting Facts Without Losing FaithThere is no question that a positive attitude is important to success.Most successful doctors I know read motivational books and haveattended motivational lectures. Ray Kroc, founder of McDonalds,said that the traits most responsible for his success were persistenceand determination. Persistence, determination, and a positiveattitude are critical for success and for going from good to great;however, these traits must be combined with what Collins refers to as“confronting the brutal facts.” This is the point at which charismaticleaders or “geniuses with a thousand helpers” can run into problems.Continued page 3330 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

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Continued from page 30Essential to confronting brutal facts is an environment wherepeople have the opportunity to be heard which, ultimately, leads tothe truth being heard. Leaders who are positive, determined, anddriven by a vision often have the unintended effect of preventing thebrutal facts from emerging because people are afraid to appear asnegative or non-team players by voicing these issues. All companiesface adversities, but companies attempting to go from good to greatrespond differently to adversity. Their leaders encourage teammembers to debate facts and confront the realities of the changingenvironment, and when mistakes are made or things do not workout as planned (the “brutal facts”), they evaluate what went wrongwithout fixing blame. Those leading great companies realize thatnothing can be more demoralizing than clinging to false hope builton incorrect facts or an inaccurate perception of reality. Once peoplehave been heard, issues have been debated, and the realities of achanging environment have been considered, cumulative decisionswill be better, and the entire team can come together and work inharmony with an absolute conviction that, in spite of adversity, theywill triumph in the end.By itself, technology cannot create greatness,or cause decline, but depending on whichdirection a company is going, it can accelerateeither a good or bad direction. In the case ofmedical practices, we all have access to thesame technology.Passion and FocusI hear many doctors complain about aspects of practice they don’tenjoy. The complaint might center on a type of patient, a medicalcondition, certain treatment procedures, an insurance company, thepractice facility, or an employee. In spite of the fact that, ultimately,it is the doctor’s practice and within his/her power to make any typeof change imaginable, it is amazing how many excuses doctors findto maintain the status quo. Often, this is due to the fear of losingincome; however, continuing to do things s/he doesn’t enjoy actuallyaffects earnings negatively over the long term. Doctors need to knowthat anything they dislike about their practices can, and should, bechanged.In evaluating companies that have moved from good to great,Collins used three intersecting circles to help a company find itsfocus. The first circle represents what you can be “the best in theworld at”; the second identifies the economic driver of your business;and the third contains what you are deeply passionate about. Itis hard to be best in the world at very many things, and it is evenharder to be great at something without being passionate about it.Combining what you are good at with what you are passionate aboutis a major factor in going from good to great. It also makes workfun for everyone involved. Economic drivers are beyond the scopeof this article, but I can assure you that mindless pursuit of growthis not one. If you are doing what you are passionate about, and it issomething at which you are among the best, the economics will takecare of themselves – even if there is no third party coverage.Technology AcceleratorI was pleased to see that none of the companies studied by Collinsthat became great credited technology as the primary reason fortheir greatness. Technology cannot create a level five leader or turnthe wrong people into right ones. Companies identified as movingfrom good to great tended to see the role of technology differentlyfrom other companies. Specifically, most felt that it was not thetechnology itself that made a difference, but rather, the uniqueapplication of that technology.By itself, technology cannot create greatness, or cause decline, butdepending on which direction a company is going, it can accelerateeither a good or bad direction. In the case of medical practices, weall have access to the same technology. The differentiating factoramongst practices is how they apply that technology to improve theareas described in this article as necessary for achieving greatness.MomentumUpon seeing a great company, people might ask, “What is thebreakthrough that made the most difference?” Typically, thereis no single “breakthrough” that is responsible. Instead, it is theaccumulation of effort in a constant direction which adds up overtime. What this accumulation creates is momentum, and I feelthat this is one of the most important factors in the achievement ofgreatness. To make a point about the importance of momentum,Collins uses the example of a flywheel measuring thirty feet indiameter, two feet thick, and weighing 5,000 pounds. Envision agroup of people pushing this flywheel in one direction around anaxel. At first, it moves very slowly, and it may take several hours tocomplete one full rotation. With sustained effort, however, the speedof the flywheel steadily increases, gaining momentum by buildingupon work completed earlier. There is never one big push, or bigevent, that accounts for the speed, but rapid rotation is eventuallyachieved through an accumulation of effort over time. If we applythis same principle to a company, we can say, “Once a company hasattained momentum, more can be accomplished with less effort.”The “flywheel effect” is comparable to the power and leverage madepossible through continuous improvement. With momentum, it iseasier for everyone involved to see results and recognize the directiona company is going. It is easier to build enthusiasm, overcomeresistance to change, and attract more of the right people when acompany (practice) has momentum. All of this leads to moving fromgood to great.Imagine doing work about which you are passionate and at whichyou are among the best in the world everyday. Then, imagine doingthis work with the right people, ones who are self-motivated, requirelittle supervision, and you enjoy being around. Now, imagine thatonce momentum is achieved, things just keep getting better. Theseare the rewards for moving from a good to a great practice. Sincebuilding a great practice requires no more effort than creating a goodone, I suggest investigating these ideas further and considering asyour next practice goal a move from good to great.the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 33

TheGoldenRuleContinued from page 15consequences for non-compliance. Remember too that policies havemuch more credence and respect if the one creating it is also the onefollowing it. Set the example.8. Don’t eat or drink in public areas of your officeIt’s disappointing to see a giant Slurpee or smell the remnants of ahalf-eaten hamburger at the front desk – even though their defenseis that they are working through their lunch. There is no denyingthe unprofessionalism of hearing someone answer the phonewith something in their mouth. Spit out the food before engagingin any conversation…and make arrangements to either close theoffice during lunch or alternate shifts between staff so eating whileanswering the phone is not encouraged.9. Treat each patient as if they were a memberof your family…and I should add…a member of your family THAT YOU LIKE. It’sunethical to offer a treatment plan solely on what type of insurance theyhave instead of the needs of the patient. The best rule of thumb whenoffering a treatment plan is to think first, “Would I recommend thisif this patient were my mother?” That puts everything in perspectiveand allows you to offer the best care at the most affordable cost.10. Treat each patient as a person, not aconditionThe “wart” is not in Room #3 and you are not awaiting the arrival ofthe “fungus toe nail.” Patients are people…not conditions and shouldbe referred to by their given name. Speaking of which, if you reallywant to address your patients correctly…find out how they preferredto be addressed and indicate it in their charts for future reference.Some prefer “Mr., Mrs., Ms. while others PREFER their first name.Nicknames should only be used as suggested by your patients. Avoidusing “hon”, “honey”, “sweetie” or any other terms of endearment.They should not be used in a professional setting.Ms. Homisak, President of SOS Healthcare Management Solutions,has a Certificate in Human Resource Studies from Cornell UniversitySchool of Industry and Labor Relations. She is the 2010 recipient ofPodiatry Management’s Lifetime Achievement Award and recentlyinducted into the PM Hall of Fame. Lynn is also an Editorial Advisorfor Podiatry Management Magazine and recognized nationwide as aspeaker, writer and expert in staff and human resource management.Cold Feet – A third year English studenton clinical placement in CanadaBy Georgie EvansSince I began my degree in Podiatry (Chiropody) at SouthamptonUniversity in the United Kingdom, I have wanted to attenda placement in Canada, with the aim to ultimately move toCanada to begin my professional career following graduation. Whenthe opportunity to attend a clinical placement at Foot Works Chiropodyin Waterloo, Ontario arose, I immediately applied for consideration. Iwas exceptionally pleased when I was told I had been successful in myapplication and would be attending a work placement at Foot Worksfor a month beginning February 16th to March 16th 2013.With my imminent graduation at the forefront of my mind, thepossibility of working in Canada as a qualified Podiatrist is my eventualgoal. Canadians have a great reputation throughout the world as beingfriendly and welcoming, and I have found that is most definitely thecase during my stay here. This, coupled with the standard of living, thecareer opportunities and the predictable seasons, are all reasons forme to establish a home and business here. England is not renownedfor its weather, with rain being the staple prediction for a weatherforecast, so I have been delighted at the volume of snow in Kitchener-Waterloo throughout my stay!The professional benefits of attending the placement encompassthe opportunity to experience the working environment of a podiatryclinic in a different country and learn from the differences between theplacements I have so far undertaken in the NHS in the United Kingdomwhen compared with the private practice of Foot Works. The abilityto expand my professional horizons through being able to networkwith podiatrists in another country and to experience the differentworking practices of a Canadian clinic have also added to my learningcapabilities whilst on placement. It is important to experience as manydifferent placement locations as possible in order to build up a soundand broad knowledge base of a working podiatry clinic on which tobuild my own professional and practical clinical skills.In addition to the all-important professional gains of this placement,on a more personal level, my decision to apply for the placement is basedon never having been to Canada, or indeed worked abroad before, thusintroducing the wholly new opportunity to experience working and livingin a different country. I have found this very exciting and have embracedthe experience wholeheartedly, exploring the surrounding areas; makingsure to immerse myself in the local culture. I have attended a hockeymatch where the local team, the Kitchener Rangers, won for me (verynice of them!) and have gone skiing at Chicopee ski club, the local slope.I also discovered the wildlife is different to the UK, with black squirrelsoutside the clinic causing me great delight to the amusement of myCanadian colleagues. This has served to further cement in my mind thewish to work in this varied, vast and friendly country.I have found the Canadians I have met (both patients and staff at FootWorks) to be kind, considerate and friendly and have very much enjoyedworking with everyone at the clinic. The opportunity to attend a podiatryclinical placement in Canada is an experience I have relished greatly andgained a lot from. I would like to thank Stephen Hartman for the opportunityto attend this placement and for making me feel very welcome.34 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

CFPM 2013 Annual Conference2013 AnnualCONFERENCEThe Canadian Federation of Podiatric MedicineAnnouncing the 2013 Annual Conference,taking place on October 4-5, 2013 in Toronto,Ontario at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel.October 4-5, 2013Doubletree Hilton Hotel655 Dixon Road, Toronto, ONPhone: 1-416-244-1711www.doubletree3.hilton.comThe 2013 CFPM conference will include great internationalspeakers and interesting, relevant topics such as:• Diabetes• Dermatology• Biomechanics• Practice Management• Lectures for assistants• Largest podiatry exhibit hall in CanadaAnd more…Join us for the Reach for the Top CFPM Celebration at the topof the CN Tower on Friday, Oct. 5, 2013More information coming soon…Exhibitor Booth AwardsAt the 2012 CFPM Conference, 3 exhibitors were awarded special recognition for their outstandingeffort and design during the conference.Best Use of Innovation& Technology: Awarded toDr. Seth Steber (right) of OptogaitBest Customer Serviceduring Conference: Awarded toHoward Dollin (right) of Ped-A-LigneBest Exhibit Overall: Awarded to the group fromSuperior Medicalthe Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 35

Classified AdsPart Time ChiropodistRequired – Toronto, ONPART TIME REGISTERED CHIROPODISTDOWNTOWN TORONTO (can lead to fulltime). All Chiropodists (including newgraduates) are welcome to apply! Ourclinic requires an energetic, pleasant andprofessional individual that provides thehighest quality of Chiropody care with theextreme attention to customer service.We have support staff, up to dateequipment, and a friendly workenvironment. Interested candidates areasked to please e-mail your resume to:customerservice@stepbystepfootcare.com(no phone calls please)Full Time, Contract PositionAvailable – Collingwood, ONPrivate chiropody clinic in Collingwood, ONis currently seeking a registered chiropodistto cover a 6-month maternity leave(July 2013 – January 2014).Our clinic treats a wide array of patientsand duties include in-clinic work as well ashouse calls and nursing homes. Personaltransportation is required.We require a highly motivated individualwith a high level of professionalismand dedication. Reception staff and allequipment is provided.Experience is an asset but new graduatesare welcome to apply. Interestedcandidates are asked to pleaseforward your resume tocollingwoodfootcare@gmail.com.Associate Position Available– Sudbury, ONLooking for an associate for an 18 yearestablished clinic. State of the art clinicwith many repeat patients. The clinic hasESWT (shockwave), two Laser/Theralase units with deep penetration,two G-Pulse/Laser units, latest sterilizationunit, ultrasound, etc. Experience anasset but not necessary. New gradscan apply. Many repeat patients. Visitwww.footclinicsudbury.com for moreinformation. Please apply to footdoc08@bell.net (08 are numerals). Please sendbrief information about yourself. Must loveto work as a team and willing to learn. Ifyou love a sense of humor, ready smilesand a foot specialist willing to teach youeverything he knows on latest techniques,then you should not miss this opportunity.Part Time Chiropody PositionAvailable – Mississauga, ONRegistered Chiropodist required toperform surgical procedures and toprovide systemic Medications. ExcellentRenumeration. Mississauga Location.Contact: feetinmotion@bellnet.caFull Time Chiropody/PodiatryPosition Available – Sudbury, ONThe DeSimone Foot & Ankle Centre islooking for a Chiropodist or Podiatristfull time. We are looking for an honest,integral and enthusiastic Chiropodist/Podiatrist to join our patient centeredteam. New graduates are welcometo apply but must possess excellentsurgical and communication skills. Theymust be prepared to work in a TEAMbased environment and focus on highcustomer service. We will provide youwith full support staff including castingtechnician, chair side assistant, receptionand shoe fitting technicians. Newly built,state of the art facility. Send resume tojuliejdesimone@gmail.comFull Time Chiropody PositionAvailable – Kingston, ONFull time staff Chiropodist needed in ourgrowing practice in Kingston, On. Newgraduates are welcome to apply. Greatsalary, generous benefits and flexible workschedule. New office, lasers, Optogait videogait analysis, support staff and all modernequipment. Must be highly motivated,honest and able to work as a team playerin this family practice foot clinic. Pleasesend resumes to kfc673@hotmail.comPosition Available – Toronto, ONOur foot clinic team is growing and weare looking for a principled, honest,enthusiastic practitioner. Someone whowants to be part of a team that pridesitself on practice excellence. We had over120 new patients last month. You mustbe wiling to go above and beyond whatmight normally be expected in practice,but the rewards are immense. Our clinicis located 50 yards from the BroadviewSubway and is state of the art. We havelaser, shockwave, computerized painlessinjections, ultrasound, X-ray, Dopplar,interferential, 3-D laser casting and apaperless office. Must be hard workingand a team player. This is not a 9 - 5job. This position is for 4 days per week.Mondays, Thursdays, Friday and Saturdays.Please call Dr. John A. Hardy at 416-716-0976. Please visit our website at www.academyclinics.com for more informationabout our clinic.Associate ChiropodistPosition Available – City ofKawartha Lakes (Lindsay, ON)Our extremely busy clinic is looking fora motivated Chiropodist. We expect thesuccessful candidate to have outstandinghands on skills AND the ability to temperthese with genuine people skills. If thisdescribes you, we are most interestedin hearing from you. Our clinic is fullyinvested in providing the best careavailable. We offer a fun and friendlyenvironment where we treat our patientslike family and we love to come to work!We offer a professional office environmentin a medical building, aggressivecompensation, a computerized schedulingand charting system, skilled reception andassistant staff, and an owner/Chiropodistwho is both willing to offer his experienceand is also interested in learning fromyou. Most of all, we have patients who arereally excited to meet you! This position isavailable to new graduates and seasonedveterans of the profession. We are lookingfor someone who would be invested in ouroffice and wants to put down roots in this36 the Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013

ClassifiedContinuedbeautiful part of Ontario. The positionis being offered as part-time (0.5 FTE),but we expect it will not be long untilit is a full-time opportunity. Pleaseforward your cover letter and resumeto: james@astepaheadfootclinic.caFlexible EmploymentOpportunity – Alliston, ONPrivate chiropody clinic in Alliston isseeking one full time or two parttimechiropodists for employmentcommencing May 2013 to April 2014which may lead to permanent parttimeor full time position.We would be willing to hire a thirdyear student to work as a podiatricassistant while waiting to write theBoard COCOO exam. This is a greatopportunity for a recent graduatewho is looking for private practiceexperience on a part-time basiswhile working on setting-up their ownpractice, or a full time chiropodistlooking for employment. Alliston islocated approximately one hour northof Toronto with an easy commute,generally against traffic.Our clinic requires an energetic,pleasant and professional individualthat provides the highest quality ofpodiatric care. The clinic is ownedby Ian McLean and Sonia Maragoniboth practicing chiropodists, with foursupport staff who provide a friendlyfun work environment. Simcoe FootClinic was the recipient of the 2012CFPM Student Mentor Award. Pleasevisit our website to learn more aboutus http://www.simcoefootclinic.ca/and Facebook at www.facebook.com/simcoefootclinicIf interested please forward yourresume to: info@simcoefootclinic.ca• Superior design and quality.• A true Orthopaedic/diabetic comfort shoe line.• Available Fitting tower at an affordable price.• Good inventory. Quick delivery.• Available in both mens and womens styles invarious widths.To place an ad in the next issue,contact Cindy Hartman atcfpmexe.dir@cfpmcanada.cathe Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 37

Upcoming Events2013OntWIG 4th Annual SymposiumFriday, April 19, 2013OntWIG (Ontario Woundcare InterestGroup) 4th Annual Symposiumwww.ontwig.rnao.ca/eventsMay 2 – 5, 2013AAPPM Spring Practice ManagementWorkshopPittsburgh, PAwww.aappm.comMay 2 – 5, 2013Surgical Pearls by the SeaNewport, RIwww.podiatryinstitute.comMay 3 – 10, 2013Taste of TuscanyFlorence/Tuscany, Italywww.gtef.orgMay 16 – 19, 2013Reconstructive Surgeryof the Foot & AnkleAtlanta, Georgiawww.podiatryinstitute.comMay 31, 2013Prevention and Management ofDiabetic Foot ComplicationsToronto, ONwww.cawc.netJune 2 – 6, 2013Australasian Podiatry BiennialScientific ConferenceSydney, Australiawww.apodc.com.au/conference2013June 20 – 23, 2013The Western Foot & Ankle ConferenceAnaheim, CAwww.thewestern.orgJune 27 – 29, 20139th Annual Summer SeminarSeattle, WAwww.internationalfootankle.orgJune 27 – 30, 2013Footprints in the SandHilton Head, SCwww.podiatryinstitute.comJune 28 – 30, 2013TPMA Annual ConferenceHorseshoe Bay, Texaswww.txpma.orgJul. 11 – 14, 2013AOSSM Annual MeetingChicago, ILwww.sportsmed.orgJul. 21 – 25, 2013APMA Annual Scientific ConferenceLas Vegas, NVwww.apma.orgAug. 8 – 11, 2013Pacific Coast ConferencePortland, ORwww.podiatryinstitute.comAug. 4 – 10, 2013International Associationfor IndentificationProvidence, Rhode Islandwww.theiai.orgAug. 20 – 31, 2013Rhone River Cruise SeminarParis to Barcelonawww.internationalfootankle.orgAug. 23 – 25, 2013Current Concepts in the Managementof Foot and Ankle DisordersOverland, KSwww.podiatryinstitute.comSept. 4 – 8, 20132013 Montana Meeting:The Great OutdoorsMissoula, MTwww.goldfarbfoundation.orgSept. 19 – 21, 201319th Annual Las Vegas SeminarLas Vegas, NVwww.internationalfootankle.orgSept. 26 – 29, 2013Reconstructive Surgeryof the Foot & AnkleSan Diego, CAwww.podiatryinstitute.comSept 27 – 29, 2013TPMA Southwest Foot &Ankle ConferenceFrisco, Texaswww.txpma.orgOct. 4 - 5, 2013CFPM 14th Annual ConferenceToronto, ONwww.podiatryinfocanada.caOct. 4 – 6, 2013Insights & Advancements in Foot& Ankle SurgeryAtlantic City, NJwww.podiatryinstitute.comOct. 13 – 20, 201332nd Annual Hawaii/Kauai Seminarwww.internationalfootankle.orgOct. 17 – 19, 20132013 World CongressRome, Italywww.fip-ifp.orgOct. 18 – 20, 2013APMA Region One ConferenceDanvers, MAwww.apma.comOct. 18 – 20, 2013“No Nonsense” SeminarKey West, FLwww.gtef.orgNov. 7 – 10, 2013Hallux Valgus and RelatedForefoot SurgeryFort Myers, FLwww.podiatryinstitute.comNov. 7 – 10, 2013AAPPM Fall ConferenceFort Lauderdale, FLwww.aappm.orgNov. 14 – 16, 2013Annual Conference The Society ofChiropodist and PodiatristsLiverpool, Englandwww.scpod.orgNov. 15 – 17, 2013Mid Atlantic ConferenceCollege Park, Marylandwww.podiatryinstitute.comDec. 6 – 8 , 2013Windy City Podiatry ConferenceShaumburg, Illinoiswww.podiatryinstitute.comDec, 6 – 7 , 2013AAPPM California Dreaming WorkshopSanta Monica, CAwww.aappm.org2014Jan. 19 – 26, 2014Western Caribbean CruiseRCCL Freedom of the Seaswww.internationalfootankle.orgJune 2014Mediterranean Cruise Seminarwww.internationalfootankle.orgJul. 10 – 13, 2014AOSSM Annual MeetingSeattle, WAwww.sportsmed.orgJul. 24 – 27, 2014APMA Annual Scientific ConferenceHonolulu, Hawaiiwww.apma.orgAug. 10 – 16, 2014International Associationfor IdentificationMinneapolis, MNwww.theiai.orgOct. 11 – 18, 201433rd Hawaii/Maui SeminarMaui, Hawaiiwww.internationalfootankle.org2015Jan. 2015“Bucket List” Adventure CruiseAustralia/New Zealandwww.internationalfootankle.orgJul. 23 – 26, 2015APMA Annual Scientific ConferenceOrlando, FLwww.apma.orgAug. 2 – 8, 2015International Associationfor IdentificationSacramento, CAwww.theiai.org2016Aug. 7 – 13, 2016International Associationfor IdentificationCincinnati, OHwww.theiai.org2017Aug. 6 – 12, 2017International Associationfor IdentificationAtlanta, GEwww.theiai.orgthe Canadian podiatrist • Spring 2013 39

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