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RESPONSES / COMMENTS (NON-CLINICAL) - PART 3

05/29/2012     




RE: Unethical Behavior By Foot Solutions (Peter Mason, DPM)
From: Lawrence M. Rubin, DPM

Drs. Mason and Nordeen had bad experiences with Foot Solutions stores in their areas. On the other hand, my experience with a Foot Solutions store in Henderson, Nevada has been very good. The store owner, a certified pedorthist, is cooperating with area podiatrists, Lions Clubs, and the Southern Nevada Health District (our area health department) in a diabetes amputation-prevention program. His store is one location in a network of commercial, medically-related, and community service locations that are collaborating to provide free preventive foot screening for diabetics on specific dates and times. The program is conducted by the non-profit Lower Extremity Amputation Prevention (LEAP) Alliance.

When screened persons have foot problems that should be evaluated by a podiatrist, they are given a list of participating podiatric practices.  If it turns out that diabetic shoes are indicated, screened persons may choose to get them from Foot Solutions, but it is made clear that they may follow up on the screening by choosing any podiatrist or shoe store they would like.

I think the bottom line on this discussion of ethical behavior should be that generalization should be avoided, and every Foot Solutions store should be rated according to its merit (or lack of merit).

Lawrence Rubin, DPM, Las Vegas, NV, lrubin@leapalliance.org