02/11/2016    Ira M. Baum, DPM

Podiatrists and Orthopedists

Podiatrists joining orthopedic surgical groups
confuses me. I can't understand why an individual
trains to become a podiatrist then joins an
orthopedic group. What motivates these
individuals? Is it the money? Orthopedists
receive higher reimbursement for equal services,
so maybe that's the draw? Is it prestige? You
know, running with the "big boys."

It's almost insulting to podiatrists. Were some
of these students unable to get into medical
school to become orthopedists? Or is it because
the type of services they want to provide has now
been coveted, by allopathic and osteopathic
medicine, to the foot & ankle orthopedists and
those podiatrists feel they can only provide
those services by joining an orthopedic group?
Is it that podiatric institutions are not
understanding the dynamics of the profession with
regards to the government, insurance companies,
and general public's current healthcare
environment.

Is it our institutions fault, or does our
profession need to re-evaluate our place in the
healthcare system? The origin and evolution of
podiatry/surgery progressed based on needs of the
society. It appears as though the health care
industry has changed, and maybe so has the need
for our specialty changed. Maybe podiatry needs a
paradigm shift or a methodical assimilation into
the fabric of the "new healthcare industry." Not
to discount our value in diabetes, sports
medicine/biomechanics and many other conditions
affecting the foot and ankle, but many of our
services overlap with other specialties that do
quality work as well.

Although best quality is something we pride
ourselves in, we cannot be foolish and believe we
are the only ones that can provide it. The
purpose of these questions is to stimulate a
discussion how to move forward. Please comment.

Ira M. Baum, DPM, Miami, Florida

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