This week we have a program update for the Washington State (WSPMAA) Annual Meeting, as well as a new Position Available from the Networking page of the FootZine web site.  And the in-office dispensing series continues with another "IOD" Gem.  Here we go....

 ~  Gayle

From:  Susan Weeks, PMAC
re:      Educational Charts or Posters (Volume 65)

An answer to Stacy Davis re: foot charts or posters.  Medical Arts Press has a nice selection of patient education materials.  I just happened to be shopping in their Spring/Summer 2004 Catalogue as I am reading my emails.  Order toll-free or request a catalogue 800/328-2179.

Professionally,

Susan Weeks, PMAC
 
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From:  Starla Alvarado
re:      OSHA Compliance

Dear Gayle,

My name is Starla Alvarado.  I have been an Office Manager for Dr. Tracy Ferragamo for almost 3 months now and I am currently working on getting our office OSHA compliant.  I am having great difficulties on doing this because a lot of the regulations don't include our office.  We are a small practice with only 6 employees.  If you have any information that could help me I would greatly appreciate it.  Also, how would I go about becoming a member of FootZine?  Your site really interested me.  Thank you so much.

Thank you,

Starla Alvarado

*_*  Editor's Note  *_*

All you have to do to become part of the FootZine community is send me an email with the request to "subscribe", and we will add whatever email address you give us to the subscriber list.

FootZine is provided free of charge.
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe, simply send your email request to me at: gaylejohnson@footzine.com or footzine@comcast.net
or click one of the links below and include Subscribe or Unsubscribe as the email subject.
http://www.footzine.com/FZ-subscribe.htm
or
http://home.comcast.net/~gaylesjohnson/GSJ-web-subscribe.htm

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From:  Jamie Ancich, PMAC
re:      Washington State Annual Meeting

The Washington State Annual Meeting is right around the corner.  It’s being held at the beautiful Davenport in Spokane, Washington.  I really hope to see everyone there.  We have been working very hard making sure you have an awesome seminar to attend.  Here's a little peek at what’s in store for you.  We are full of excellent speakers and some great topics.

Friday’s schedule includes what everyone has been asking for, Diabetic wound care. ......Then “Getting off the couch and making things happen”  - tips on helping you get motivated.  Sara Colton, Therapist Consultant for the Department of Labor and Industries, on “Crunch, Crackle, Groan- I’m too young to feel this old.” .....Next  Dr. Alan Woodle....... who will give “ Front Office Pearls”.  Then ...... more about RSD or as others know it as Complex Pain Syndrome. 

Saturday morning .....Linda Bronson, a Safety Consultant for Department of Labor and Industries, with “What is WISHA Anyway?” ....an update on safety standards and the difference between OSHA and WISHA.  Next .... more about Neuroma Surgery and the Assistant’s part with Dr. Douglas Ichikawa..... and...."Keeping current with all the Changes of Billing and Coding" with Dr. Rick Horsman.  We will be kicking off the afternoon with Efficiency Tips for Staff that make “cents” for the practice with Lynn Homisak, and ending the afternoon session with Trauma Foot Surgery.  And we can’t forget our annual WSPMAA business meeting. 

For the Saturday evening banquet, don’t forget your Dancing Shoes and your dress-up clothes.  The doctors have a very elegant dinner planned for us, complete with ballroom dancing and even an instructor for those who could polish or in my case LEARN!  

Sunday there will be a CPR course offered and... WSPMAA advisor Dr. Nick Tanner will be speaking on “Sports Medicine Pearls.  Then you will all get to go home and start your workweek on Monday with all this new knowledge.  I have always loved that first week following a seminar.  You have so much motivation it’s like you have “Fallen in Love” with your job all over again, you have all this motivation and new knowledge. 

Thank You and I really hope you all enjoy your stay at the Davenport and the knowledge you will gain, and all those familiar faces you’ve been waiting all year to see. 

Sincerely,

Jamie Ancich, PMAC
WSPMAA Vice President

*_*  Editor's Note  *_*

Jamie's letter was edited for length, but the complete letter with all the program details is available via the Calendar Page at the FootZine web site: http://www.footzine.com/FZ_4.htm

Readers whose computers don't have "Word" can go to the link below to download a free "MS Word Viewer", which will enable them to read "Word" documents such as the letter/schedule mentioned above.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9BBB9E60-E4F3-436D-A5A7-DA0E5431E5C1&displaylang=EN

Position available, to start immediately:  Podiatric Medical Assistant/Office Manager, organized & personable, for both front & back office, in  West Palm Beach, FL
Call:  Dr. Jeff Lerner at (561) 641-7884

Notices of positions wanted or positions available, as well as other "classified" information, are welcome. They are posted at the FootZine web site's Networking page. Have a look at http://www.footzine.com/FZ_6.htm


*_*

"A mind without instruction can no more bear fruit than can a field, however fertile, without cultivation."   -  Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC)

*_*

So, if you find yourself in a practice rut, consider expanding the service base of your business.  Start by evaluating where you are today.  I recommend that you keep a running list for one month of all of the patients that you send out of your practice to buy goods or services from others.  Go through that list and decide which of those products or services you think you could effectively bring into the practice.  Approach it slowly, building one product or service expansion on top of the other.  Each success will lead to greater confidence and patient satisfaction.

If you decide to begin dispensing products in the office, take your time in examining the products that are available to you.  Use them yourself or ask a few patients to test them for you.  They are always willing to be involved in this type of “market research".   Start with the products you are currently sending your patients out to buy for themselves.  These probably include skin moisturizers, exfollients, antifungal preparations, sports pain relieving creams/gels, wart therapies or pre-fabricated orthotics.  You may want to visit some of the local pharmacies & supermarkets and explore their foot care areas.  I think you will be amazed at the variety of products out there.  Then you want to start to pay close attention to the advertisements in your podiatric journals and magazines.  They are full of foot care products that you can easily stock in your office.  Many of them are not widely available and become even more attractive from a business standpoint.  The decision in setting up a price point for these products is completely up to you.  They can be sold at your cost, or you can add some profit into the price.  If you do sell at cost, please be sure to factor in the cost of shipping for each product.

When searching for products to make available in your office, seek out those products that are as specific for your patient’s problems as possible.  For instance, if you can find products named “Cracked Heel Miracle”, stock it.  Patients become instantly interested in these products for many reasons.  First they can identify with the product because they have that problem, and secondly they are apt to purchase it because now they feel they are not alone in their misery, as there must be others out there who also suffer from the same problem!   If you look hard enough you will find these foot related products available to you, but you will not see many of them in your local pharmacy.

Like any business, the decision to add a new product line, or even begin to offer products for sale, is not one to be taken lightly.  Always provide the highest quality products that you have personally tried or have always recommended.  I think you will find that it becomes a large positive asset to the practice that your patients will appreciate.  The bottom line is that all products should be selected based upon clinical relevancy, product efficacy, price and availability.

Previous "Gems" can be found on their own pages of the FootZine.com web site, at
http://www.footzine.com/FZ_90.htm

If you know someone who may not be a FootZine subscriber but is looking for a job in this field, or for a new employee, please pass the Networking information along to them.  We'll be happy to include whatever contact information works best for anyone who is not internet-connected. 

I hope your weekend includes some sunshine.....and maybe a little leftover chocolate!


  ~ Gayle