TV and newspaper advertisements for Scholl's items

[tenaciousplus]

deleted

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[tenaciousplus]

deleted

 

[dyk343]

I saw a commercial on the television for Dr. Scholl's wart remover. It looked like a small cartridge that may have had liquid nitrogen, or other some such chemical in it and the announcer said it was for treating finger warts. The same company has been running advertisements for shoe inserts they call orthotics for back pain. Dr. Scholl's has been around for a long time and there is even a Scholl school of Podiatric Medicine. Why do they advertise so much about these inserts for back pain and fingers wart treatments without a statement from the national organization? Many times patients will come to the office and ask for orthotics for their back pain or to have a wart removed from their fingers which is not in the scope of the modern Podiatric Physician practice and it makes it confusing for patients when they see these things on the TV. I would think that a company that has it's own school of Podiatric Medicine would go out of their way to promote the profession. In some states we providers could get in big trouble for prescribing orthotics for back pain, or removing a finger wart.

Correct my ignorance, but we are not allowed to write for an orthotic if the patient is having back pain? Especially if its alignment issues in the lower extremity?

 

[PADPM]

As stated, the Scholl company has nothing at all to do with the school. The school was called the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine. In the early 80's, the Scholl FOUNDATION offered a "donation" of 5 million dollars in exchange for the name change to Scholl. At the time, the students seriously despised the proposed name change and even dug up information to attempt to prove that William Scholl, MD never really graduated medical school, etc. It got ugly, but the Scholl Foundation prevailed because 5 million is/was a LOT of money for the school, and money spoke louder than words.

It is unfortunate that the public perceives a connection. Because as much as I've tried, I can not honestly say I believe Scholl makes useful or beneficial products.

 

[Cascade11]

Wow, I never knew that, Scholl name vs Scholl school. Kind of automatically assume one stems from the other.

 

[tenaciousplus]

deleted

 

[tenaciousplus]

deleted

 

[NatCh]

Correct my ignorance, but we are not allowed to write for an orthotic if the patient is having back pain? Especially if its alignment issues in the lower extremity?

I think you stick your neck out if you prescribe orthotics specifically to treat back pain, even if there is a lower extremity misalignment that's causing the back pain. If you prescribe the orthotics to treat pronation and the back pain just happens to get better, then everyone's happy. If the back pain doesn't get better because it turns out they have a herniated disc, then you've treated out of scope. If they don't have a herniated disc or foot issues, and the back pain doesn't get better, then you've just wasted their time and money.

The difficult situation arises when a patient's chief complaint is, "Need orthotics." You ask them why they feel they need orthotics, and it's because they've read on the internet that lower limb alignment problems can cause back pain, and they've determined that they have a lower limb alignment problem that must be the cause of their back pain. You ask them if they have foot pain and they say no.

 

[dyk343]

I think you stick your neck out if you prescribe orthotics specifically to treat back pain, even if there is a lower extremity misalignment that's causing the back pain. If you prescribe the orthotics to treat pronation and the back pain just happens to get better, then everyone's happy. If the back pain doesn't get better because it turns out they have a herniated disc, then you've treated out of scope. If they don't have a herniated disc or foot issues, and the back pain doesn't get better, then you've just wasted their time and money.

The difficult situation arises when a patient's chief complaint is, "Need orthotics." You ask them why they feel they need orthotics, and it's because they've read on the internet that lower limb alignment problems can cause back pain, and they've determined that they have a lower limb alignment problem that must be the cause of their back pain. You ask them if they have foot pain and they say no.

Very informative. Thanks for the reply.

 

[NatCh]

That's my take on it anyway. I'm sure there are those who would disagree with me. I know a podiatrist who had a back pain clinic (and it was named as such) several years ago.

Edit: Here's a similar scenario in which I don't know what the law says about it. Say a patient's only complaint is shin splints, ITB syndrome, or some other lower extremity malady that is obviously not directly involving the osseous structures of the foot and ankle. The patient came to you because they felt that a gait abnormality might be the root cause of their issue. You decide that physical therapy might be a good treatment option.

If you tell them to go see a PT, then as the referring doctor are you taking responsibility for managing the problem? Is it within our scope? If it is not in our scope, then is it okay because it is within the scope of the PT? Should we tell the patient to go see their PCP first to get a referral to PT? Is it okay to directly manage ITBS and shin splints as a podiatrist? What do you guys think?

 

[tenaciousplus]

deleted

 

[tenaciousplus]

[QUOTE=deleted

 

[NatCh]

deleted

I read your post via email notification prior to deletion and wanted to comment on one thing. I've also heard of some DPMs doing knees and hips and always thought those were urban legends, figuring no patient in his right mind would go to a foot doctor to have a knee replacement or hip replacement. Would any of you? I wouldn't, heck no. Do you know first hand for certain that some podiatrists are doing knees and hips?

 

[PADPM]

I read your post via email notification prior to deletion and wanted to comment on one thing. I've also heard of some DPMs doing knees and hips and always thought those were urban legends, figuring no patient in his right mind would go to a foot doctor to have a knee replacement or hip replacement. Would any of you? I wouldn't, heck no. Do you know first hand for certain that some podiatrists are doing knees and hips?

My simple answer is no way. Zero, zilch, no chance. What hospital or surgery center would allow this? It is legal in many states for a DPM to assist on any cases, so this is where the legend may have started. More importantly, the malpractice carrier is certainly not going to cover this scenario.

 

[NatCh]

My simple answer is no way. Zero, zilch, no chance. What hospital or surgery center would allow this? It is legal in many states for a DPM to assist on any cases, so this is where the legend may have started. More importantly, the malpractice carrier is certainly not going to cover this scenario.

That might be the source of the legend. Somebody assisted somebody else on their orthopedic case. When I was a fourth-year student I assisted on a total hip, so I guess I could say, "I did a total hip." Right? Wrong, pfffffft.