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Physician

by Anonymous (no login)

 
It is people like RD who make the physician title so important. He would argue that dermatologists etc are physicians with that specialty but DPMs are never physicians. Whether you agree or disagree the term is more than semantics. Hospital bylaws, state law, and insurer payments all have the term physician. If someone like RD successfully argues that DPMs are not physicians then we are discriminated againcst at several levels. That is why most federal programs consider us "physicians".

Several insurers already pay DPMs at a lower reimbursment than MDs/DOs for the same procedure codes. Hardly fair if the care is the same or better. The family MD who attempts an ingrown toenail repair that fails and ends up in the DPM specialist office is often reimbursed higher then the DPM who resolved the problem. This happens for even E/M codes.

Now, anywhere in state law where it says a physician can do this or that, DPMs may be eliminated if RD makes the call. This may be as simple as allowing a handicap parking sticker or as complicated as nurses/PAs/ANP working for us or taking our orders.

Some hospital bylaws permit active staff and committee appointments only for "physicians". Now imagine no DPM representation on the credentials and other committees regardless how busy you may be at the hospital.

I feel because of our ability to treat the lower extremity "full scope" we are physicians. This is what distinguishes us from tne OD, DC, PT etc. Regardless, until discrimination by degree is eliminated titles remain important.

Posted on Mar 2, 2005, 10:51 AM
from IP address 205.188.116.130

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Response TitleAuthor and Date
Rely on Mar 7, 11:45 PM
 Same hereanonymous on Mar 13, 7:45 AM

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