News & Press https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/default.asp Mon, 13 Jul 2026 03:23:05 GMT Tue, 15 Oct 2019 21:38:07 GMT Copyright © 2019 Massachusetts Foot & Ankle Society, Inc. MFAS Footnotes: Program Advertisement https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474150 https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474150 ]]> Tue, 15 Oct 2019 22:38:07 GMT MFAS Footnotes: Legislative and Regulatory Update https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474148 https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474148
On the legislative front, the MFAS has continued to push its legislation to include the treatment of the ankle as part of a podiatric physician’s scope of practice. The Joint Committee on Public Health will hold a public hearing on the podiatric scope of practice legislation, House Bill1869 / Senate Bill 1329, An Act Relative to the Practice of Podiatry, on Tuesday, November 19th. In preparation for a public hearing on this matter, MFAS continues to meet with legislative leadership and members of the Joint Committee on Public Health as well as coordinating complementary advocacy efforts from the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). To further educate legislators and staff, MFAS will be holding its first educational forum at the State House on October 16th.

In addition to MFAS’s legislative priority legislation, MFAS continues to focus on two particular legislative initiatives – health care reform and a proposal that would give the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine (BORIM) direct oversight over the Massachusetts Board of Registration for Podiatry (BORP). On the first item, health care reform, while the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed a children’s wellness initiative at the end of July, there has been consistent speculation that another health care initiative including, but not limited to telehealth, prescribing practices and data reporting will be under consideration. MFAS will continue to monitor this legislation to ensure that podiatry’s interests remain heard.

With respect to the BORIM/BORP legislation (SB146 / HB1997), the legislation would allow for the BORIM to roll back podiatry’s current scope of practice. MFAS leadership has met with the leadership of both the Joint Committee on Public Health and the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection to explain how this legislation violates the United States Supreme Court’s determination in North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners v. Federal Trade Commission, 135 S. Ct. 1101 (Feb. 25, 2015). Meetings with legislators and Committee staff have been positive, but vigilance must be maintained. Likewise, MFAS has met with leadership within the Baker-Polito Administration to educate them about this initiative.

On the regulatory front, MFAS continues work with the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure and the BORP in an effort to advance MFAS’s regulatory interests before the profession’s licensing board. Recent matters before BORP have included the impact of updated informed consent requirements, the move to only e-licensing within the state, the three year review of podiatry regulations and the identification of common infractions during office visits, if any. Please look for information soon about MFAS’s efforts before MassHealth to identify and correct certain procedural codes available to podiatrists. As well, MFAS has begun outreach with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to identify areas of mutual interest with respect to public health issues.

Again, there remains much work to do. With the everchanging health care environment in the Commonwealth, MFAS must remain focused. The success of the MFAS relies on its membership. Whether attending Board meetings, meeting elected officials or attending MFAS Town Halls, the best tool the MFAS has to educate key decision makers about the practice of podiatry, podiatric physicians and your patients’ needs is the membership. If you receive information from the MFAS asking you to make a call, send an e-mail to an elected official or attend a meeting, please do so. Your voice is one of the strongest advocacy tools up on Beacon Hill.]]> Tue, 15 Oct 2019 22:34:36 GMT MFAS Footnotes: Apply now for a Resident Grant! https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474147 https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474147 Overview

Earlier this year, the MFAS Board of Trustees voted to establish a Resident Research Grant program to support the activities on Residents in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each grant is $500 and will be provided by the Society to support costs associated with completing research and presenting at local and national conferences.

Application and Selection

The grant application is online, below. Applications will be reviewed by the Board on a rolling basis. There is not maximum number of grants, however individuals are limited to one grant per calendar year. Funds may be used for a variety of purposes including but not limited to: direct costs associate with their research, printing, travel, meeting registration, etc. The funds may not be used for personal expenses not related to the project.

Grant applicants must be Resident Members of MFAS and APMA. Upon the completion of their project, grantees will submit a written report to the MFAS Board of Trustees describing the project and how the grant funds were used. This report will be published in the MFAS Newsletter, on the website, and MFAS social media.

Questions?

Contact the MFAS office at (978) 256-0935.

APPLY NOW!

]]> Tue, 15 Oct 2019 22:32:34 GMT MFAS Footnotes: Join Team MFAS Sunday, 10/20! https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474146 https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474146 Step Out: Walk to End Diabetes - Join Team MFAS Sunday, 10/20!
This October, MFAS will walk as a team in the American Diabetes Association's Step Out walk in Boston, MA. You, your family, and friends are invited to walk on our team at this great family, friendly event. Registration is free - donations are requested but not required. Our team still has room for you!

When: Sunday, October 20, 2019
Where: Boston Common, Boston, MA
Register: Click here - then click the red "Join Our Team" button.
Donate: Our goal is $2,500! Click here.

Can't attend but interested in participating? Make a donation to our team to help us reach our fundraising goal. All proceeds benefit the Massachusetts chapter of the ADA.]]> Thu, 10 Oct 2019 22:26:05 GMT MFAS Footnotes: Wellness at Region One https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474144 https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474144 MFAS Wellness

MFAS is focusing efforts on wellness this year, in response to the growing crisis among health care providers. We are working with APMA and have opened a discussion with the Board of Registration in Podiatry to get you the resources you need to fight burnout and stress.

Region One - Wellness Track

MFAS is sponsoring several wellness events at the 2019 Region One meeting!

Friday from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM we are offering 10-minute chair massages in the exhibit hall. These are first-come, first-serve and the massage therapists will be there all day to help you relax during the day.

On Saturday morning, join us for a 45-minute yoga class from 6:45-7:30 AM. We will provide mats and blocks for this all-levels class. There is no registration required, drop in Saturday morning to participate. The class will take place in the Carlisle Room, which is located in the Lower Level of the Conference Center. Staff at the registration staff can direct you.

APMA Wellness Resources - Mayo Clinic Well Being Index

APMA has many well being resources available on their website. Start with finding your well being index through the Mayo Clinic's program and then review the articles, journals, and resources provided.

Click here to get started.

]]> Thu, 10 Oct 2019 22:23:45 GMT MFAS Footnotes: Insurance Committee Update https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474141 https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474141 Insurance Committee Update


Claims Consultations at Region One

There are still appointments available for claims consultations at Region One! The claims consultations will take place on Friday, October 25 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel, during the first day of Region One. You must be registered for the meeting to make an appointment. The following companies are participation and have openings:

  • Anthem/NGS
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield MA
  • Fallon Community Health Plan
  • Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
  • MassHealth/Maximus
  • Neighborhood Health Plan

If you are interested in scheduling an appointment, please email our office no later than Friday, October 18 to check availability. You may also sign up at the registration desk, however we cannot guarantee walk in availability. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to resolve your difficult claims!

Insurance Committee Meet Up at Region One

The MFAS Insurance Committee will meet in person on Saturday, October 26 over lunch from 1:00-2:00 PM in the Commons Room. Look for the "Reserved - MFAS Insurance Committee" sign, or ask our registration staff to direct you to the table. The Insurance Committee is always seeking new members - come to the meet up to learn more!

]]> Thu, 10 Oct 2019 22:20:36 GMT MFAS Footnotes: Region One Fast Approaching! https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474137 https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474137 2019 APMA Region One/Podiatry Institute Conference -Don't miss the best podiatry conference of the year!

There is still time to register for the 2019 APMA Region One/Podiatry Institute Conference at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel in Framingham, MA October 25-27, 2019. Scientific Program co-chairs Scott Aronson, DPM, Jay Phillips, DPM, and David Sipala, DPM have recruited some of the best speakers from around the country. Both medically and surgically oriented podiatric physicians will find topics of interest for their practice.

Calling all Young Physicians! Resident and Associate members are invited to attend a networking lunch on Saturday, October 26, 2019 during the Region One meeting. MFAS board members will share with you the New Practitioners Manual and be available to discuss the transition from Residency to Practice, as well as early steps you can take to advance your career. This lunch is informal, and will give you an opportunity to connect with peers and colleagues. Lunch will take place in the Concord Room.

The Podiatric Assistants one-day program on Friday, October 25 is nearly sold out. A few spots remain, so register your staff soon! The Assistants Program will offer a full day of presentations with hands on activities geared toward podiatric front office and back office staff. Interactive discussions are encouraged. There will be time to mingle with other assistants, doctors and over 65 vendors. The day will conclude with the option of becoming CPR certified. We have a special member rate available to practices whose DPM is an MFAS/APMA member.

Join us one day early on Thursday, October 24 for a Pre Conference Symposium - Adult and Pediatric Biochmechanics Master Class. This one-day program examines both the science and practice management of biomechanics, orthotics of all ages. It will include both lecture and hands on workshops that will cover the A-to-Z's of running a successful foot orthotic program. This program is approved for an additional 6 CME credits.

]]> Thu, 10 Oct 2019 22:09:51 GMT MFAS Footnotes: Greetings from the President https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474129 https://www.massfootandankle.org/news/news.asp?id=474129 Message from the President - Walter Wolf, DPM
Happy Fall!!

Summer is over, kids are back in school and we are all getting back into our normal routines. The Big E set record numbers and enjoyed some superb weather for its 17-day run. Our own APMA Region One/Podiatry Institute Conference is also setting record attendance numbers as it approaches. 

Fall is definitely one of my favorite times of year living in picturesque New England. We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful area with brilliant foliage, crisp cool nights, and lots of fairs and traditions. Your MFAS board is a young, vibrant group with many active committees working hard to represent our member’s needs and protect your livelihoods.

Dr. Basile and the members that are part of the MFAS Insurance Committee have been working diligently along with our CAC representative Dr. Campo to make sure that we are treated fairly by insurers in comparison to our osteopathic and allopathic colleagues. They have proposed several actions and certainly have put in great efforts to achieve these goals.

Dr. Buchanan heads up our MFAS Legislative Committee and has been working closely with Mark Malloy, our lobbyist, and our knowledgeable Executive Director Libby Maynard to prepare for the MFAS Legislative Day at the State House on October 16. Many board members have stepped forward to volunteer their time to be there that day and help educate our legislators about the importance and urgency of moving forward in modernizing our antiquated podiatry scope in the Commonwealth. We will also be meeting at the State House on November 19 to submit testimony to the Joint Committee on Public Health, in order to advance our scope bill.

We urge each of you to reach out to both your state senator and state representative to advance our scope bill. It is House Bill 1869/Senate Bill 1329, "An Act Relative to the Definition of Podiatry; Ensuring that patients have access to low cost, high quality ankle and foot care.” Please reach out and contact their offices and speak to their staff(s) about the urgency in this matter. Send them an email and ask for their support in this important and shamefully overdue legislation.

Now many of you may think “why should I bother with helping achieve this goal?” You might think, “I don’t have any interest or training in performing ankle surgery or amputations.” You might also be thinking, “I’m getting close to retirement and really don’t care.” The fact is that we all need to care passionately about this issue since our patients need the care by experts trained to perform these life changing/saving procedures. Our patients are regularly challenged in getting appropriate access to care for these procedures and quite simply today’s well trained podiatrists often don’t want to practice in a state that has such obsolete scope laws. It affects us ALL to live with the status quo. There will be no one to come and take over our practices when we are ready to retire and no place for our residents to practice. This is an outcome that must not come to fruition, as our profession’s continued growth and, more importantly, our patient’s well-being depend on these scope laws changing.

Finally, we encourage our membership to get involved in our MFAS team for the ADA Step Out Walk fundraiser on Sunday, October 20, 2019 held at the Boston Common. Team MFAS will have a booth in the Wellness Village and walk together on the 1, 2, or 3 mile course. Bring your family for a fun morning together! As podiatric physicians we all see and treat the challenging diabetic foot condition and work hard with our patients to save their lives and limbs. This is such a devastating disease and we can all embrace the noble fundraising efforts to help advance treatment. If you can’t join us that day for the walk, please visit our team website and donate today to the MFAS team fundraising efforts.

Most importantly, I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming Region One Conference and talking about issues important to you and to our profession. I will be presenting the MFAS annual update on Saturday and look forward to connecting with you during the meeting.

Sincerely,
W.Wolf, DPM
President, Massachusetts Foot and Ankle Society]]> Thu, 10 Oct 2019 22:00:22 GMT