Take a New Look at Foot & Ankle SurgeonsMember DIY Presentation Tool

OverviewThis presentation is a part of the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeon’s Take a New Look at Foot & Ankle Surgeons campaign launched in June 2016. The goal of this campaign is to tell the story of today’s foot and ankle surgeons to relevant healthcare providers – including nurse practitioners, diabetes educators and family physicians – and help you build your practice through relationship development.

Member tools such as this will help you inform important decision-makers – other healthcare professionals or hospital systems – about the value of foot and ankle surgeons. It can be used to establish you and your practice as part of the new generation of foot and ankle surgeons, the leading experts in foot and ankle care. By emphasizing your highly specialized education, training and certification, and pointing to some key statistics that support foot and ankle surgeons’ leadership position, this presentation highlights the unique qualities that differentiate foot and ankle surgeons from other healthcare providers.

On a broader level, the campaign aims to educate potential referral partners about the benefits foot and ankle surgeons bring to a multidisciplinary patient care team and, ultimately, to encourage more referrals to foot and ankle surgeons. Additional educational materials, including fact sheets, when to refer guides, a campaign video and a Find a Foot & Ankle Surgeon tool, can be found at our campaign website, takeanewlook.org.

How to UseRelationship-building is an important first step in growing your practice. Developing strong relationships with other healthcare providers – such as nurse practitioners, diabetes educators or family physicians – within hospital systems can lead to better collaboration with these groups and improve patient outcomes. This presentation can serve as a guide for leading conversations with these audiences.

Part 1: PresentationThe PDF file contains the slides for you to use when presenting. Feel free to customize your presentation by using all of the slides, or just those that you think will work best for your audience. The presentation is best displayed on a computer or iPad, when meeting with one or two people, or projected onto a screen, for a larger group.

Part 2: Script/NotesOn the following pages of this document, you’ll find suggested language for each slide of the presentation, which can serve as your notes when presenting. You’ll notice there are placeholders in the notes for you to personalize the presentation based on your own expertise or practice experience. Feel free to customize the content as it makes sense for you and your practice. When appropriate, you can show the campaign video at the end of the presentation to demonstrate the breadth and depth of patient care that foot and ankle surgeons can provide. And remember to always refer your audience to takeanewlook.org for additional information.

This is a great tool to use as a starting point in growing your practice and emphasizing why foot and ankle surgeons are important members of the patient care team. Strong professional relationships are built on mutual understanding and the best interest of the patient. This presentation will help you convey that information in an authentic and thoughtful way.

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I’m glad to have the chance to talk to you today about foot and ankle surgeons – who we are, what we do, the extent of our education and training, and how we work with partners like you every day to ensure the best outcomes for our patients with foot and ankle issues. In the following slides, I’ll take you through each of these areas to give you some fresh insight and updated information about our area of specialty. We have time for questions at the end of the presentation, but please feel free to interject along the way.

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PERSONALIZE THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE

Foot and ankle surgeons today are a new generation of specialists. We are the leading experts in foot and ankle care. We diagnose and treat all conditions affecting the foot and ankle – from the simple to the complex – in adults and children. As trusted partners, we will ensure your patients get the care you expect – and that they deserve.

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Foot and ankle surgeons are in demand.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for foot and ankle surgeons will increase by 20 percent between 2010 and 2020. This notable increase in demand is due, in part, to the fact that foot and ankle problems occur at all ages. The aging population (driven by the Boomers) is turning to us to keep them mobile in their later years, while the younger population will require assistance with sports injuries and other issues.

Our specialty is growing to meet the demand for foot and ankle care. We want to be a part of the team that keeps your patients on their feet. When you’re in need of a specialist in foot and ankle care, we are here to collaborate and establish the proper care plan designed to achieve best outcomes for your patients.

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Foot and ankle surgeons are recognized as the specialists of choice.

When it comes to identifying the preferred specialists for a number of the most-frequently performed lower-extremity surgeries, foot and ankle surgeons rise to the top. Medicare data verifies that we are the specialists of choice for:

• 83 percent of hammertoe surgeries• 67 percent of metatarsal surgeries• 77 percent of bunionectomy surgeries• 47 percent of rearfoot surgeries

Our education, training and certification make us uniquely qualified leaders for these and many other surgeries including: (BE SURE TO INCLUDE SURGERIES YOU FREQUENTLY PERFORM)

• Fusions• Tendon surgery• Metatarsal surgery• Reconstructive surgery• Neuroma surgery• Ankle ligament surgery

• Flatfoot surgery• Ankle joint replacement surgery• Ankle deformity correction surgery• Pediatric surgery• Trauma surgery

•

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PERSONALIZE THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE

Here’s something you might not know: foot and ankle surgeons have the most education and training specific to foot and ankle care – more than any other specialist. We complete at least seven years of medical education and training after earning our undergraduate degree, often sitting side-by-side with our medical colleagues in the country’s top allopathic and osteopathic institutions.

To earn our doctor of podiatric medicine degree (DPM), we complete a rigorous four-year program at an accredited podiatric medical school. That is followed by a minimum three-year foot and ankle surgical residency program approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME), with many of us pursuing advanced specialty fellowships in key areas such as:

Foot and ankle reconstructive surgery, Deformity correction, Limb salvage, Foot and ankle trauma, and Sports medicine.

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PERSONALIZE THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE

Certification matters.

It is the clearest indication that a foot and ankle surgeon has completed the requisite training and demonstrated the highest level of surgical proficiency. A rigorous certification process complete with hours of surgery and two grueling examinations, my certification, as an ACFAS Fellow (or Associate) means I am able to treat patients for a comprehensive range of foot and ankle issues – from the simplest in-office procedure to the most complex surgeries.

And not all certifications are the same.

As ACFAS Fellows, we are certified separately in foot surgery and/or reconstructive rearfoot/ankle surgery by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS). Only board-certified fellows of theAmerican College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) are distinguished with the credentials of FACFAS and Associate members are board-qualified with AACFAS credentials. So, look for these credentials when you’re looking for a foot and ankle expert.

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PERSONALIZE THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE. GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU WORK WITH REFERRING PROVIDERS TO CARE FOR PATIENTS.

Teamwork is key when it comes to best-in-class patient care. We regularly collaborate with a wide range of healthcare providers in both outpatient and inpatient settings on a range of complex foot and ankle issues affecting patients of all ages. Through teamwork and collaboration, foot and ankle surgeons are able to identify the best care plan for your patient.

Being an integrated member of a patient care team is particularly crucial in the management of chronic or debilitating conditions, such as diabetes and arthritis, which have major ramifications for the foot and ankle. As foot and ankle surgeons, we are knowledgeable, experienced partners who will ensure the best care for your patients.

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PERSONALIZE THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE. GIVE EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES FROM REFERRAL RELATIONSHIPS.

If you’re wondering when you should refer patients to a foot and ankle surgeon, here’s the answer: You should refer your patients to a foot and ankle surgeon when they need a true foot and ankle expert – for all conditions of the lower extremities including:

Fractures Heel pain Flatfoot Sports injuries Hammertoes Tendon disorders Neuropathy Foreign body injuries Amputation prevention Tendinosis

Ingrown toenails Nail fungus Warts Ankle instability Diabetic foot care & complications Bone infections/healing Ankle and foot arthritis Foot and ankle trauma Neuromas Bunions

On average, foot and ankle surgeons receive more than 60 million visits a year from patients of all ages, for a wide range of foot ailments, from an ingrown toenail to complicated sports injuries, trauma, in-patient care and diabetes care. We are uniquely qualified to detect early warning signs of diseases like diabetes, arthritis and cardiovascular disease, which may pose an ongoing threat to a patient’s overall

health. We have advanced surgical experience ranging from reconstruction to amputation and are pioneering procedures like ankle replacement surgery.

However, none of this matters if we don’t get in front of the patient. Unfortunately, too many people do not receive the care they need because they mistakenly think it’s normal for their feet to hurt. We want to change that attitude and work with you to ensure your patients are getting the best care – and the best outcomes – possible.

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(ONLY INCLUDE IF YOUR AUDIENCE IS SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN DIABETES) PERSONALIZE THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE. GIVE EXAMPLES OF HOW YOU HAVE WORKED SUCCESSFULLY WITH DIABETIC PATIENTS.

Foot and ankle surgeons are also the leaders in caring for diabetic patients and all diabetic patients should have a board-certified foot and ankle specialist on their multidisciplinary care team.

Having diabetes increases the risk of developing a wide range of foot problems as a result of nerve damage and poor circulation. We are uniquely qualified to detect the early warning signs of diabetes and develop comprehensive treatment plans for:

Simple to complex conditions. Small foot problems can often turn into serious complications for diabetes patients. Foot and ankle surgeons can treat a variety of conditions from calluses to ulcers to keep feet healthy.

Advanced-surgical procedures. Left untreated, diabetes can result in serious conditions, such as Charcot foot or diabetic peripheral neuropathy, which could require surgery.

Limb salvage. Regular care from a foot and ankle surgeon can help patients stay healthy and prevent amputation.

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PERSONALIZE THE FOLLOWING TO YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE

Foot and ankle surgeons are leaders in the advancement of foot and ankle surgery. We are dedicated to advancing the science of foot and ankle surgery and continually expanding and improving treatment options. Many foot and ankle surgeons work in the academic setting along with other leading surgeons to continue to improve patient care protocols and advance the foot and ankle surgery field.

Foot and ankle surgeons have pioneered many recent breakthroughs in surgical techniques, including: Weil osteotomy, a procedure which shortens the metatarsophalangeal joint and reduces the

pressure under it to improve stability, correct severe hammertoe deformities and reduce pain. Subtalar arthroereisis, a treatment for hyperpronated foot, which ultimately stabilizes the subtalar

joint, providing pronation control with an internal limitation that doesn't rely on external orthotic support.

Endoscopic plantar fasciotomy, a minimally invasive and minimally traumatic surgical treatment for the common problem of chronic plantar fasciitis.

Endoscopic intermetatarsal neuroma release, which uses endoscopic instrumentation to perform soft tissue releases with smaller incisions and less dissection

Ankle replacement surgery Limb salvage As well as advancements in treatment of common foot and ankle issues such as, flatfoot, chronic

heel pain and hammertoe.

Millions of patients have benefitted from these treatments.

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Here’s a great video that provides more background on foot and ankle surgeons and how we work with nurse practitioners, diabetes educators and primary care physicians, every day, as part of multi-disciplinary patient care teams.

(Click to next slide to start video.)

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I invite you all to visit takeanewlook.org. The site offers a more in-depth look at foot and ankle surgeons, including a guide on when you should refer to a foot and ankle surgeon, downloadable education materials, surgeon spotlights and the Find a Foot and Ankle Surgeon tool, which can help you and your patients find the specialist closest to them.

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Thank you for your time today, and I hope I have given some good background information about today’s foot and ankle surgeons and how we can help you and your patients as part of an integrated healthcare team.

*IF APPLICABLE: I have some materials that I would be happy to leave with you that summarize everything I have talked about here today and can serve as a handy reference and reminder for you in the future.

I would be happy to answer any questions you have.

Thank you very much!