Current Pedorthics www.pedorthics.org Volume 39, Number 2 March/April 2007 CHOOSING SHOES FOR THE RIGHT REASONS What is ‘Natural’ About Footwear? Wound Management Is Nothing to Take Lightly Pedorthic Footwear Association (PFA), 2025 M St., NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. CURRENT PEDORTHICS MARCH/APRIL 2007 What is ‘Natural’ About Footwear? 6 FEATURES 6 What is ‘Natural’ About Footwear? Understanding Lasts is Key to Healthy Feet By Mel Cheskin MBS., C.Ped 12 PFA Member Q&A: John Shero Doesn’t Regret Choosing Pedorthics Over Accounting By Dennis Coyle 14 Wound Management Is Nothing to Take Lightly By Paul A. Chromey, B.S., D.P.M., C. Ped. 18 Customer Premium Trends Can be Applied to the Pedorthic Industry DEPARTMENTS 4 President’s Message 24 Association News 30 Industry News 32 Government Affairs 40 Resource Center 44 Vendor News 48 Pedorthic Industry Events 50 New PFA Members 52 Pedorthic Marketplace 53 Product Reference Guide By Seth Weiner, CAS 20 Cover Feature: Choosing Shoes for the Right Reasons By Dr. David J. Levine, D.P.M., C. Ped. CURRENT PEDORTHICS • March/April 2007 1 Pedorthic Footwear Association Board of Directors Randy Stevens, C. Ped., BOCPed., CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President Dane LaFontsee, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President Kristi Hayes, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary/Treasurer Mike Forgrave, C. Ped., C. Ped. (C) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Immediate Past President Jamie Dick, PT, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Arthur Smuckler, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Michael D. Veder, C. Ped., CO, BOCO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Faith Ballard, C. Ped., CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Alan Barthold, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Harlon Compton, C. Ped., CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Liz Chiles, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Stuart L. Pressman, C. Ped., CO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director Paul A. Chromey, C. Ped., DPM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director David Solomon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vendor/ManufacturerLliaison Allan J. Weiner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Legal Counsel David J. Levine, DPM, C. Ped . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical Advisor Craig Young, MD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical Advisor Raymond L. Fritz, DPM, C. Ped. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Medical Advisor Editorial Staff Headquarters Staff Executive Director Brian K. Lagana Senior Projects Director David A. Lind Membership Services Coordinator Erin L. McGill Director of Education Al Baggett Education Associate Andrea Tsupros Meetings and Conventions Manager Audra Franks Jay Strother. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Publisher Dennis Coyle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor Jenny Schooley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Associate Editor William Wargo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Design/Production Exhibits and Sponsorship Coordinator Monica Kurlemann Advertising & Services Current Pedorthics Publisher Jay Strother Erin McGill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Membership Brian K. Lagana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Current Pedorthics Monica Kurlemann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PFA Symposium Current Pedorthics (ISSN 1552-8111) is published bimonthly by the Pedorthic Footwear Association (PFA), 2025 M St., NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Telephone: 202-367-1145 or 800-673-8447, Fax: 202-367-2145, Web site: www.pedorthics.org, E-mail: info@pedorthics.org. Copyright© 2007, PFA. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission. Letters to the Editor and other unsolicited material are assumed intended for publication and are subject to editing. Articles in CP do not necessarily reflect the opinion of PFA, its Board of Directors or its employees. CP’s use of trademarked names is done in an editorial fashion intended to benefit the trademark owner, with no intention of trademark infringement. Subscriptions are available for $45 per year in the United States ($65 outside USA). Back copies, if available, may be purchased for $ U.S. 5.00. If you have any questions regarding display advertising or classified ads, please e-mail CPadvertising@pedorthics.org. Please send all Prodcut News press releases to CPeditorial@pedorthics.org. 2 CURRENT PEDORTHICS • March/April 2007 Current Pedorthics Editor Dennis Coyle iÃà œœÌܜÀŽ 3WEDE / 4HERMOSKIN!&'3TABILIZER $ARCO -ED 3URG3HOE !NATOMICAL#ONCEPTS 02!&/š iˆ˜}Ê>˜Êˆ˜`i«i˜`i˜ÌÊLÕȘiÃÓ>˜Ê…>ÃʘiÛiÀÊLii˜Ê ̜Õ}…iÀ°Ê9œÕʍÕÃÌÊ`œ˜½Ìʅ>ÛiÊ̈“iÊ̜Ê`œÊˆÌÊ>°Ê
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- PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE PFA Prepares for Strategic Plan P FA completed a strategic plan four years ago and now it’s that time to revisit the plan and update it accordingly. The Strategic Planning Committee worked diligently during a two-day planning session in Columbia, Md., in 2003. The group examined questionnaires completed by PFA members and deliberated passionately to determine a new strategic plan that accurately represents the membership. The group’s efforts led to an aggressive five-year plan. The strategic plan is very important. The document will serve as a guide for PFA and its board of directors. The plan will help direct all decision-making processes. It will define our priorities and help the board allocate resources to our various initiatives. Based on the members’ questionnaires, the Strategic Planning Committee determined PFA’s top priorities as education, marketing, government affairs and professional information. Education Education-related initiatives will be developed to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the certified pedorthist. Marketing Marketing will be used to increase referrals to and consumer demand for certified pedorthists. Government Affairs Government affairs will continue to sustain the certified and licensed pedorthist’s right to practice and to provide PFA’s views to the U.S. Congress and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on the fees established for pedorthic devices in federal legislation and regulations. Professional Information Professional information will provide knowledge of the value to certified and licensed pedorthists (members) and those interested in pedorthics. It will also increase the profession’s awareness and appreciation of PFA membership. 4 CURRENT PEDORTHICS • March/April 2007 The vision of PFA is to always be a professional association that represents the interests of the certified and/or licensed pedorthist and support the pedorthic profession at large. Through the efforts of PFA, pedorthics is a wellestablished allied health profession that makes an invaluable contribution to public health. The mission of PFA is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the certified and licensed pedorthist through education, increases the demand for the certified pedorthist’s services through marketing and defends the certified and licensed pedorthist’s right to practice through our governmental activities. PFA’s strategies to achieve its objectives are prioritized in a linear fashion, whereby the first strategy is to achieve education objectives. When that is completed, PFA will move on to marketing’s first strategy and so on as resources permit. I am proud to say that I have been a PFA Board Member for the past five years. Other past board members share similar feelings and have stayed within PFA’s strategic plan. In doing so, they have continued to support PFA’s vision and mission statements, which are outlined through our strategic plan. As I mentioned earlier, it is time again for PFA to move forward in the development and execution of a new strategic plan. PFA’s Board of Directors and a number of its members will meet in Chicago, Ill., June 8 & 9 to fine-tune our direction. I would like to thank the PFA membership for their support in providing input necessary to help the board of directors maintain the direction of the association outlined in PFA’s mission and vision statements. PFA is a professional membership association that can only continue to succeed through the support of its members. Continue to read Current Pedorthics and visit PFA’s Web site, www.pedorthics.org, for future reports and the final outcome of the strategic plan, which will guide PFA for the next five years. Randy Stevens, C. Ped., BOCPed., CO PFA President