subject: Podiatry Journal: Meet The Masters Dr. Harvey Franklin Bunny Brown Part - 5 [print this page] BR: Dr. Bret RibotskyBR: Dr. Bret Ribotsky
HFB: Dr. Harvey Franklin Bunny Brown
BR: I agree the patients responsibility is a big aspect of it. But if you have seen a trend you go back late 80s, early 90s, if you got one year of residency, you were lucky if you got two years residency youre exceptional and then 10 years later, youre great if you got two years residency and exceptional if got three years residency. And now, everyone is getting three years residency.
HFB: Right.
BR: Are we seeing an amalgamation or an amortization of podiatry thats becoming kind of similar as opposed to this certain people, if I mentioned wound care certain names are popping in your mind. If I mentioned neurosurgery or external fixator, theres certain people who do a lot of that stuff.
HFB:Right.
BR: Is that better for the profession or is the amalgamation or amortization better for the profession?
HFB: Well, I would personally rather be able to get on the phone and call Bret Ribotsky and say, You know Bret, I have a patient that I want to send down to you for this wound care. And you see that patient. I dont do that particular thing that you do and I would much rather you be the expert on that. So as far as an amalgamation of what other people are doing, Im not sure thats all great. You know its nice to have your parody with your physician friends but you know, you can stand out too.
BR: Some of the most successful podiatrists I know, at least financially, are not the ones that are on the top of your mind when you think of podiatrists out there. Ive run over the years. Theyve been working with other people out there talking. But if we were to look at usually groups of orthopedic surgeons, if five orthopedic surgeons got the other informed the practice together, they probably be a joint person, they probably be a back person, they might be knee person, maybe they be a foot person. They have kind of their own different specialties. When you look at groups of podiatrists being formed, it seems to be everyone does everything.
HFB: Right. I agree.
BR: Do you think looking at this, you have this tremendous opportunity of such great hindsight. Is that something you think will last time or that will kind of like the Beatles? I mean, they couldnt agree who was in charge and look what happened.
HFB: Right. However, you know, if you look at the orthopedists today, there are a lot of them taking podiatry into their practices. In fact, Ive seen about its either 4 or 5 here in Arkansas now that are in orthopedic groups.
BR: _____ tremendous large trend in this profession then. As orthopedic surgeons, the ego has broken down for the economic reality. Podiatrists can do a lot of the same work as a foot and ankle trained orthopedist for a little bit less money than a foot and ankle orthopedist who is going to demand. Good economic sense and good outcome for patient care because podiatry is obviously the economic place to go.
HFB: Right.
BR: Theyve kind of fallen into that perspective. Is that hurting the people who arent in orthopedic groups? In my community, the orthopedists get paid sometimes more money than the podiatrist by the private insurance companies. It gives the disadvantage to the podiatrist who is not in orthopedic group. Im getting paid 20% or 30% less than they are for doing the same work. Are you seeing that in your area?
HFB: If I am, no ones complained to me about it so I really cant answer that. I was under the impression that we were receiving the same amount of pay for the same amount of work but maybe were not.
BR: In states with equal pay for equal work and other states arent?
HFB: I think we are here because most of
BR: You probably have heard about it.
HFB: Yes.
BR: I would like to open up the floor to some questions. If anybody would like to ask one live and then a couple by email or if anybody likes to ask their question live, please hit the star on the sixth command and well get your question asked up there. One of the questions somebody had was that you seemed to have always driven for presidency in a lot of the organizations you have been involved in, once you got to the pinnacle point of presidency, was it everything you thought it would be or with the aspiration to become president sometimes not as great as actually getting there? That was a pretty cool question. That was from Georgia.
HFB: You know, I have to honestly say that every time I become president of an organization, you know, I dont stop at the presidency. I usually continue on with that organization as much as I possibly can. My sister and I started a hospice foundation here and she happens to still be on the board but once I had accomplished what I wanted to do, I got off because I think some of these boards, youre dead meat if youd been on there too long. I have been on the Muscular Dystrophy Board. I celebrated my 39th Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy Telethon last Labor Day and I was president of that organization back in late the 70s, early 80s, whatever it was, I cant remember, but Im still active with most of the organizations.
