—PM Pulse Exclusive—
High-Tech Wounds, Human Problems
What a Global Conference Revealed About the Future of Healing
We can image wounds with artificial intelligence, manipulate the wound microenvironment, engineer sophisticated tissue matrices, and deploy technologies that would have seemed unimaginable just a decade ago. Yet, despite these advances, one uncomfortable question remains: Are we getting better at treating wounds, or are we truly getting better at healing patients?
Walking away from the recent World Union of Wound Healing Societies (WUWHS) conference held Sept 23-26, 2026, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, I was struck not only by the breadth of scientific innovation presented but also by an equally important undercurrent woven throughout the program: the need to reconnect technological progress with the realities of the patient experience. Perhaps the next great advancement in wound care won’t come from what we put on a wound, but from rethinking everything that happens around it.
—Windy Cole, DPM, CWSP
To read this entire article, click the button below. To submit a response or question, email [email protected].
Appropriate Use of MAs in Patient Care
Question: Can an MA see patients in my office by themselves? I want my MA to care for my patients; is this okay?
Response from Codinghelpline.com:
In general, a medical assistant (MA) should not independently see patients as a substitute for a licensed provider. MAs may room patients, obtain vital signs, collect histories, and perform certain delegated clinical tasks, depending on state law and applicable supervision requirements. Some states permit limited foot-care tasks by appropriately trained MAs under specified conditions, so the specific service and state regulations must be reviewed.
Medicare billing is a separate consideration. For services billed incident to a physician's services, applicable CMS rules generally require the supervising practitioner to be present in the office suite and immediately available, subject to exceptions under current regulations. Availability by telephone alone generally does not meet this requirement. Before proceeding, verify both your state's scope-of-practice and supervision requirements and the applicable Medicare billing rules.
—David J Freedman, DPM, CPC, CSFAC, CPMA
Additional coding and billing questions and responses can be found at www.Codinghelpline.com. To ask a question or add your thoughts, email [email protected].
—Reader Feedback—
Partnering With Other Medical Providers
I’m interested in expanding my professional partnerships in my area. This is about establishing a network of complementary medical providers (not necessarily just DPMs) who can share information, make patient and/or supplier referrals when appropriate, and so on. Does anyone have any advice about how best to get started with this and anything I should consider as I go?
—Name Withheld
To respond to this query, email [email protected].
APMA at Gout Awareness Meeting
On October 21, APMA joined fellow member organizations of the Alliance for Gout Awareness (AGA) for its annual stakeholder meeting. The meeting brought together patient advocates, clinicians, pharmaceutical industry representatives, and policy professionals to discuss ongoing efforts to reduce stigma, improve gout education, and address barriers to care.
Source: APMA
Bigger Threat: Hospitals or PE?
Patrick McEneaney, DPM, always planned to own a practice. He didn’t plan on doing it five years out of residency.
Dr. McEneaney was working for a practice when its owner gave him a choice: buy it, or watch it go to someone else, because the owner was retiring in six months. He bought it. More than 12 years later, the practice, Northern Illinois Foot and Ankle, headquartered in Crystal Lake, Illinois, has grown from two physicians in one office to 17 physicians across 15 offices in the Chicago area, including two in the city. Its physicians also hold a minority ownership stake in one ASC.
“I’d always planned on being an owner at some point, but wasn’t planning that quickly,” Dr. McEneaney said. “I got kind of thrown into it very quickly.”
Source: Becker’s ASC
How Confident Are You in Your Cybersecurity Setup?
Addressing Disruptive Physician Behavior
Disruptive physician behavior is often framed as a professionalism or personality problem. This narrative discussion article argues that it is better understood as a physician leadership, governance, and patient safety challenge. Published literature links disruptive or disrespectful conduct with impaired communication, degraded teamwork, reduced willingness to speak up, and weaker safety climate, although much of that evidence is survey based, observational, or policy oriented rather than strongly causal.
The article therefore advances a conceptual thesis: Organizations often struggle not because they cannot recognize problematic conduct, but more likely because leadership hesitates to define patterns early, convert informal concern into formal response, and align governance pathways around fair accountability.
Source: AAPL
From the Magazine—October ‘26 Preview
Developing a Thicker Skin
Do you have an employee who frequently has their feelings hurt, who seems to take everything personally, or who is prone to tears? Do you replay scenes from work in your head at night, beating yourself up for not handling or anticipating things better, or for making an honest mistake? Or do you or your employees find yourselves feeling hurt, embarrassed, or betrayed by a careless remark, a funny look, or the least bit of criticism? If so, you would all benefit greatly from having a thicker skin.
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Reminder: Protecting Your Practice’s Revenue
Happening Thursday, October 29, noon-4 PM ET, from payer negotiations to Medicaid compliance, today’s practices face more pressure than ever to get paid for the care they deliver. This virtual event brings together industry experts to share practical strategies for strengthening payer contracts, navigating Medicaid and MCO changes, capturing supplemental reimbursement that often goes missed, and relieving the workload pressure physicians and administrators feel every day. Attendees will walk away with ready-to-use frameworks, real-world case studies, and actionable next steps to protect revenue and build a more resilient practice. For more info or to register, click the button below.
Source: Physicians Practice
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PM Pulse Classified Ads
30-Year Podiatry Practice—Kansas City, Missouri
Priced below appraisal. Established hospital-campus practice with strong referrals and 25,000 patient records. Fully equipped with digital X-ray and EMR. Staff staying on. Open four days, with demand for five. Retiring physician will assist with transition. A rare turnkey opportunity. Confidential inquiries: [email protected]
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