Stinky Feet!

Ever wonder what that nasty stench in your high school locker room is? It's your foot. It's your neighbor's foot. It's coming from that guy down your row that everyone is avoiding! A common foot condition – Tinea Pedis - more commonly known as “Athlete’s Foot” is often the root of those smelly feet!   And it doesn’t just affect sport stars!

Some symptoms of Athlete's Foot include dry skin, itching, inflammation, and blisters. According to our very own CONSULT podiatrist - Dr. Ruby Maher - and her awesome blog, Athlete Foot sufferers should keep in mind the following:

·         Avoid walking barefoot in the locker room or anywhere for that matter

·         Use shower shoes

·         Use powder on the feet to reduce perspiration

·         Wear clean socks to keep feet dry

If it gets unbearable then over-the-counter anti-fungals such as Lamisil, Lotrimin or tough actin’ Tinactin can help!  But if it gets really, really bad, then a Doctor or CONSULT Specialist will need to prescribe something a tad bit stronger.  Don’t forget the pictures!

The mHealth Enabler

The practice of medicine continues to evolve.  Innovative companies like Ring-a-Doc and Interactive MD are delivering medical care with the use of mobile devices and computers.  These services expand the traditional physician practice well beyond its physical walls.  Others, such as Healthcare Magic and Health Tap, have taken the approach of using the disseminating qualities of the internet to create advice forums.  In each case, they are bringing telemedicine directly to the consumer.  At SynerMed, we approach the problem differently.

SynerMed has pioneered the marriage of telemedicine directly into the software and workflow of its very own managed care telemedicine and authorization portal - CONNECT.  Other managed care organizations have had trouble integrating mHealth into their networks due to the lack of payment and medical schemas to operationalize the effort.  SynerMed, with its ever-growing network of at-risk independent provider groups, can seamlessly integrate clinical algorithms with its claims payment system.  These elements enable a fully functional platform to deliver remote clinical services.  This service is FREE to our involved physicians (we actually pay the PCP to participate) within our network, which translates to better care. As a privately-owned organization, SynerMed fully funds this program, designed to increase access and timeliness standards for specialty services.

Currently, CONSULT is the vehicle for coordinating patient treatment plans on a case-by-case basis. A primary care physician submits a case for review to the appropriate specialist. This communication occurs via our HIPAA-secured encrypted portal.  A specialist typically answers within 48 hours. The primary care physician has the option to request more information, refer the patient for a face-to-face evaluation, or accept the treatment advice by caring for the patient within their office.  About 14% of all cases have been successfully handled through the CONSULT telemedicine platform.