TORONTO PODIATRIST VS TORONTO CHIROPODIST

IN ONTARIO WE HAVE A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT CLASSES OF FOOT SPECIALIST REGULATED BY THE SAME COLLEGE.  THERE ARE SOME DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO.  PODIATRISTS, GENERALLY HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN THE UNITED STATES AND GENERALLY THEIR COURSE IS ONE YEAR LONGER THAN CHIROPODY WHICH IS TAUGHT IN TORONTO AT THE MICHNER INSTITUTE.  AFTER 1993 ALL PODIATRISTS WHO COME TO ONTARIO TO PRACTICE MUST PRACTICE UNDER THE SAME RULES AND REGULATIONS AS CHIROPODISTS.  PODIATRISTS WHO WHERE ALREADY PRACTICING BEFORE 1991 HAVE A FEW MORE PRIVILEDGES SUCH AS CONVEYING A DIAGNOSIS, TAKING RADIOGRAPHS OF THE FOOT AND PERFORMING SURGERY  TO THE BONES OF THE FOREFOOT AND CAN PARTIALLY BILL O.H.I.P.  I WILL TALK ABOUT O.H.I.P. BILLING IN A MINUTE MORE THOROUGHLY.  IN 1991 ONTARIO PODIATRISTS LOST THEIR PRIVILEDGE TO PERFORM SURGERY TO THE BONES OF TH HINDFOOT AND ARE NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO CALL THEMSELVES DOCTORS, WHERAS IN 1991 CHIROPRACTORS GAINED THAT PRIVILEDGE.

CHIROPODISTS CAN PERFORM SURGERY TO THE SOFT TISSUES, TENDONS, MUSCLES, NAIL, ETC AND PRESCRIBE MEDICATIONS AS CAN PODIATRISTS.  CHIROPODISTS CAN TREAT ALL THE SAME CONDITIONS AS AN ONTARIO PODIATRIST.  UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO THE FACT THAT ONTARIO PODIATRISTS ARE ALLOWED TO PARTIALLY BILL O.H.I.P. MANY PATIENTS EXTENDED HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS WILL NOT REIMBURSE THEM.  THIS IS AN UNFAIR TO THE PODIATRISTS AND THEY WOULD BE BETTER OFF IF THEY WERE NOT IN O.H.I.P. AT ALL.  I KNOW AS A CHIROPRACTOR WHO HAD PARTIAL O.H.I.P. BILLING PRIVILEGES FOR OVER 20 YEARS, THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO MY PRACTICE IS WHEN WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO BILL O.H.I.P. ANYMORE.  IT WORKED OUT MUCH BETTER FOR MY PATIENTS AND MY PRACTICE.  CHIROPODISTS ARE COVERED UNDER EXTENDED HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS FROM DAY ONE WHEREAS IN MANY CASES YOU WILL NOT BE REIMBERSED IF YOU ATTEND A PODIATRIST.  WE HAVE HAD MANY PATIENTS CHOOSE A CHIROPODIST RATHER THAN A PODIATRIST, DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEIR TREATMENTS WILL BE REIMBURSED BY THEIR EXTENDED HEALTH PLAN.  IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING ATTEND A FOOT SPECIALIST YOU SHOULD PHONE YOUR EXTENDED HEALTH PLAN TO SEE IF THEY WILL REIMBURSE YOU IF THE PODIATRIST IS GOING TO BILL O.H.I.P.  MANY TIMES IS MORE ADVANTAGES FOR A PATIENT TO SEEK THE SERVICES OF A CHIROPODIST RATHER THAN A PODIATRIST IF THE ARE CONCERNED WHETHER THEY WILL BE REIMBURSED BY THEIR EXTENDED HEALTH PLAN.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY DR. JOHN A. HARDY, OWNER OF ACADEMY FOOT AND ORTHOTIC CLINICS.

PROFESSIONAL FOOT CLINIC

416-465-8737

Toronto, ON Chiropodist Academy Foot and Orthotic

752 BROADVIEW AVENUE Toronto, ON M4K 2P1 

Across from the Broadview Subway | Professional Family Foot Care