By Tina C. Del Buono, PMAC

From white dresses, stockings and nurses shoes to surgical scrubs, masks and sterile gloves the podiatric medical assistant has come a long way in the past 40 years. Podiatric medical assisting is not just a job it is a career, a unique one, as there is no formal training for it. What makes this position so desirable for the assistant is they are trained in a one-on-one environment by their physician.

As the demands or advancement of podiatric medical education has progressed so has the need for advancement of the podiatric medical assistant. In practices across the country podiatric assistants are the ones who not only meet and greet the patients, but they take x-rays, cast for orthotics, apply fiberglass casts and assist with diabetic foot and non-invasive peripheral arterial exams and more. In many states podiatric medical assistants who obtain the clinical certification through the American Society of Podiatric Medical Assistants and become PMACs are able to assist their doctor’s in surgery at their local surgery center or hospital.

Our offices are only as good as those who run them and continuing education is the key to offering the best. According to Jon Hultman, D.P.M., MBA, “Continuing education is essential for both doctors and staff; it is where they can learn both the “how” and the why” of practice improvement projects. Doctors clearly recognize the value of increasing their own skills and knowledge through regular participation in continuing education programs. Through this process, they learn from experts in the field and are given the opportunity to exchange ideas with peers attending the same lectures and workshops. Interestingly, while doctors recognized the value of continuing education for themselves, many don’t seem to recognize the value to be gained from having their staff attend continuing education programs. The fact that we, our staff and our practices can continue to improve throughout our entire careers is an exciting prospect.”

In having the opportunity to lecture and teach around the country I have been able to speak with podiatrists from different geographical locations. A common misunderstanding is that the additional costs of training and certification for their assistants outweigh the potential value or benefit for the practice. To the contrary, it has been statistically proven that companies that spend more than the average amount on employee training have a higher return on investment than companies that spend below average. The organizations that have invested more on employee training enjoy higher levels of employee involvement, commitment, and job satisfaction. They produce better levels of customer service, and have employees who have a greater understanding of and alignment with company visions and values. These same benefits enjoyed by professionally managed companies can be achieved by podiatric practices through continuing education of office staff.

Is employee training worth the investment? Consider the following well-known benefits to be gained from continuing education and training for your staff:

1.Increased job satisfaction and morale amongst staff members.

2.Increased employee motivation.

3.Increased efficiencies in processes, resulting in overall financial gain.

4.Increased acceptance of new technologies and methods.

5.Increased innovation in strategies and products offered.

6.Reduced employee turnover (resulting in reduced recruiting and training costs).

7.Enhanced office image.

8.Improved risk management.

9.Anticipation of, and faster response to, office issues (catching things before the escalate).

10.Enhanced patient satisfaction and loyalty.

APMA President Dr. Christian Robertozzi and APMA Board Trustee Dr. Frank Spinosa both feel strongly about continuing education for their office staffs. Dr. Spinosa states, “Educational seminars for podiatric medical assistants have always proven to be extraordinarily beneficial to my staff. At the very least, my staff PMA’s are introduced to the ‘world of podiatry’. They meet and share experiences with assistants from other states and learn of different practice philosophies. More often, my assistants return with information about new products or treatment regimens that we implement in our office. This cements the concept of our office as a team, not a workplace. The cost of PMA seminars is greatly outweighed by the benefits!”

Dr. Robertozzi concurs; “There are multiple benefits of sending the staff for continuing education. A few of the reasons that come to mind are: first, my staff always returns to the office with at least one new way of doing something better than the way we are presently doing it. Second, they form a network of friends whom they can call upon to discuss issues at the office and see how they can successfully handle them. Third, it is a great benefit for the certified assistant to get their CME’s as a perk of the job, and finally, happy staff makes for happy patients, as the staff tends to treat the patients in the same fashion that they are treated.”

Statistics show that more employees are now looking to invest back into their jobs, and this trend is on the upswing for people to want to grow with their companies rather than look for new employment. The National Society of Human Resources Management found in a retention survey that 59 percent of employees polled said that meaningful work makes a job better, and they defined “meaningful” as: a workplace with a learning culture and the opportunity for challenge and growth in the job.

Today is the age of instant information and many times patients have already done the research on podiatric problems, treatments, technology and products and your staff needs to be more knowledgeable then they are when questions are posed to them.

Patient service is often provided in brief interactions that may only last a few minutes, but the impact could last a lifetime. On the average assistants spend three times the amount of time with the patients than the doctor does, what impact are your assistants making?

Continued training for the assistant by their doctor allows them to be able to anticipate what you, the doctor, will need in treating the patient therefore you are working together to meet the patient needs, which in turn will cause an eagerness for the assistant to learn more. Enthusiasm makes the difference in one’s attitude toward other people, toward one’s job, toward the world.

The podiatric medical assistant of today plays a critical role in the advancement of the profession of podiatry; you need to ask yourself the question, can you afford not to invest in the continued education of your assistants?