Podiatrists
What does a Podiatrist do?
A podiatrist deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of medical and surgical conditions of the feet and lower limbs. They implement risk prevention strategies to prevent foot pathologies, provide treatment that delays or minimises the need for hospitalisation and/or invasive treatment, and create therapeutic healthcare plans, which maximise a patient's quality of life.
Services
Podiatrists may treat patients with bone and joint disorders including:
- Arthritis
- Soft tissue and muscular pathologies
- Neurological
- Circulatory diseases
Podiatrists can diagnose and treat complications that affect skin and nails, corns, calluses and ingrown toenails, foot injuries and infections.
Triggers for referral to a podiatrist include:
- Patient with diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, or neuropathy
- Clinical diagnosis or history of foot or lower limb deformity
- Clinical diagnosis of falls
For conditions such as recurring sprains and chronic pain, podiatrists may prescribe foot orthoses.
Medicare Eligibility
To be eligible to provide services under Medicare's chronic disease management items, podiatrists must be registered with the Podiatry Registration Board in each State and Territory in which they practice. In the Northern Territory, legislation requires podiatrists to be registered with another State’s Registration Board or to be a ‘full member’ of a State or Territory Podiatry Association. Most private health insurers provide rebates.