Ingrown Toenails Treated in Your San Francisco Home One Hour from Now

Ingrown Toenails Removed in Your San Francisco Home in only One Hour.

As a podiatrist in San Francisco, ingrown toenails are one of the most painful problems I treat. I actually love fixing ingrown toenails, mainly because people are so happy when the pain is gone. They just think I am the best podiatrist in San Francisco.

The truth is that San Francisco has many great podiatrists. But when an ingrown toenail develops, it gradually gets more and more painful. Most of the time the toe is really painful, red and swollen by the time the patient calls a podiatrist to get an appointment.

The first time I realized that ingrown toenails should be treated as an emergency was when another doctor actually called me for help after hours. He had been kayaking all weekend. He thought that he bumped the big toe on the inside of his kayak and started the ingrown toenail. He said he just couldn't wait to be seen. So I saw him that night.

He was so grateful to have that painful infected piece of toenail taken out that I realized more podiatrists should treat ingrown toenails as emergencies. Now I am willing to see anyone day or night to fix ingrown toenails.

The best news for anyone in San Francisco suffering from an ingrown toenail is that I can usually be at their home and fix an ingrown toenail right then and there. They don't even have to go to the podiatry clinic. By removing the painful piece of nail, you get relief right away. So for most people who call us, they will get relief from an ingrown toenail pain in about one hour from the time they call us.

Dr. Christopher Segler is a podiatrist who practices podiatry house calls in the San Francisco Bay Area. He can be reached directly at 415-308-0833. For more information about ingrown toenail casuses and treatments see www.DocOnTheRun.com or www. AnkleCenter.com

San Francisco Medicare Patients Need to Brace for Worsening Customer Service at Doctor Appointments

Medicare Cuts of 21.2% can only spell longer waits and less time with the doctor.

On 2/26/2010 is was reported that nothing short of a political miracle in Congress can prevent a scheduled 21.2% pay cut to doctors across the San Francisco Bay Area and the rest of of the U.S. The fact is that the extraordinary cost of living, rent and office space in the San Francisco area can only have one reasonable effect... poor customer service in doctor's offices.

For the past several months, Democrats in Congress have attempted to get legislation to pass and avoid the massive pay cut, which was written into law by the old "sustainable growth rate" formula Medicare uses to determine how much physicians get paid for treating patients. However, this week Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) effectively blocked the bill that would have extended the deadline by 30 days.

The big problem with this situation is that many doctors cannot make a living by seeing Medicare patients for less money. Others find a way to survev, but are forced to ration care and perform "assembly line medicine." If physicians are true to their warnings and quit seeing these people, Medicare beneficiaries might experience difficulty making an appointment with any doctor or podiatrist who takes Medicare. One poll among neurosurgeons showed that about 40% would cut back on seeing new Medicare patients if reimbursement continues to decline, while 18% would quit accepting new Medicare patients into their medical practices altogether. Another 27% said they would treat fewer Medicare patients who were already in their practices.

The fact is that all doctors in San Francisco went to medical school so they could spend their careers helping people. But when it comes to continual decreases in pay with continual escalating costs of seeing patients, something has to give.

There are really only a couple of ways doctors can deal with the 21% cuts in Medicare reimbursement that will take effect Monday morning. One option is for doctors to stop taking Medicare. That means they just don't schedule your appointment. Or you have to pay for the visit yourself. Very few doctors have had the courage to do this. However those that do, find they can provide more time, attention, and personalized care with each patient.

The other option is to just see more patients. Its just math. A doctor that was seeing 50 patients a day, will now need to seen something like 70 per day. With all of the rules and regulations about what has to be documented in the medical record for each visit, that can only translate to very short visits.

Don't be surprised if you go to the doctor on Monday and are told "we'll have to tall about that problem at your netx visit, we just don't have time for more than two problems during your visit today." But don't take it personally of you can't get in to the San Francisco podiatry office to treat that diabetic foot infection or remove that ingrown toenail... it's just math.

Dr. Christopher Segler is a San Francisco Podiatrist and Foot Doctor who stopped accepting Medicare so he could practice Direct Medicine. He provides housecalls and is a podiatrist who will go to your home so you don't have to wait in some dingy waiting room all day. He practices podaitry in the San Francisco Bay Area and treats urgent foot problems 24/7 in the Bay Area. You can use the “foot pain finder” to learn more about foot problems at www.AnkleCenter.com and www.DocOnTheRun.com.

More Reason for San Francisco Residents to Choose Concierge Care

San Francisco News: Anthem Blue Cross Under Fire

San Francisco patients, podiatrists, primary care doctors and other many medical providers have had enough. Doctors and patients alike have felt for years that big insurance companies like Anthem Blue Cross of California are taking advantage of the public bilking patients and doctors out of hard earned money. Now it appears that the California Insurance Commissioner may agree.

On February 22, 2010 Steve Poizner (the California Insurance Commissioner) announced that he had reviewed consumer complaints against Anthem’s claims handling practices from 2006 to 2009 resulted in the 732 violations, including 277 violations of failure to pay claims to doctors as obligated.

All of this of course comes to light during hard economic times. And in the midst of these hard times, Anthem has decided to raise insurance premiums as much as 39%. On the local evening news in San Francisco last night Poizner explained that they only usually prosecute insurance companies that are "belligerent" and show a pattern of refusing to cooperate or comply with the law.

This sort of insurance company misbehavior is precisely why doctors and patients alike are opting out of the Big Insurance Losing Game. Many patients are now seeking medical care in the comfort of their own homes and paying out of pocket. Doctors who have stopped accepting insurance are now free to spend more time with patients, offer house calls, and focus on preventative care instead of crisis management.

With Anthem continuing to log complaints with the California insurance commissioner, it seems that concierge medicine will continue to grow.

Dr. Christopher Segler is a San Francisco Podiatrist and Foot Doctor who treats ankle sprains, foot pain and diabetic foot problems. His San Francisco Podiatry practice offers emergency housecalls for busy people with foot injuries and ankle sprains in the Bay Area. You can use the “foot pain finder” to learn more about foot and ankle sprains at www.AnkleCenter.com and www.DocOnTheRun.com.

Concierge Medicine: Convenient and Affordable Care - Brief Analysis #687

Concierge Medicine: Convenient and Affordable Care

The National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA) published a report this week which shows that "Concierge Medicine" may help alleviate long patient waits and difficulty with access to high quality, timely healthcare.

Although many have thought (or erroneously believe) that concierge services are out of reach, there is a growing trend for doctors of many specialties (Primary care, Emergency Medicine, Podiatry, Pediatrics, and even Diabetes Care) to provide On-Demand medicine.

By offering these services, patients ain areas like San Francisco, Marin County, the East bay and Silicon Valley are getting the care they need. Often times the ones arranging care are adult children who are simply too busy to take their aging parents to doctor's visits across town.

Lets face it, a busy executive, working mom, or someone who runs a home-based business really can't afford to lose half a day just sitting in a podiatry clinic waiting room while Dad has his toenails trimmed. Now the podiatrist can come right to your Dad's house and cut those toenails.

This emerging medical model is arguably delivering better care through increased access. No one can argue that the convenience has no comparison to standard medical practices. With more and more doctors choosing this model, medical care at home is become much more affordable. In fact, in San Francisco, you can get a doctor housecall visit for less than the cost of many pedicure spa treatments.

Dr. Christopher Segler has published over 70 scientific articles, abstracts and book chapters. He has won awards for research on foot and ankle injuries from the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and the American Podiatric Medical Association. His practice specializes in house calls in the San Francisco Bay Area and Marin. If you need a Podiatrist in San Francisco to come to your home or office visit www.DocOnTheRun.com and www.AnkleCenter.com.

Doc On The Run - San Francisco Podiatry House Calls - Now Accepting Urgent Appointments

In an effort to bring the very best care and convenience to those who need it most, Doc On The Run is now accepting new patients.

Because so many people in San Francisco need care at home, Dr Segler is now offering Houscalls for urgent foot problems like infected in grown toenails, ankle sprains, diabetic wounds, and ankle sprains.

For those who care for their elderly parents at home, we also offer the convenience of bringing the podiatrist to you. Home visits are even offered for minor services like trimming of toenails, cutting thick painful toenails, and medical pedicures.

No more need to sit in the car or wait at the podiatry clinic all morning or afternoon. We can bring the expert right to your door.

To schedule a Podiatry Housecall in San Francisco, Marin, the East Bay or the Peninsula, just call (415) 308-0833. Or visit www.DocOnTheRun.com.

Dr. Christopher Segler is a foot doctor and award-winning foot surgeon. He makes podiatry housecalls in the San Francisco Bay Area, Marin, East Bay and Peninsula. No need to wait to see the Podiatry Clinic for an ingrown toenail, or thick painful toenails. Learn more about Podiatry House Calls for foot pain at DocOnTheRun.com or AnkleCenter.com

The Doc Is In... In YOUR Office that is!

San Francisco's First Podiatry HouseCalls Practice

Many think of "Concierge Medicine" as an elitist service reserved for the filthy rich. However, many primary care doctors and even some specialists (myself included) have moved to this healthcare provider model to simply provide better, more personal service, and more affordable care.

To this end, we offer expert care on your schedule. Who has time to wait in traffic, then wait in the "waiting room" at the doctor's office. To add insult to injury, most patients are then treated to another wait in the hidden waiting room (sometimes called a treatment room).

Who can cancel a half day at work for a little heel pain?

The idea of cost-effective concierge care is to save you (the patient) time, money and trouble. Your concierge doc can come to you, making a house call. That way you can "wait" for the doctor at your office while you work on your computer or make some phone calls.

If your child has an ingrown toenail, why not watch TV or read a book at home while you "wait" for the doctor to come to your home.

The truth is that most common foot and ankle problems, like heel pain, ingrown toenails, painful thick fungal toenails and plantar warts can all be treated during a house call.

So next time you or your loved on has an emergency foot problem, let the foot doctor wait in traffic. Yep, the podiatrist will come right to you!