My Vision For The APMA Board Of Trustees

I will be running for American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Board of Trustees in March at the APMA House of Delegates in Washington, D.C. I look forward to the campaign and would ask you for your support. You can support my campaign by contacting your state delegates and letting them know of your support for my candidacy.

My 2015 campaign for the Board of Trustees focuses on four things:

1. Continuing a lifetime commitment to advancing podiatry’s future

2. Intense dedication to progressive, global, podiatric academia

3. A pledge to wholly transparent stewardship

4. Applying my vast experience in local, state and national podiatric governance

I truly believe the APMA is a strong organization and I would like the honor of participating directly in its continued excellence. It is only when an organization operates strategically that it will serve as a powerful resource to its members and the interests it represents. I am committed to building upon the APMA’s proud foundation. I vow to work every day to be accountable, transparent and accessible to all APMA members as a trustee.

There are a variety of issues that I think are important and require either continued oversight or APMA intervention.

·      Passage of the Helping Ensure Life- and Limb-Saving Access to Podiatric Physicians (HELLPP) Act. This will continue the path towards parity for podiatric physicians.

·      Permanent fix for the Sustainable Growth Rate. This will take the fear out of substantial pay cuts for podiatric physicians and remove the anxiety of temporary fixes to a broken system.

·      Residency genesis. No qualified podiatric medical school graduate should go without a residency. Much progress has occurred with this topic but there is still work to do.

·      Common sense approach to Meaningful Use documentation. Physicians are under enormous pressure in patient documentation so there must be a re-examination of this and implementation of a more logical, efficient, physician-friendly plan.

·      Transparent and continued growth of the APMA. This will enable and support APMA members’ professional careers.

·      Promoting evidenced-based research in support of podiatric medicine. This includes studies like the Thomson Reuters, Arizona Medicaid and Duke studies.^1-3

·      Continued engagement of the young physician group. The future of the profession is the young physician group and the APMA has done an outstanding job of engaging this group and empowering them. This program must continue and develop.

A Review Of Qualifications

My career highlights and qualifications as a candidate for the APMA Board of Trustees are as follows:

·      International Federation of Podiatrists Humanitarian of the Year, 2014

·      American Podiatric Medical Association Humanitarian of the Year, 2011

·      T.H. Clarke Achievement Award-Indiana Podiatric Medical Association, 2011

·      Earl G. Kaplan Memorial Lecture Award-Michigan Podiatric Medical Association, 2015

·      President and Founder of Step-by-Step Haiti non-profit organization

·      Principal of Hoosier Foot and Ankle

·      APMA Political Action Committee Board of Directors

·      American Society of Podiatric Surgeons Board of Directors

·      American College of Foot and Ankle Pediatrics Board of Directors

·      Indiana Podiatric Medical Association Past President, 2012-2013

·      Meritorious Service Award from Indiana Podiatric Medical Association, 2000 and 2004

·      Over 25 medical missionary trips worldwide

·      American Podiatric Medical Association Finance Committee, Resolutions Committee, Clinical Advisory Committee

·      Team podiatrist for the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever

·      Published author

·      Guest Editor for Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, Pediatrics Volume

·      Guest Editor for Foot and Ankle Quarterly, Clubfoot Volume

·      Editorial Board member and DPM Blogger for Podiatry Today

·      Diplomate, American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) - Certified Foot, Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle

·      Fellow of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery

·      Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons

My wife, Erika, and I enjoy spending time with our six children, Sarah, Joey, Jack, Josh, Alex and Brian, who range in age from 28 to 15. We also have three dogs, one horse and one goat. I enjoy traveling, running, playing golf, Indianapolis Colts football, Indiana University basketball, reading, movies, listening to live music with Erika, and watching vintage movies of my father playing basketball for Indiana University.

If you have any questions regarding my candidacy, please email me at padeheer@sbcglobal.net . I would love to speak with you regarding my vision for the APMA. My campaign website is https://www.indianapodiatric.org/patdeheer.html , where you can view my complete CV. Thank you for your consideration.

References

1. Carls GS, Gibson TB, Driver VR, et al. The economic value of specialized lower-extremity medical care by podiatric physicians in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2011; 101(2):93-115.

2. Skrepnek GH, Mills JL, Armstrong DG. Foot-in-wallet disease: tripped up by ‘cost-saving’ reductions? Diabetes Care. 2014; 37(9):e196-7. 

3. Sloan FA, Feinglos MN, Grossman DS. Receipt of care and reduction of lower extremity amputations in a nationally representative sample of US elderly. Health Serv Res. 2010; 45(6 pt1):1740-62.