Pillars
(708) 745-5277
www.pillarscommunity.org
333 North LaGrange Road
Suite 1
La Grange Park IL 60526

Celebrity Services

More than celebrity drug treatment. We help real people.
Services Provided: Substance abuse treatment
Type of Care: Outpatient

Podiatry

Podiatry is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower leg. In the United States, two groups of physicians mainly provide medical and surgical care of the foot and ankle: podiatrists and orthopedists. Podiatrists are certified in Foot and Ankle Surgery or certified in Foot Surgery and certified in Reconstructive Rear foot/Ankle Surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and are specifically trained to diagnose and perform complex surgical treatments of the foot and ankle. They are an integral part of the health care team, and combined with all other podiatric physicians, currently treat the majority of foot-related medical issues in the U.S. Orthopedists are the second largest providers of foot-related medical care. Each board-certified Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeon has a professional doctoral degree, which requires the completion of four years of Podiatric Medical School. The Podiatric Medical School curriculum covers basic and clinical sciences, including, but not limited to: general anatomy, pathology, biochemistry, pharmacology, general medicine, surgery, pediatrics, behavioral sciences, and ethics. Unlike MD and DO medical schools, the Podiatric Medical School curriculum also provides intensive foot and ankle “specialty” specific education beginning in the first year. They have completed a post-graduate Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Residency. While current Podiatric Residency models range from two to three years, the majority of graduates complete three years of podiatric surgical training and some continue on to do fellowships. This training follows a four-year undergraduate college degree. The first year of podiatric medical school is somewhat similar to training that physicians receive, but with a limited scope on foot, ankle, and lower extremity problems. As a second entry degree, for admission an applicant must first complete a minimum of 90 semester hours at the university level and/or complete a bachelor's degree. A residency follows the four-year podiatric medical school, which is hands-on post-doctoral training. There are two standard residencies named Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. These represent the two- or three-year residency training. Podiatric residents rotate through all main areas of medicine such as emergency, pediatric, internal medicine, and general surgery and of course podiatry — both clinic and surgical. During these rotations, attending podiatrists train the resident physicians in medicine and surgery. Podiatric Foot and Ankle Surgeons certified have successfully completed an intense board certification process comparable to that undertaken by individual MD and DO specialties. Certification involves written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions, in addition to submission of surgical case logs. Prerequisites for board qualification in Foot and Reconstructive Rear foot /Ankle Surgery require successful completion of a three-year podiatric surgical program and passing a written examination. Board certification in Foot Surgery is a prerequisite for board certification in Reconstructive Rear foot / Ankle Surgery. A candidate must pass both the written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions in Foot Surgery as well as the written, oral, and computer-based patient simulation questions in Reconstructive Rear foot /Ankle Surgery. Certification requires submission of 65 cases for certification in Foot Surgery and an additional 30 cases for certification in Reconstructive Rear foot/Ankle Surgery, for 95 cases. Certification requires four years of post-degree clinical experience before taking the certification examination. Additionally, must re-certify every 10 years to maintain their board-certified status, although some members who were certified prior to 1991 undergo a "self-test" examination, essentially circumventing taking the written exam all others must take in order to become re-certified. In the United States, the previous titles used for the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree were Doctor of Surgical Chiropody (DSC) and Doctor of Podiatry. Podiatry in the U.S. currently encompasses a broader spectrum of practice than it used to. Podiatrists can now perform medical and surgical procedures in all 50 states, though the specific scope of practice varies slightly in each state. History The professional care of feet was in existence in ancient Egypt as evidenced by bas-relief carvings at the entrance to Ankmahor's tomb dating from about 2400 BC with the depiction of work on hands and feet. Hippocrates recognized the need to reduce hard skin, described as corns and calluses. He invented skin scrapers for this purpose and these were the original scalpels. Aulus Cornelius Celsus, a Roman scientist and philosopher, was probably responsible for giving corns their name. Later Paul of Aegina (AD 615-690) defined a corn as "a white circular body like the head of a nail, forming in all parts of the body, but more especially on the soles of the feet and the toes.” Until the turn of the 20th century, chiropodists—now known as podiatrists—were separate from organized medicine. They were independently licensed physicians who treated the feet, ankles, and related leg structures.

Co-Occurring Drug Abuse and Mental Health

Offenders with co-occurring drug abuse and mental health problems often require an integrated treatment approach. High rates of mental health problems are present in offender populations and in those with substance abuse problems. Drug abuse treatment can sometimes address depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. Personality, cognitive and other serious mental disorders can be difficult to treat and may disrupt drug treatment. The presence of co-occurring disorders may require an integrated approach that combines drug abuse treatment with psychiatric treatment, including the use of medication. A physician should assess Individuals with either a substance abuse or mental health problem for the presence of the other.

Medications for Drug Abuse

Medications are important parts of treatment for many drug abusing offenders. For heroin addiction, medicines such as methadone and buprenorphine help normalize brain function and individuals who may benefit from them should take them. Effective use of medications can be instrumental in enabling people with co-occurring mental health problems to function successfully in society. Behavioral strategies can increase adherence to medication regimens.

Chronic Conditions Prevention

Treatment planning for drug abusing offenders who are living in or returning the community should include strategies to prevent and treat serious, chronic medical conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C and tuberculosis.
The rates of infectious diseases, such as hepatitis, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, are higher in drug abusers, incarcerated offenders and offenders under community supervision than in the general population. Infectious diseases affect not just the offender, but also the criminal justice system and the wider community. Consistent with federal and state laws, offenders who have abused drugs should be tested for infectious diseases and receive counseling on health practices and on ways to modify risky behaviors. Probation and parole officers who monitor offenders with serious medical conditions should link them with appropriate healthcare services, encourage compliance with medical treatment and re-establish eligibility of the offender for public health services like Medicaid.