Abstract
Abstract Cooperation between doctors of various specialties and other medical specialists is the standard of care in the treatment of patients. Due to the variety of diseases and the dynamic development of medicine in general, it is difficult to be an expert in every field and know all the recommended treatments. An example of such cooperation is the joint treatment of patients with the problem of ingrown toenails. The article contains an analysis of patients who received treatment in a doctor’s office in cooperation with podiatrists. A conservative approach towards the treatment of this condition sees the patient being initially diagnosed and treated by a podiatrist and then later, if necessary, being referred to a doctor for surgical treatment. The exchange of experiences and information on patients treated by interdisciplinary teams allows doctors and podiatrists to find the best possible treatment and improve the quality of life of patients. The follow-up of patients after surgery can be performed later in podiatry offices. Owing to modern electronic communication, it is possible for a doctor to constantly monitor the patient’s condition without the need for direct visits to the doctor’s office.
Highlights
It is a commonly accepted standard among physicians to refer patients to other specialist physicians in the case of a diagnosis or a suspicion of a disease that requires expert treatment
In the first group of patients, 56% were treated with plastic surgery of the nail folds combined with reconstruction of the plate using Arkada’s method; in the second group, this procedure was performed in 26% of patients (p = 0.008)
Plastic surgery was performed in 76% of patients from the group referred by podiatrists
Summary
It is a commonly accepted standard among physicians to refer patients to other specialist physicians in the case of a diagnosis or a suspicion of a disease that requires expert treatment. Medical professionals other than doctors are all those medical specialists that contribute to the overall process of treatment, i.e. nurses, psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists (Busari et al, 2017; Chomienne et al, 2011; Fagin, 1992; Kone et al, 2018; Stratil et al, 2017). They can all work together in teams, e.g. in hospital rehabilitation units, where the success of the rehabilitated patient depends on close cooperation between all the team members (Kiwerski, 2021). An example is the cooperation of doctors and podiatrists in the treatment of podological diseases (Bandyk, 2018; Menz et al, 2020; Turner et al, 2020)
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