Podiatrists praise certification to prescribe

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This article was published 03/05/2023 (985 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Brandon senior says she is overjoyed that she can now be prescribed medication for her ongoing foot ailment from a local podiatrist rather than having to wait to see her family doctor, thanks to new provincial rules.

Manitoba’s podiatrists can now prescribe certain medications such as antibiotics and anti-inflammatories, after years of consultations with the provincial government and advisers from the colleges of physicians and pharmacists.

For 76-year-old Mary Poole, who has “a toe irritation that keeps coming back,” it is positive news and means she can see her podiatrist and get a prescription on the spot.

“I’m making two trips just to get an antibiotic for my ingrown toenail,” Poole said. “And when my problem flares up, it’s painful, so now for me, the less walking here and there, the better.”

The regulations were approved March 31, bringing Manitoba in line with other provinces like Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick, which have allowed prescribing podiatrists for years, said Dr. Tracy Andrews, who has practised in Brandon since 1994.

Andrews is the only podiatrist in Brandon with a licence to prescribe medication, and there are two others in Winnipeg. According to Andrews, the licensing process involves an intense 16-week course that includes case studies and a major exam.

“You have to do at least five case studies on your own patients including what you would prescribe for them, the information you need to give about side-effects, and what you’re trying to achieve with that medication,” Andrews said. “After that, you take your work to somebody who already has a licence, then to a designated university, and then it’s decided if you get a licence.”

There are fewer than 30 podiatrists in Manitoba, said Andrews, and not all will take the steps to become certified, since some are close to retirement and may not believe they have the time it takes to invest in the training, which could hurt the profession in a time when they need more.

Andrews said the College of Podiatrists of Manitoba was struggling to draw podiatrists to Manitoba because doctors wanted the full scope of practice that included prescribing medication for their patients.

“We weren’t able to attract people,” said Andrews, who is the college’s registrar.

“And that was one of our driving forces, was proving to the Manitoba government that this was an issue, that every graduate was going to Ontario or Saskatchewan, but not Manitoba because they can’t do their job. So, this allows us a bigger scope.”

Being part of the approval process was a way to support podiatrists and patients across the province, according to a Manitoba government spokesperson.

“Our government continues to assess ways to ensure that Manitobans are getting the care they need as quickly and conveniently as possible,” they said in a statement.

Having certified podiatrists will help certain segments of the population get their medications quicker, including seniors and those who have diabetes, said Brandon pharmacist Arpita Patel.

“If there’s a diabetic who needs wound care, or a senior with an infection, then I’m hoping they can get something like an antibiotic from the podiatrist, rather than going to the doctor, because that delays the treatment even further,” said Patel. “Anything that can be resolved right away is great.”

For Andrews, the next steps include encouraging more podiatrists to become certified and for the general public to realize the importance of foot care — not just to keep the profession going, but for overall foot health.

“They say you walk around the world five times in your lifetime. To me that means your feet are very important.”

» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com

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