Transcription:
Stoughton Health Foot Clinic

Maggie McKay: Since the moment we learned to walk, our feet are working hard for us, and they can take a beating day in and day out. So, thank goodness for the Stoughton Health Foot Clinic. Today, our guest, Kristi Boyer, will tell us all about what the clinic offers and who can benefit from their services. Welcome to Stoughton Health Talk. I'm Maggie McKay. Thank you so much for being here, Kristi. I can't wait to hear more about what you do. But first, would you please introduce yourself.

Kristi Boyer: Thank you, Maggie, for having me. My name is Kristi Boyer and I'm a certified nursing assistant and foot technician at the Stoughton Health Foot Clinic.

Maggie McKay: Kristi, to start, can you tell us about the foot care that you offer at the clinic?

Kristi Boyer: If you have diabetes or on a blood thinner, we still can make that work. We start with a foot inspection. And generally, we'll soak our client's feet for about five to 10 minutes to make sure that everything is clean and softened and ready to go. Generally, either the toenails will be cut or dremelled. A Dremel tool is kind of like a sanding tool that we use. Then, at the end, there will be a small foot massage and just general care given to the feet to help them to feel better.

Maggie McKay: And when you think about the staff there, what makes them stand out? What makes the patients feel comfortable?

Kristi Boyer: We greet our patient, our clients by name. We engage them in conversation. Oftentimes, we know what's going on in each other's lives, and we have lots of conversations and tell our stories, and all the while we are taking care of the feet.

Maggie McKay: And even if you have diabetes, that's okay. Who else would be likely to come to the clinic?

Kristi Boyer: Anyone who is not able to care for their feet the way that they need to. Sometimes, as we get older, we're not able to reach our feet or see them clearly in order to be able to take care of them.

Maggie McKay: Are there any restrictions on who can make an appointment?

Kristi Boyer: Generally, if you have diabetes, we are asking that you have your diabetes under control. And we are also asking that people who have open wounds to see their doctor instead of coming to the foot clinic to start off with.

Maggie McKay: And what about people with insufficient health insurance? How does that work?

Kristi Boyer: We do not use insurance for our foot clinic. It's a $25 fee when you come in for having your feet taken care of. And we don't use insurance for that. So even if you don't have insurance, that's not going to be a problem.

Maggie McKay: So, let's say somebody doesn't have any problems with their feet, and they just want a foot massage, can they come in for that?

Kristi Boyer: Yes, they can.

Maggie McKay: Really?

Kristi Boyer: We will still take care of their nails and there will be a foot massage at the end, definitely.

Maggie McKay: Okay. And how long does the average appointment last?

Kristi Boyer: About 30 minutes, give or take.

Maggie McKay: And so, you don't use insurance. It's only $25 a visit. How often do people come generally?

Kristi Boyer: Well, that's hard to say. When a patient is new to us or a client is new to us, we will generally schedule them about two months after, and then we reevaluate when they come in. That way, if they need it to be a shorter period of time or a longer period of time, we can make allowances for that.

Maggie McKay: Do they need to bring any certain paperwork to the appointment or prepare in any way?

Kristi Boyer: No. No paperwork, and we do ask them to bring their own towel with them, but that's all they need to do to prepare

Maggie McKay: That's awesome. So, what are the most common problems patients come to the clinic for that you see?

Kristi Boyer: Generally, it's their nails are really long because they're not able to take care of them. They're not able to clip their own nails or have someone in their life that can help them with that. So, we will take care of that for them. That's generally what we see. Every once in a while, we'll see someone that has ingrown toenails. Not that we are able to treat that or anything, but by having them get regular foot care, that can definitely alleviate some of that pain.

Maggie McKay: And you have a podiatrist at Stoughton that you could refer people to if they need something more than what you offer.

Kristi Boyer: Yes, we do. Dr. Colin Graney does procedures at our hospital. And if people need a direction to go, we will definitely give his information to them.

Maggie McKay: And I also understand you have some educational resources on foot care. Tell us about that.

Kristi Boyer: Yes. Generally, we have conversations about their feet and how they're feeling and part of the inspection that we do gives us an idea of how their feet are, how they're feeling and, if they have any issues, we'll talk about maybe soaking their feet or maybe their socks are a little too tight or, you know, just different things that we notice and we are able to pass on to them, and just general tips on how to take care of their feet.

Maggie McKay: It sounds like such a welcoming environment, very relaxing with a dedicated staff. Is there anything else you'd like to share that we haven't gone over?

Kristi Boyer: I don't believe so. Like I said, our clients are very important to us. They become our people and we love to take care of them and share their lives because it's more than just foot care. You know, we do, we share our stories and we share our lives together.

Maggie McKay: That's so awesome. If someone would like to make an appointment, Kristi, how would they do that?

Kristi Boyer: They would call Stoughton Health at 608-873-2332.

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Maggie McKay: Kristi, thank you so much for your time. This has been really helpful and informative, and I'm sure many people are going to benefit from this information.

Kristi Boyer: Thank you for having me.

Maggie McKay: Again, that's Kristi Boyer, certified Nursing Assistant. And if you would like to find out more, please visit stoughtonhealth.com. That's S-T-O-U-G-H-T-O-N health.com. Or as Kristi said, you can call 608-873-2332.

3 2. That concludes this episode of Stoughton Health Talk. Please remember to subscribe, rate, and review this podcast and all the other Stoughton Health Talk podcasts. I'm Maggie McKay. Be well.