Why I Use Non-Operative Fracture Management

Should you be billing non-operative fracture management — or just sticking with office visits + X-rays? And what’s the real story when switching EMRs like Athena to ModMed?In this episode of Podiatry Practice Mastery, Dr. Don Pelto shares:​ Why his practice delayed using the non-operative fracture management code (and the pros/cons once they adopted it)​ Practical insights on handling the 90-day global period, patient complaints, and profitability​ Tips for surviving an EMR transition (Athena → ModMed) — including training, templates, and billing features​ Clinical pearls from real patients: pediatric ankle pain, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, ingrown toenails, warts, fractures, and wound care​ Practice growth strategies: how to identify your most valuable patient (MVP), capture hidden revenue with devices, and track lifetime value (LTV) + cost of acquisition (CAC)👉 For podiatrists serious about scaling to the million-dollar mark in personal production, this episode blends billing, operations, and clinical wisdom.Keywords: podiatry fracture management, podiatry EMR switch, ModMed podiatry tips, podiatry practice growth, podiatry billing codes⸻📝 Show Notes with Timestamps (~18 min episode)​ [00:00] Intro – Questions from colleagues on billing and EMR transitions​ [01:15] Non-operative fracture management: why we delayed using it​ [03:10] Pros + cons of fracture management (profitability vs 90-day global)​ [05:30] How ModMed helps with global tracking vs Athena​ [07:10] EMR switch tips: training, templates, and billing support​ [09:30] Most valuable patient case: 15-year-old swimmer with chronic ankle pain​ [11:40] Shockwave, plantar fascia, bunion + hammertoe pearls​ [13:20] Using DME + cam boots to capture hidden revenue​ [14:40] Wart treatment sheets and why I pre-book multiple visits​ [16:00] Tracking LTV + CAC: new spreadsheet tools for practice growth​ [17:30] Closing thoughts + invitation to the 6-month challenge