We have no doubt that some of our patients find us online by searching for a ‘foot doctor near me’. ‘Near me’ searches are pretty common nowadays. Running a quick search is a fast and easy way to locate a foot and ankle doctor in the Louisville, Kentucky area. Our question for you is this: what are you looking for in a foot doctor?

Also known as podiatrists, foot doctors are specialists in the feet and ankles. We are familiar with all sorts of injuries, diseases, and medical conditions that affect this particular part of the body. As specialists, we go above and beyond what a typical GP can offer.

The Minimum Qualifications

In your search for a ‘foot doctor near me’ we assume that you have some minimum qualifications relating to training and certification. At the very least, a legitimate podiatrist has completed a 4-year medical school program and earned a degree as a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). A typical podiatrist has also been:

Certified by a recognized accrediting organization.
Completed a post-graduate residency program.
Licensed to practice by the state (in our case, KY).

Any foot doctor you choose to see should possess these qualifications at minimum. After that, you might be looking at specific things based on your needs and preferences.

Experience and a Track Record

Every patient we see at Commonwealth Foot and Ankle is a unique person. As such, we get that some of our patients prefer certain qualities and characteristics in their medical providers. We have noticed that patients prefer experience. They appreciate foot doctors who have at least a few years under their belts.

You might prefer a podiatrist with a particular specialty. For instance, one Louisville podiatrist might specialize in sports injuries while another is a diabetic foot care specialist. Podiatry can be highly specialized in some cases, so it can pay to seek out a foot doctor with documented experience in your particular injury or condition.

We have also noted that patients prefer foot doctors with a verifiable track record of success. They want to know that their podiatrist can provide the best possible care supported by qualified advice and backed up by positive patient outcomes.

Other Things Patients Look For

In your search for a ‘foot doctor near me’ you may have some practical considerations in mind. For example, office location might be important to you. You might also consider:

Wait times for new appointments.
Insurance acceptance.
How well the office communicates.
Whether or not you feel comfortable with doctor and staff.

All these things definitely matter to both patients and providers. From our perspective, there are a couple of other things to carefully consider. They include:

Decision Making – It is important that healthcare providers include their patients in the decision-making process. Patients are not merely service recipients. They are human beings who know better than anyone else how they feel.
Patient Education – In order to guarantee patients can participate in decision making, they need to have an appropriate amount of knowledge. Therefore, we believe it is important that doctors educate their patients as much as is practically possible.

Did you run across our website while searching for a ‘foot doctor near me’? If so, we are so glad you found us. As foot and ankle doctors in Louisville, KY, we consider it our mission to help as many patients as possible by providing quality care, education, compassion, and the best treatments we can. We want you to leave our office feeling better than when you came in.