by June Portnoy
For 30 years, Dr. Bernard Helfand was well liked and respected as New Hope’s solo podiatrist in his small one-room office. He ran an old-school practice where he greeted his patients at the door and knew each by name.
Last year Dr. Helfand contacted Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates, an established podiatry practice with seven doctors and four offices, and asked them to take over his New Hope and Doylestown practices.
The doctors at Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates, established over 35 years ago, agreed, and today they are now the only podiatry practice in New Hope.
“We have continued to keep Dr. Helfand’s tradition of being user friendly,” says Dr. Jack Rubinlicht, Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates’ partner with over 37 years of podiatry experience. “However, we provide the advantage of having our fingertips on every new technology with all state-of-the art equipment.”
This New Hope practice offers much more than just basic foot care and brings many treatment options to New Hope that people in this community didn’t know existed. Plus, all of its doctors are board certified in many different aspects of podiatry.
“Dr. Ron Raducanu, my New Hope office associate, is a guru for treating children’s feet,” says Dr. Rubinlicht. “He is also certified to perform surgery on patients when needed, and is President of the American College of Foot and Ankle Pediatrics.”
Both Dr. Rubinlicht and Dr. Raducanu are certified in wound care treatment, and therefore, the office is equipped to manage wound care.
“Being certified in this super specialty is very important because diabetes and foot wounds is a dangerous combination that if not treated properly can lead to amputations,” says Dr. Rubinlicht, who adds that most podiatrists are not certified in wound care and hyperbolic oxygen.
With the rise of diabetes, approximately 20% to 30% of this practice’s patients are diabetics.
The Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle practice is the only office in Bucks County certified to use Anodyne Therapy, a non-invasive treatment to treat patients with peripheral neuropathy (loss of feeling) and foot ulceration, both prevalent among people with diabetes.
“No other podiatry office in the area owns this technology, and yet it is so effective in reducing pain and increasing circulation,” says Dr. Rubinlicht.
In addition, Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates is a center for diabetic shoes and is always available to provide routine diabetic foot care.
Still another benefit of coming to this practice is that it is one of the only podiatry offices offering laser technology. Its state-of-the-art lasers are very effective in treating both unsightly toenails and acute pain.
“The price of lasers has gone down significantly over the past two years,” says Dr. Rubinlicht, “which means you can now receive additional sessions from one of our doctors at a much lower cost.”
The podiatrists at this office take a traditional approach to making orthotics by taking an impression of your feet and using computerized, three-dimensional orthotic technology as a backup when needed.
“Overall, our patients are our focus of concern, and we are willing to go above and beyond what other podiatry practices do to ensure they receive the best possible treatment,” says Dr. Rubinlicht.
“Don’t be afraid to ask us about your foot and ankle problems. We are here to do whatever we can to gain your trust.”
To schedule an appointment, call Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates, located at 13 Market Place, Suite 60 in New Hope, at 215-862-2084. For more information visit www.pafootandankle.com.
PHOTO CAP: The doctors of Pennsylvania Foot and Ankle Associates, pictured from left, Howard Goldhammer, DPM; Ron Raducanu, DPM; Jack Rubinlicht, DPM; Richard Cohen, DPM; David Wander, DPM; and Bruce Bruskoff, DPM.
