First Podiatry Pathology Lab Established in Georgia

Atlanta, GA - Village Podiatry Group, the largest podiatric surgical practice in Georgia, has now brought pathology services in house. The new lab, Podiatry Pathology Lab of Georgia, LLC, is the first dedicated, podiatric pathology lab in the state and among few in the U.S. An Atlanta based pathology group manages the lab’s operations which recently received CLIA certification in accordance with FDA standards. John Cochran, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Chestatee Pathology Associates is the lab’s medical director.

Village Podiatry Group has 19 metro Atlanta offices and more than 90,000 annual patient visits. The group specializes in medical and surgical care for foot and ankle conditions, disease and trauma. Previously, pathology work was sent to Quest and LabCorp. Under the new arrangement, the technical services are performed by Emory Adventist Hospital in Smyrna and Chestatee Pathology manages the professional services. Dr. Cochran says the lab handles a variety of podiatry pathology services including skin biopsies for potential cancer, nail screenings and bone biopsies to rule out infections. Specimens are collected from both in office and out patient procedures performed at Village Podiatry’s two affiliated surgical centers.

Dr. David Helfman, CEO of Village Podiatry Group, says insourcing of pathology services is a great benefit to patients.

“By shortening the conduit between biopsy and diagnosis, the patient can more quickly be placed on a treatment regimen and on the road to recovery. This process further facilitates communication between the clinician and the pathologists,” says Dr. Helfman. “Insourcing pathology is an option that more podiatric groups may soon begin to explore.”

In the podiatric profession, Village Podiatry Group is recognized as among the most knowledgeable and progressive in the U.S. Village Podiatry began in 1992 as the solo practice of Dr. Helfman and has grown to encompass 23 physicians including nationally recognized surgical innovators and medical authors.

“We strive to manage all of our patients’ foot and ankle healthcare needs within the umbrella of our practice to provide advanced care with the greatest access,” says Dr. Helfman. “Insourcing pathology is the newest addition to our growing compliment of services which include in office X-ray, affiliation with the only high field, Extremity MRI in Atlanta and two dedicated, podiatric surgical centers.”

More information about Village Podiatry Group can be found at www.villagepodiatrygroup.com.