How much does a podiatrist earn? “Boosting self-worth and starting salary”

The latest special issue of the FUSS journal focused on “Podiatrists as Entrepreneurs”. Simeon Ruck was also featured in an interview there. The title: “Many self-employed podiatrists have a time management problem”. As managing director of HELLMUT RUCK GmbH, he is well aware not only of these time management issues, but above all of the business-related bottlenecks faced by his clients. In the courses at the RUCK Academy, which he supervises as a lecturer, he therefore places emphasis on the business aspects of starting a business entirely. Unfortunately, these are often given far too little attention at most podiatry training institutions.

“Self-worth and starting salary – both should be increased”, That is Simeon Ruck’s firm conviction. In his view, podiatry, as a key support profession within the healthcare sector, must receive slightly higher regard from the public. This is a challenge for the professional bodies, but also calls for creativity on the part of podiatrists themselves. When it comes to salaries, the principle of supply and demand will deliver the main driving force in future, as the demand for qualified podiatrists is yet exceptionally high. No wonder, as the age pyramid not only points to a broad field of activity but also indicates a high willingness to invest in health.

The starting salary – the elephant in the room

In the FUSS article, Simeon Ruck had suggested a starting salary of 3,500 euros in the area. But isn’t that a bit too high? Some readers were no doubt taken aback. Podiatrist Christian Seiz didn’t hesitate for long and contacted people directly on Facebook. How did he arrive at that figure? “Mr Ruck had offered to speak with us directly”, says Mr Seiz. “We assumed that was the case, and then we had a phone call together.” Besides Mr Seiz, his business partner Sandra Klett also took part in the discussion. Step by step, the outstanding issues were resolved, and by the end there was broad agreement: Podiatry needs to keep moving forward – including when it comes to pay.

“There is no doubt that podiatry services are underpaid,” Mr Seiz confirms this. “When Mr Ruck mentioned the salary, his aim was not to pin down the exact figure, but rather to set a rather provocative benchmark for what constitutes a reasonable salary for a podiatrist. He approaches the issue from a purely business perspective, in the same way as my colleague Ms Klett. I sit a bit between two chairs, because a salary like that has to be earned first.”

“During our conversation, we agreed that podiatrists are not promoting themselves effectively,” says Sandra Klett. The business graduate has the impression that podiatrists tend to think highly in social terms – and with this approach, they often overlook the need for adequate remuneration. Many compare themselves to “standard” foot care professionals and base their prices on theirs. On this basis, it is not possible to pay a reasonable salary.

Prospects for a young profession

At just 20 years old, podiatry is still a highly new profession. However, the reason for the lack of acceptance of a reasonable treatment fee is located elsewhere.
“The healthcare system provides too much, as the health insurance funds cover almost everything”, says Ms Klett. The principle of “If the health insurance doesn’t cover it, I won’t go” doesn’t apply in different areas of life. At the hairdresser’s, for example, women pay 90 euros or more without hesitation. “Podiatrists must be aware of their value as therapists and promote this to the outside world. Ultimately, quality always prevails thanks to its ability to set itself apart”, says Klett. “We charge 50 euros per treatment. Our customers are happy to pay this price because they value the quality of the treatment.”

That is precisely the crux of the matter for many practices: a pricing that is too low does not allow for reasonable starting salaries for employed podiatrists, even though demand is immense. But without economically viable revenue, staffing requirements cannot be met.

According to Christian Seiz, many podiatrists lack adequate business management skills. “Business studies is covered only briefly, if at all, during podiatry training,” he notes, “That is why it is well to know that, for example, the RUCK Academy offers relevant courses.”

Pricing as a large lever

In her experience as a coach, Sandra Klett has found that pricing is often the main issue when planning to set up in business. “First of all, I try to build up my clients’ self-esteem so that they become more aware of their own achievements,” she says. “Patients are yet willing to pay higher prices – they just need to understand the quality that goes into the service.”

Here’s an example: A podiatrist advised by Ms Klett charges 39 euros for a comprehensive treatment – even though the health insurance company pays 42 euros instead. She entirely chooses not to charge the extra 3 euros because she is firmly convinced that her clients would not accept a price increase.

Customers often assume that their health insurance will cover everything. This sense of entitlement prevents them from accepting medical treatment objectively. The situation is often different outside Germany, for example in Italy, Spain or Greece. Customers from these countries are used to paying for medical treatment themselves.

Our conclusion:

A podiatrist’s salary of €3,500 a month should not be a pipe dream. Three things are needed to incorporate this into practice: greater confidence and belief in one’s own abilities, greater awareness and recognition of the profession, and a pricing structure that is commercially viable.

Hellmut Ruck Senior, Simeon Ruck’s grandfather, was already deeply committed to advancing the profession of medical foot care professional; he is regarded as a pioneer in the industry. “I would like to continue this tradition today,” says Simeon Ruck, “If we want to drive the industry forward, we need to be more bold and pay salaries of this very standard.” Besides this principle, the following objectives are key to him:

Short-term goals:

• Nationwide exemption from tuition fees for podiatry training
• An increase in treatment fees, with a minimum charge of €52.50 (the current statutory health insurance rate for a ‘large podiatry treatment’ is €44)
• Optimised process structures within practice operations to ensure a customer-focused yet more efficient way of working

Mid-term goals:

• Extension of full-time training to three years
• Theory lessons delivered online to eliminate the constraints of experience and place in training
• Higher quality standards for the supervision of work placements within training organisations, e.g. at least two years’ professional experience, teaching skills and – increasingly important – social skills in dealing with influences that carry over from the trainee’s private life into their training.

What are your thoughts on this topic? We’d love to hear your feedback in the comments!

About the people:

Christian Seiz is a state-registered podiatrist, nurse and dental technician, and, together with Sandra Klett, co-owner of the “COBIFU Gesundheit” practice. Here, people receive care from head to foot – a unique, holistic approach that brings together many different disciplines.

Sandra Klett, a qualified systemic-hyposystemic coach and team consultant, with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a qualification in healthcare and nursing, she co-manages “COBIFU Gesundheit” alongside Christian Seiz. Among other things, she supports her clients as a coach in various areas of life.

Find out more at www.cobifu-gesundheit.de