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ABOUT DR. BLITZ NEAL M. BLITZ, DPM, FACFAS, is a podiatrist surgeon/reconstructive foot and ankle surgeon in private practice in Midtown Manhattan at 56th and Park Avenue. He operates at Mount Sinai Hospital as well as within private surgical facilities in Manhattan. Dr. Blitz is board-certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery in foot surgery and reconstruc- tive rearfoot and ankle surgery. While Dr. Blitz is most sought out for bunion surgery due to his Bunionplasty proce- dure, he also specializes in complex foot and ankle surgery, arthroscopy, flatfoot surgery, sports medicine-related surgery, and revision foot and ankle surgery. A PROLIFIC CAREER In the past 15 years, Dr. Blitz has per- formed approximately 15,000 foot and ankle surgical procedures, a milestone that can take the average foot surgeon an entire career to amass. Prior to entering private practice in Manhattan, Dr. Blitz served as chief of foot surgery and associate chair of orthopedics at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center. He developed an extremely suc- cessful urban foot surgery program that treated more than 13,000 patients a year, with more than 600 operations annually. Before relocating to New York, Dr. Blitz was a shareholder podiatric physician within the Orthopedic Department at Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa. Dr. Blitz completed a residency at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle that was focused on major reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. This prestigious pro- gram was also affiliated with Harborview Medical Center. He was awarded an AO fellowship in Dresden, Germany, that was centered on trauma and reconstruction. Dr. Blitz graduated cum laude with a doctorate of podiatric medicine from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. GLOBAL PRESENCE Dr. Blitz has a strong international presence among surgeons and patients. He has had a tremendous influence on the field of foot and ankle surgery, having published dozens of peer-reviewed articles in the Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery and Clinics in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. His research is cited and his techniques are used worldwide. Dr. Blitz's passion for writing has led patients to his doorstep. He writes a foot health blog for Huffington Post and is the foot health editor for About.com. As an innovator, Dr. Blitz is frequently quoted in the media and press, and his Bunionplasty procedure has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. "Our practice is unique in this regard," he says. "Patients want to be discreet and may be embarrassed by their feet, so we are creating a whole different experience. Whereas they once were reluctant for others to see their feet, after surgery they are now showing them off. Our patients are our real advocates." Dr. Blitz has designed his practice to assist patients with the practical as well as medical aspects of foot surgery. His practice manager, Cheer Alvarez, has more than a decade of experience in health administra- tion. She assists in scheduling procedures and obtaining insurance coverage. When an international patient visits, she ensures their trip and accommodations are top- notch. Dr. Blitz employs a telehealth system, including virtual conversations via Skype, to meet long-distance patients before they come to New York for surgery. Not 'Just' a Bunion Surgeon While Dr. Blitz has created a bunion empire by getting patients back on their feet fast, he also provides a full spectrum of simple and complex foot and ankle surger- ies. His former leadership as chief of foot surgery and associate chair of orthopedics at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center provided him with years of major complex surgical expertise, which he now incorporates in private practice in the treatment of foot and ankle deformities, broken bones, and sports injuries. "I never looked back after opening my private practice, which has become an international destination for foot surgery," he says. Because Dr. Blitz takes on extremely challenging cases, some patients have dubbed him the "Superman of Feet." "I operate on simple bunions. I operate on hard bunions. I operate on flat feet. I operate on arthritic ankles. I operate on all foot and ankle conditions as well as the feet that nobody else wants, and all of these procedures can be done right here in New York," Dr. Blitz says. F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t Bunionplasty and other simple and com- plex surgeries of the foot and ankle, visit Bunionplasty.com. ■ COV ER FE AT UR E Dr. Blitz prides himself on running a boutique foot and ankle surgery practice. 1 0 | Long Island MD NEWS ■ M D N E W S . CO M