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The Saint Alphonsus Coughlin Clinic
Foot & Ankle Center of Excellence
The Coughlin Clinic was established to provide comprehensive care to patients who suffer from disorders of the musculoskeletal system of the foot and ankle. The origin of a patient's condition may arise from localized arthritic conditions, tendon injuries, nerve dysfunction or malaignment problems of the foot and ankle.
Systemic conditions such as diabetes, or result from sudden trauma, or perhaps overuse injuries can also be a cause of pain and dysfunction. As a result, the center's physicians often work with physicians of many other specialties, including internal medicine, pediatrics, vascular surgery, endocrinology, radiology, anesthesiology, and others.
The center is lead by two dedicated surgeons; Michael J. Coughlin, MD and Christopher B. Hirose, MD. Both are trained as orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons; meaning they have completed four years of medical school, a five year orthopaedic surgery residency, and then an additional year of specialized training in surgical and medical treatment of diseases of the foot and ankle.
Dr. Coughlin is well known internationally in the field of foot and ankle surgery. He is the author and co-editor of two textbooks on foot and ankle surgery and was the youngest President of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society in 1990. He was also named President-Elect for the International Federation of Foot & Ankle Surgeons.
Dr. Hirose is an experienced foot and ankle surgeon who was practicing in Denver, CO for five years prior to joining Dr. Coughlin. He practices general orthopaedic surgery with a focus on the foot and ankle. He has published multiple articles and book chapters on conditions affecting the foot and ankle.
The Center is involved in research in the field of foot and ankle surgery. Dr. Coughlin was a principal investigator in the development of the Scandinavian Total Ankle Replacement (STAR) System which just recently received FDA approval in the United States as an effective alternative to an ankle fusion. Additionally, Dr. Coughlin was instrumental in enabling Boise State University to receive $115,000 grant to investigate the interaction of athletic footwear with artificial turf.
Immediate access to advanced imaging such as Computed Topography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are components of the center as well as advanced wound care.
