Re: Patient or client?Professional or mechanic?

Re: Patient or client?Professional or mechanic?

Tony Barr

Horray Texas!How about hearing from practitionors from Illinois,the great state of Washington and others on their licensure efforts??

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> To all my colleagues:
> I am a Certified Prosthetist, a health care professional credentialed by a
> national health care accreditation organization (ABC) and proud of it. My
> credentials result from the possession of a baccalaureate degree and a
> certificate of education in prosthetics from Northwestern University
> Prosthetic and Orthotic Center. I am pleased to have enjoyed the recognition
> of other health care professionals for 17 1/2 years I have practiced my
> PROFESSION.
>
> I am further pleased that Texas, my state of residence, has take a positive
> step by adopting a comprehensive licensure act for orthotists and
> prosthetists. I am further pleased that a board consisting of ABC
> practitioners, BOC practitioners and consumers has worked diligently and
> produced a fair and practical document delineating the rules and procedures
> for implementing the act as adopted by the Texas legislature.
>
> I am not, nor have I ever been, a mechanic or tradesman. I have been a
> Professional throughout my career, and the fact that I am now to be licensed
> by the State of Texas will not change the manner in which I treat the patients
> referred to me for care. The license will, however, provide me with additional
> recognition, both for patients and payers.
>
> I agree, Mr. Barr, this is a positive direction being taken by state
> organizations, and I encourage more state organizations to work to enact
> licensure.
>
> Joseph C. Elliott, CP
>
> Tony Barr wrote:
>
> > I believe Florida O&P consumers can now be described as patients since
> (Florida) practitionors are now required to have a state license to practise
> their profession(previously a trade.)This recent transition (July 1998) in the
> state of Florida, of mandatory licensure, and minimumal educational standards
> , raises the status of the O&P practitionor to the level of a professional
> from a tradesman / mechanic identity.
> >
> > The prior (optional) certification process did not necessarrily quarantee
> qualification of the practitionor.With the requirement of a state license to
> practise the profession, goes the recognition, responsibility and
> accountablity of being a health care professional.
> >
> > Perhaps,once the industry in other states recognizes the importance of
> establishing mandatory credentials thru licensure , health care insurance
> providers will revisit and review insurance coverages for O&P services.The
> beneficiaries of regulation become the patient and the professional.The
> recent expansion of O&P coverage to adults by Florida Medicaid was a direct
> result of upgrading ,thru regulation ,the image and qualifications of the
> industry(now a profession in Florida!).
> >
> > Perhaps one might ask,What other occupation deserves the recognition as a
> profession when no license or certification is required to practice their
> trade?Espicially when that occupation is health care related ?
> >
> > Congratulations Florida and Texas O&P PROFESSIONALS!!!
> > You are leading the way to the transition of a higher standard from an
> industry to a profession and your identity as a health care professional!
> >
> > Anthony T. Barr
> > The Barr Foundation
> > www.oandp.com/barr
> >
> > > In response to the recent posting regarding referrring to amputees as
> > > patients instead of clients.
> > >
> > > I have to respectively disagree with the authors assertion that a
> > > Prosthetist is no more than a tradesman, or mechanic, who is hired to
> fill
> > > an order for a part or supply. I believe that there is a very important
> > > distinction between care giver and mechanic.
> > >
> > > Perhaps it is because I work in a hospital setting, but I do not believe
> any
> > > of the patients that I provide care for, see out relationship as one where
> > > a customer is hiring a mechanic to build them something. Of course there
> > > is a part of what we do that is technical and requires reimbursement.
> > > However, I think that it is degrading to the entire Prosthetic profession
> to
> > > look at what we do as the same as a mechanic.
> > >
> > > Without getting to longwinded here, I will pose a couple of questions
> > > myself.
> > > Is the patient / Physical Therapist relationship any different? They are
> > > hired to provide a service. They are paid to do so.
> > > Is the patient / Surgeon relationship any different? They are hired to
> > > work on the body and are also paid to do so.
> > >
> > > I do not believe that prosthetists are intentionally trying to offend
> > > amputees by referring to them as patients, but when we are called in as
> > > part of the rehabilitation team to assist with getting a person back on
> their
> > > feet, or back to work, they see it as a patient / care giver relationship.
> > > Thanks for letting me vent a little.
> > > Steve Fletcher, CPO
> > > Shands Hospital at the University of Florida
> > >
>