Re: Alphabet Soup/ US politics
Tony Barr
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Collection
Title:
Re: Alphabet Soup/ US politics
Creator:
Tony Barr
Text:
Paul,I enjoyed your analogy story and agree with most of the suggestions in your conclusion.However ,I would like to point out some differences of opinion to your comparisons and buyer beware similarities.
(1)The mother cannot see which one is which, they both look, smell, and taste the same. Which one is better? In the end it doesn't matter, the end result is what matters. It is not how the sons gained the knowledge to bake the bread it is how the bread turned out. This simple analogy can be used in the O&P world. It doesn't matter how you received your knowledge as long as you can use that knowledge to help people.
True! Certification type (alphabet soup) does not equate to qualification.The real problems of fraud and abuse have been by charlatans and scammers that hold no certification or qualifications what so ever.There has been no recourse.
In most states their are no requirements.No certification ,no shingle.Even a post office box will do to recieve a check.
Some fabricate in vans and fabricate in the consumers driveway!!!Whats the consumer's recourse? None.
(2)Testing for minimum competency by certifying agencies has proved to be a valid method for protecting the public form charlatans. The market place and the referral sources will decide which product is better. An incompetent provider of O&P services will not last and any deceptive or deceitful actions by a provider has been proven to be dealt with appropriately by the certifying agencies.
FAlse! How can the uneducated consumer be expected to be aware of the fact that it is perfectly legal for ANYONE to fabricate a prostheses for an amputee or a brace for a MS or polio patient in most states !!?? Certainly you must agree that a 40 hour manufactures course that would result in completion of a certification course cannot provide the same knowleddge to the practitioner who obtained a degree in O&P?Some standards have to be set into place. Certification agencies can only serve as a overseer to THIER credentialed practitioners and generally do not revoke or suspend a certification or fine their members.
As pointed out by those initially in opposition to regulation in Florida, their has been less than a dozen case reported to BOC or ABC for faulty workmanship or fraud.Does that equate to everything is alright in the industry?One case comes to mind ,when a consumer complained to one of the two certification boards that his prosthetist was not certified.The certification director sent the non certified practitioner a application to become certified!
In Florida ,prior to regulation and in most other states, the only recourse of a dissatisfied amputee is contacting the Consumer Affair Dept which is generally a division of each state's Department of Agriculture!The certification process, although orginally functioned as a Degree of Qualification,revolved into a deception degree to doctors,heath care providers and consumers as a license to practice the profession.Soon it was discovered by health care reimbursers that the certification was optional to legally practise the profession. Ask your insurance carriers,surgeons and politicians if they are aware of the fact that O&P is not a regulated health care profession!!.As insurance carriers became knowledgeble of the fact that there was no real accountability thru a unregulated profession they began withdrawing and limiting O&P coverage.One example of favorable reaction to O&P regulation in Florida was Florida Medicaid expanding O&P coverage to adults one moth after the bill was passed!!
(3) Let us test for knowledge and insight and experience. Lets fight the battles that are most important, the gnawing away of the proprietary codes by other provider types, legislation that means protection of the public from unscrupulous providers outside the O&P Community. For once can we delineate ourselves from DME. We are not DME we are Orthotic and prosthetic providers. We are a small band of artisans who have honed certain skills that allow us to simply make things that help other people. Lets get back to that root. It is what you do with the knowledge gained no matter how you got that information that counts. The quality of the continuing education programs for Orthotists & Prosthetists must not only be maintained but the focus of the education must be to help the profession advance. There is a need for research Orthotists and Prosthetists, the higher educational venues in the country and the world should be well supported by the whole O&P community. The higher educational avenues should remain for the growth of the profession. They should not be the only way to achieve or even measure success or competency in the field of orthotics and prosthetics.
TRUE!!TRUE!!TRUE!!Let's get back to the root!! Become recognized as a professional by the Department of Professional Regualtion in your state. Not as a vendor supervised under the Departmnet of Agriculture!! Support qualificationall quidelines with grandfathering provisions for those practitioners that have been deemed qualified by their peers regulatory agency.
Let's stop talking of what alphabet soup one belongs and ask if you are a licensed O&P healthcare professional.
Coverage will open up once accountability and minimum educational standards are established as in they are in every other health care profession.
Start the trend nationally by supporting manatory educational standards for practioners of custom O&P services seeking medicare reimbursement.Grandfathering provisions can be negotiated to accomadate all qualified practitioners.Belong to one national professional O&P organization that has the quality of the profession and benefit to the consumer as their top priorities.
(1)The mother cannot see which one is which, they both look, smell, and taste the same. Which one is better? In the end it doesn't matter, the end result is what matters. It is not how the sons gained the knowledge to bake the bread it is how the bread turned out. This simple analogy can be used in the O&P world. It doesn't matter how you received your knowledge as long as you can use that knowledge to help people.
True! Certification type (alphabet soup) does not equate to qualification.The real problems of fraud and abuse have been by charlatans and scammers that hold no certification or qualifications what so ever.There has been no recourse.
In most states their are no requirements.No certification ,no shingle.Even a post office box will do to recieve a check.
Some fabricate in vans and fabricate in the consumers driveway!!!Whats the consumer's recourse? None.
(2)Testing for minimum competency by certifying agencies has proved to be a valid method for protecting the public form charlatans. The market place and the referral sources will decide which product is better. An incompetent provider of O&P services will not last and any deceptive or deceitful actions by a provider has been proven to be dealt with appropriately by the certifying agencies.
FAlse! How can the uneducated consumer be expected to be aware of the fact that it is perfectly legal for ANYONE to fabricate a prostheses for an amputee or a brace for a MS or polio patient in most states !!?? Certainly you must agree that a 40 hour manufactures course that would result in completion of a certification course cannot provide the same knowleddge to the practitioner who obtained a degree in O&P?Some standards have to be set into place. Certification agencies can only serve as a overseer to THIER credentialed practitioners and generally do not revoke or suspend a certification or fine their members.
As pointed out by those initially in opposition to regulation in Florida, their has been less than a dozen case reported to BOC or ABC for faulty workmanship or fraud.Does that equate to everything is alright in the industry?One case comes to mind ,when a consumer complained to one of the two certification boards that his prosthetist was not certified.The certification director sent the non certified practitioner a application to become certified!
In Florida ,prior to regulation and in most other states, the only recourse of a dissatisfied amputee is contacting the Consumer Affair Dept which is generally a division of each state's Department of Agriculture!The certification process, although orginally functioned as a Degree of Qualification,revolved into a deception degree to doctors,heath care providers and consumers as a license to practice the profession.Soon it was discovered by health care reimbursers that the certification was optional to legally practise the profession. Ask your insurance carriers,surgeons and politicians if they are aware of the fact that O&P is not a regulated health care profession!!.As insurance carriers became knowledgeble of the fact that there was no real accountability thru a unregulated profession they began withdrawing and limiting O&P coverage.One example of favorable reaction to O&P regulation in Florida was Florida Medicaid expanding O&P coverage to adults one moth after the bill was passed!!
(3) Let us test for knowledge and insight and experience. Lets fight the battles that are most important, the gnawing away of the proprietary codes by other provider types, legislation that means protection of the public from unscrupulous providers outside the O&P Community. For once can we delineate ourselves from DME. We are not DME we are Orthotic and prosthetic providers. We are a small band of artisans who have honed certain skills that allow us to simply make things that help other people. Lets get back to that root. It is what you do with the knowledge gained no matter how you got that information that counts. The quality of the continuing education programs for Orthotists & Prosthetists must not only be maintained but the focus of the education must be to help the profession advance. There is a need for research Orthotists and Prosthetists, the higher educational venues in the country and the world should be well supported by the whole O&P community. The higher educational avenues should remain for the growth of the profession. They should not be the only way to achieve or even measure success or competency in the field of orthotics and prosthetics.
TRUE!!TRUE!!TRUE!!Let's get back to the root!! Become recognized as a professional by the Department of Professional Regualtion in your state. Not as a vendor supervised under the Departmnet of Agriculture!! Support qualificationall quidelines with grandfathering provisions for those practitioners that have been deemed qualified by their peers regulatory agency.
Let's stop talking of what alphabet soup one belongs and ask if you are a licensed O&P healthcare professional.
Coverage will open up once accountability and minimum educational standards are established as in they are in every other health care profession.
Start the trend nationally by supporting manatory educational standards for practioners of custom O&P services seeking medicare reimbursement.Grandfathering provisions can be negotiated to accomadate all qualified practitioners.Belong to one national professional O&P organization that has the quality of the profession and benefit to the consumer as their top priorities.
Citation
Tony Barr, “Re: Alphabet Soup/ US politics,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/211431.
