US POLITICS

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US POLITICS

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Change is exactly what I would love to see at the national office....

However, the change that I would like to see, is for the 3 groups to
completely detach into 3 separate organizations, operating in 3 separate
locations, preferably in 3 different regions of the country. This may be a
more expensive route in management (that's debatable - competition has been
known to create efficiency) but more importantly, the 3 businesses cater to 3
different groups of people, each with different needs within this industry,
and melting them together creates confusion in the minds of lawmakers......
and frankly folks, representing us in front of lawmakers is the most
important thing the national office does for us....

Very simply, the entire industry, and especially practitioners, will be
loosing a lot of political clout by mixing the clinical elements with the
manufacturers of product..... Any possible savings created by the sharing a
coffeepot or copy machine, can, in no way, justify the negative political
impact that this move can have on the field....

I personally am no chicken little for change, but lets change for the better,
 let these organizations fend for themselves and put forth a face thats about
who they represent....

 this is one CPO's idea of who we are, and what should be represented....

 AOPA : represents the Business of P & O... Manufacturers, Clinical
operations of all sizes. Government relations should focus on reimbursement,
procedures for reimbursement, and continued insurance and government funding
of devices and specific gear. Meetings should focus on making our businesses
more efficient, more profitable, and better places to go to everyday...

AAOP : represents the highest trained practitioners in P & O : these guys
choose through design and certified by prescription, the gear that our
patients (sorry Ms Berrera) are provided with. Government relations should
focus on quality assurance through academic standards, plus the push for
funding of academic programs to insure that adequate qualified people are
made available to service all those in need of P & O services. Meetings
should focus on technical, clinical, and scientific, exchange of information
and techniques...

As tempting as it is to feel that since we are all good friends, and we
interact everyday, so lets share expenses and make nice together, It's a
very flawed mindset that will ultimately lead us down a path of lower
reimbursements, lower educational standards, and an overall dilution of
quality services that over time will, without doubt, impact those we serve in
a very negative way.

Perhaps this explains why consolidation will open the door for lower
qualified practitioners into the all new, all encompassing P & O
organization...

Food for thought.....
The writing is on the wall, or in this case, the bylaws......

Wade Bader, LCPO

Citation

“US POLITICS,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 26, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/212214.