Re: August 1,1999 International O&P License Requirement Poll

Re: August 1,1999 International O&P License Requirement Poll

Lance Hoxie

8/4/1999

Dear Mr. Boyer:

I couldn't agree more. In fact, ABC certification, under its primary
pathways for certification, requires successful completion of a defined
educational program approved by the Commission on the Accreditation of
Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP). following this, a candidate must
successfully undertake a one year residency program approved by the
National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE).

Forgive me, I don't want to appear to be lecturing but let me outline a few
points that may help everyone on the listserve understand ABC certification
and its underlying requirements:

CAAHEP is the largest specialized accreditation body (formerly sponsored by
the American Medical Association as the Committee on Allied Health
Education and Accreditation) that accredits allied health education
programs, including physician assistant and respiratory therapy programs.
 This body accredits O&P primary education programs according to standards
developed by, and adopted from, NCOPE. Such educational programs are
either baccalaureate-based (BS in O&P) or are post-collegiate, one year
certificate programs in O&P. Thus, in order to be certified by ABC, an
applicant must provide evidence of this education.

Following his/her primary education, the applicant must show that he/she
has completed a one-year structured residency program accredited by NCOPE.
 These residency programs can be mostly described as medical-model based.
 That is, the resident must deliver certain defined patient care services
under the direction of an ABC-certified practitioner (in the appropriate
discipline); must demonstrate competency with defined areas of patient care
(lower limb, upper extremity, etc.) and must prepare a research-based
paper.

An applicant who completes these two educational pre-requisites must then
sit for three ABC certification exams:

        - a 3 hour written, multiple-choice exam;
        - a 3 hour written, simulation exam (essentially a problem-solving,
logic-tree approach)
        - a 3 day clinical patient management exam

All candidates must pass these three exams or they will not be ABC
certified.


While this may be our preferred pathway, we also have pathways to
certification that address significant experience. For example, a
practitioner who cannot fulfill the primary education requirements has at
least 10 years experience and who has earned college level credits in
certain defined science subjects may apply for certification. In such
cases of unique qualifications, the applicant must submit specific case
studies (for specific types of O&P devices) as a part of his/her
application. Such applications are then individually reviewed by our
Applications Review Committee in order to determine eligibility.

As an attestation to the validity of ABC's standards, The four states with
current licensure laws all mirror our certification requirements for
licensure (although admittedly such requirements may be subject to a phase
in approach). In addition, the three states that have enacted the law
Florida, Texas and Washington) have all contracted with the ABC to
administer the licensure exams.

I also admit that the current state of the art, with respect to
certification and competency, cannot guarantee competency, it is the only
available mechanism to at least subject practitioners to standards.
 Outcomes measurements is desired next step. But, as with other health
professions, we have only just begun to develop such measurements. The ABC
will continue to pursue this next step as an integral part of its
competency-based evaluation mechanism.


Sincerely,

Lance Hoxie

-----Original Message-----
From: George Boyer [SMTP: <Email Address Redacted> ]
Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 1:50 PM
To: Lance Hoxie
Cc: <Email Address Redacted> ; 'Bill Barringer, CO'; 'Bill Beiswenger, CPO,
FAAOP'; 'Bud Bronkhorst, CO'; 'Charles Pritham, CPO'; 'Dennis Oehler';
 'John Reynolds, CPO'; 'Mike Allen, CPO, FAAOP'; 'Phil Tamoush'; 'Steve
Whiteside, CO'; 'Ted Markgren, CO'; Terry Supan
Subject: Re: August 1,1999 International O&P License Requirement Poll

Dear Mr. Hoxie - Thank you for mirroring and amplifying what I said. Let
me add
that I feel
certification certainly IS valuable, as an adjunct to the much needed
expansion
of other programs of preparation, notably residency requirements of
extended
work under the eye of a master to ensure the TALENT and preparation of the
entrant. I see the push for certification itself as a red herring drawing
attention away from necessary correction of deficits in the preparation for
talented performance (competence) in prosthetics. George B.


Lance Hoxie wrote:

> Dear Mr. Boyer:
>
> If your comments are that certification programs (including examinations)
> do not guarantee that all who are certified or pass certification exams
are
> competent, then I agree. There are many examples in all fields of health
> care where a person who had every credential possible still was not
> competent.