Re: FLA O&P
Bridget Johnson
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: FLA O&P
Creator:
Bridget Johnson
Date:
9/21/2000
Text:
Mr. Barocas,
Can you give me information on your class beginning Oct. 16th.
Thanks,
M.Bergantino
----- Original Message -----
From: Charles Barocas,C.O. < <Email Address Redacted> >
To: < <Email Address Redacted> >
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 7:48 AM
Subject: FLA O&P
> Mr. Bader is quite right. The bulk of orthotic care is not and never has
> been provided by
> orthotists. Statistics provided by Medicare and other insurance carriers
> can substantiate
> this. Other allied professionals (from OT's to PT's, over 3500
pharmacists
> certified by their organization (NCPA) to provide orthosis and are all
> exempt under the FLA O&P law, etc.) also provide these services. I once
> corrected an orthopedic surgeon who wrote that an ACL brace is the type
of
> brace that should be fitted by a Physical Therapist & not the corner
> pharmacist I asked him about why a PT and not a CO. He told me there
> were no CO's in his part of Montana but there were PT's and Pharmacists.
> >
> Yes the Orthotist will continue to do fabrication of custom orthosis, but
> with central fab taking casts from PT's, Orthotechs and others, this will
> dry up also. Five years ago I heard the phrase there is no O in O&P
> anymore. Today it is more true than ever before. As other CO's have said
> in this forum, technology is improving all the time a letting lesser
trained
> professionals perform the same service as highly trained individuals did
> before. This brings that service to smaller communities (Montana) that
> could not sustain an O&P shop.
>
> I believe that because of advancements in central fab and off the shelf
> 90% of all orthotic work can be done by a lower level professional at
less
> cost. The only thing now helping orthotists to hold on to some of this
> work is contracts with insurance companies. And when they figure out it's
> cheaper to pay the OrthoDoc to have it supplied in their office...this
will
> dry up too
>
> It's the same with orthopedic surgery. 30 years ago you had to be the
best
> of the best to do total hips. They took 4 hours to do. Now because of
> easier instrumentation (templates, cutting guides)and other advances they
> take 90 minutes and just about any orthopedic surgeon can do them.
>
> The CT and MR put General Surgeons out of business (well almost) Does
any
> body remember exploratory surgery? Remember those huge abdominal scars on
> 50 year old men & women?
> That was their bread & butter.
>
> It took me a year to get really good at plaster fracture casting. Now,
> with fiberglass it takes a month.
>
> Why is orthotics any different? Sorry I am so pessimistic about this.
But
> I tell it as I see it.
>
> If Mr. Bader wants to attend my school of Fracture Casting & Bracing, it
is
> approved for 10 CEU's by his (and mine) organization, ABC (they only give
a
> 1/2 credit per hour for workshops). It is also approved for 20 CEU's by
the
> BOC. and 40 CEU's by the Athletic Trainers and 50 CEU's by the Orthopedic
> Technologists and 30 CEU's by the Florida PT's. Next two classes are
full.
> But I do have an opening October 16th-20th class.
>
>
> Charles Barocas, CO, LO, OT, OAP(C)
>
>
Can you give me information on your class beginning Oct. 16th.
Thanks,
M.Bergantino
----- Original Message -----
From: Charles Barocas,C.O. < <Email Address Redacted> >
To: < <Email Address Redacted> >
Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2000 7:48 AM
Subject: FLA O&P
> Mr. Bader is quite right. The bulk of orthotic care is not and never has
> been provided by
> orthotists. Statistics provided by Medicare and other insurance carriers
> can substantiate
> this. Other allied professionals (from OT's to PT's, over 3500
pharmacists
> certified by their organization (NCPA) to provide orthosis and are all
> exempt under the FLA O&P law, etc.) also provide these services. I once
> corrected an orthopedic surgeon who wrote that an ACL brace is the type
of
> brace that should be fitted by a Physical Therapist & not the corner
> pharmacist I asked him about why a PT and not a CO. He told me there
> were no CO's in his part of Montana but there were PT's and Pharmacists.
> >
> Yes the Orthotist will continue to do fabrication of custom orthosis, but
> with central fab taking casts from PT's, Orthotechs and others, this will
> dry up also. Five years ago I heard the phrase there is no O in O&P
> anymore. Today it is more true than ever before. As other CO's have said
> in this forum, technology is improving all the time a letting lesser
trained
> professionals perform the same service as highly trained individuals did
> before. This brings that service to smaller communities (Montana) that
> could not sustain an O&P shop.
>
> I believe that because of advancements in central fab and off the shelf
> 90% of all orthotic work can be done by a lower level professional at
less
> cost. The only thing now helping orthotists to hold on to some of this
> work is contracts with insurance companies. And when they figure out it's
> cheaper to pay the OrthoDoc to have it supplied in their office...this
will
> dry up too
>
> It's the same with orthopedic surgery. 30 years ago you had to be the
best
> of the best to do total hips. They took 4 hours to do. Now because of
> easier instrumentation (templates, cutting guides)and other advances they
> take 90 minutes and just about any orthopedic surgeon can do them.
>
> The CT and MR put General Surgeons out of business (well almost) Does
any
> body remember exploratory surgery? Remember those huge abdominal scars on
> 50 year old men & women?
> That was their bread & butter.
>
> It took me a year to get really good at plaster fracture casting. Now,
> with fiberglass it takes a month.
>
> Why is orthotics any different? Sorry I am so pessimistic about this.
But
> I tell it as I see it.
>
> If Mr. Bader wants to attend my school of Fracture Casting & Bracing, it
is
> approved for 10 CEU's by his (and mine) organization, ABC (they only give
a
> 1/2 credit per hour for workshops). It is also approved for 20 CEU's by
the
> BOC. and 40 CEU's by the Athletic Trainers and 50 CEU's by the Orthopedic
> Technologists and 30 CEU's by the Florida PT's. Next two classes are
full.
> But I do have an opening October 16th-20th class.
>
>
> Charles Barocas, CO, LO, OT, OAP(C)
>
>
Citation
Bridget Johnson, “Re: FLA O&P,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 7, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/214898.
