FLA O&P
Charles Barocas,C.O.
Description
Collection
Title:
FLA O&P
Creator:
Charles Barocas,C.O.
Date:
9/20/2000
Text:
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)
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
Charles Barocas,C.O., “FLA O&P,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 24, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/214903.
