Re: customers
John A Zeffer
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: customers
Creator:
John A Zeffer
Date:
10/15/2000
Text:
If you were my patient, I would refer you to a counselor or psychologist, to
see if you can work out some of your confusion and anger. Either that or let
you hire my bench technician after hours so he can assemble your prosthesis
to your specifications. You obviously do not want me, a professional
prosthetist who treats patients. And knowing what I do, I would be the first
to say that I am not good enough to make you happy. These things don't
require a degree or credentialing. Common sense my dear. You don't have to
waste your time denigrating me. I refuse your patronage, and would refer
you to a masochistic competitor. J Zeffer
-----Original Message-----
From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>]On Behalf
Of Kimberley Barreda
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2000 10:30 PM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: Re: customers
>Why is it that some amputees take such issue with this? Why do they not
want
>to be referred to as patients, even though that is what they present to
>their insurance companies and others who are responsible for payment of
>their health care services?
First of all, you are hitting the nail on the head while missing the point.
Prosthetic components being put together for us is not health care. It's
production. Prosthetists are NOT doctors. Prosthetists do not treat
people, they build products. Very simple.
If you want to bring the insurance aspect into it - then ask yourselves why
you dont bill under M codes (MEDICAL services) and are just able to bill
under L codes (PRODUCTS)
And why cant you work independently? Because you are NOT medical. You are
technical.
>I propose that the real underlying issue here is one of anger. Anger that
>there is a disability.
No - not at all - but it IS an easy scapegoat for you to use to try and
protect your ancient status quo. You can't take anything seriously from
someone who has a disability - they can't POSSIBLY be adjusted or used to
it.
Give me a break. And save the psychological diagnoses for those qualified
to make them. Or does your prosthetics cerification give you that as well?
Anger that someone who is supposedly able to replace
>limbs, cannot replace the quality of limb that God had originally supplied.
>Hence, the prosthetist is held in contempt.
First of all, not everyone is constrained by or believes in the bogeyman -
and my physical condition has nothing to do with anyones' mythlogical
beliefs... and second of all, the prosthetist is not held in contempt. The
prosthetist is simply held up to standards that some of them dont feel
should be there at all.
Amputees are sometimes
>disappointed in us. Our capabilities are not up to the unrealistic
>expectations of some of our patients.
Some prosthetists capabilities are not up to anyones expectations - AT ALL..
Our disappointment is valid when we are ripped off - or lied to - or treated
with condescension from people who are not in any position to take that
attitude.
The many excellent prosthetists in the industry are not having a problem
with the sEmantics of the situation - they in fact embrace the concept of an
educated consumer hiring them for their technical expertise and working with
them in the partnership that it is for the benefit of both parties involved.
I would propose that the reason you have a problem with the reality of the
situation is ego.
The only ones that seem to have a problem with it are those who have other
issues. Maybe like crappy work values or crappy production values.
What else would explain the fact that you adamantly insist on insulting
people when MANY others (including a majority of your colleagues) have also
said its insulting. Nothing other than an ego trip.
The sanctimonious weighing in from others of the same dated opinions just
make me believe it even more. My wife says you are patients so you are? Oh
please. My dog says you are technicians... so you must be....
The ungrateful amputee doesn't see how hard you work for them and wont give
you the due you feel you deserve. After all, you wear a white coat and call
us patients dont you? How could we possibly expect professionalism and
respect. We're just patients. And you dont have to treat us with dignity
or respect - we have NO bearing on your business.. right?
My point is further proven by the absolutely repulsive condescension that
some people here feel they have a right to dish out by virtue of a trade
school certificate and outdated ideas.
I think the problem stems from some people not being good enough at the job
so they have to muddle the issue and pretend to be something they are not to
shift the focus away from lack of abilities.
Whether the industry likes it or not, the consumers drive it - and WE are
the consumers. Without us, you would not have a job. Without you, we would
still be amputees and we would still have limbs - just not the extortious
fees that go with it.
I hope all of you who are of the same opinion continue to speak out. It
just makes our job of selecting the right prosthetist to hire that much
easier. Eliminating the ones who are out of touch will save a lot of work
on our end and make it easier for the good prosthetists to grow their
businesses since the bottom feeders will have already removed themselves
from the list...
see if you can work out some of your confusion and anger. Either that or let
you hire my bench technician after hours so he can assemble your prosthesis
to your specifications. You obviously do not want me, a professional
prosthetist who treats patients. And knowing what I do, I would be the first
to say that I am not good enough to make you happy. These things don't
require a degree or credentialing. Common sense my dear. You don't have to
waste your time denigrating me. I refuse your patronage, and would refer
you to a masochistic competitor. J Zeffer
-----Original Message-----
From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>]On Behalf
Of Kimberley Barreda
Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2000 10:30 PM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: Re: customers
>Why is it that some amputees take such issue with this? Why do they not
want
>to be referred to as patients, even though that is what they present to
>their insurance companies and others who are responsible for payment of
>their health care services?
First of all, you are hitting the nail on the head while missing the point.
Prosthetic components being put together for us is not health care. It's
production. Prosthetists are NOT doctors. Prosthetists do not treat
people, they build products. Very simple.
If you want to bring the insurance aspect into it - then ask yourselves why
you dont bill under M codes (MEDICAL services) and are just able to bill
under L codes (PRODUCTS)
And why cant you work independently? Because you are NOT medical. You are
technical.
>I propose that the real underlying issue here is one of anger. Anger that
>there is a disability.
No - not at all - but it IS an easy scapegoat for you to use to try and
protect your ancient status quo. You can't take anything seriously from
someone who has a disability - they can't POSSIBLY be adjusted or used to
it.
Give me a break. And save the psychological diagnoses for those qualified
to make them. Or does your prosthetics cerification give you that as well?
Anger that someone who is supposedly able to replace
>limbs, cannot replace the quality of limb that God had originally supplied.
>Hence, the prosthetist is held in contempt.
First of all, not everyone is constrained by or believes in the bogeyman -
and my physical condition has nothing to do with anyones' mythlogical
beliefs... and second of all, the prosthetist is not held in contempt. The
prosthetist is simply held up to standards that some of them dont feel
should be there at all.
Amputees are sometimes
>disappointed in us. Our capabilities are not up to the unrealistic
>expectations of some of our patients.
Some prosthetists capabilities are not up to anyones expectations - AT ALL..
Our disappointment is valid when we are ripped off - or lied to - or treated
with condescension from people who are not in any position to take that
attitude.
The many excellent prosthetists in the industry are not having a problem
with the sEmantics of the situation - they in fact embrace the concept of an
educated consumer hiring them for their technical expertise and working with
them in the partnership that it is for the benefit of both parties involved.
I would propose that the reason you have a problem with the reality of the
situation is ego.
The only ones that seem to have a problem with it are those who have other
issues. Maybe like crappy work values or crappy production values.
What else would explain the fact that you adamantly insist on insulting
people when MANY others (including a majority of your colleagues) have also
said its insulting. Nothing other than an ego trip.
The sanctimonious weighing in from others of the same dated opinions just
make me believe it even more. My wife says you are patients so you are? Oh
please. My dog says you are technicians... so you must be....
The ungrateful amputee doesn't see how hard you work for them and wont give
you the due you feel you deserve. After all, you wear a white coat and call
us patients dont you? How could we possibly expect professionalism and
respect. We're just patients. And you dont have to treat us with dignity
or respect - we have NO bearing on your business.. right?
My point is further proven by the absolutely repulsive condescension that
some people here feel they have a right to dish out by virtue of a trade
school certificate and outdated ideas.
I think the problem stems from some people not being good enough at the job
so they have to muddle the issue and pretend to be something they are not to
shift the focus away from lack of abilities.
Whether the industry likes it or not, the consumers drive it - and WE are
the consumers. Without us, you would not have a job. Without you, we would
still be amputees and we would still have limbs - just not the extortious
fees that go with it.
I hope all of you who are of the same opinion continue to speak out. It
just makes our job of selecting the right prosthetist to hire that much
easier. Eliminating the ones who are out of touch will save a lot of work
on our end and make it easier for the good prosthetists to grow their
businesses since the bottom feeders will have already removed themselves
from the list...
Citation
John A Zeffer, “Re: customers,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 5, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/215111.
