Re: customers
Kimberley Barreda
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: customers
Creator:
Kimberley Barreda
Date:
10/14/2000
Text:
>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...
>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
Kimberley Barreda, “Re: customers,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 6, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/215112.
