FAOP's Mission- Turf Wars or Patient Protection?
Tony Barr
Description
Collection
Title:
FAOP's Mission- Turf Wars or Patient Protection?
Creator:
Tony Barr
Date:
1/29/2001
Text:
Now, about the Florida Group having helped to get the law passed. Yes, they helped. Trouble is, no one else did. Sure, there were a couple of patients who testified.
Mr.Fenton, you have been around along time but incorrectly informed regarding the team effort in obtaining regulation in the state of Florida. Testimony and a consumer's grass roots petitions were signed by over 5,300 patients supporting the regulation and were submitted to the legislative committee.
I was in Tallahassee several times with many of those providing such testimony. Didn't see you there!
Certainly, as a worthy and qualified Florida practitioner you have seen some of the stuff made by unlicensed AND even certified providers! How many more are sitting in closets all across the nation?
If you would like to see some of this crap come up to our warehouse for a look see!! Third world countries woulnt take them!!!
The abused patients did scream to the legislation. Prior to the regulation consumers only recourse of reporting fraud, abuse or faulty services from this previously unlicensed health care profession, was the Consumer's Affairs Department which is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agricultural. There was no practical oversight or accounting of improper services.There was no meaningful oversight from the certification associations.Certification was optional to egally provide services in Florida as it was in most other states !!
The FAOP membership took a position of advocacy for regulation as a means to stop the rip offs that were occuring in the treatment of patients by providers calling themselves prosthetists and orthotists.
There were plenty of patients to rally support and many of which spent their own funds to travel and testify.
I applaud the FAOP membership for making this profession worthy of a license in the state of Florida, recognizing that regulation better assures patient protection. The law was passed because of profession AND patient advocacy for consumer protection, not turf wars. Once third party payers determine that the profession is properly regulated and minimum educational qualifications are mandated, proper O&P coverage is achievable.
It IS about the patient! But what IS good for the patient IS good for the profession!
Thank you FAOP!
Tony Barr
Mr.Fenton, you have been around along time but incorrectly informed regarding the team effort in obtaining regulation in the state of Florida. Testimony and a consumer's grass roots petitions were signed by over 5,300 patients supporting the regulation and were submitted to the legislative committee.
I was in Tallahassee several times with many of those providing such testimony. Didn't see you there!
Certainly, as a worthy and qualified Florida practitioner you have seen some of the stuff made by unlicensed AND even certified providers! How many more are sitting in closets all across the nation?
If you would like to see some of this crap come up to our warehouse for a look see!! Third world countries woulnt take them!!!
The abused patients did scream to the legislation. Prior to the regulation consumers only recourse of reporting fraud, abuse or faulty services from this previously unlicensed health care profession, was the Consumer's Affairs Department which is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Agricultural. There was no practical oversight or accounting of improper services.There was no meaningful oversight from the certification associations.Certification was optional to egally provide services in Florida as it was in most other states !!
The FAOP membership took a position of advocacy for regulation as a means to stop the rip offs that were occuring in the treatment of patients by providers calling themselves prosthetists and orthotists.
There were plenty of patients to rally support and many of which spent their own funds to travel and testify.
I applaud the FAOP membership for making this profession worthy of a license in the state of Florida, recognizing that regulation better assures patient protection. The law was passed because of profession AND patient advocacy for consumer protection, not turf wars. Once third party payers determine that the profession is properly regulated and minimum educational qualifications are mandated, proper O&P coverage is achievable.
It IS about the patient! But what IS good for the patient IS good for the profession!
Thank you FAOP!
Tony Barr
Citation
Tony Barr, “FAOP's Mission- Turf Wars or Patient Protection?,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 5, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/215662.
