Telling you all like it is.....Straight from an ABC Certified Prosthetic Practitioner

Telling you all like it is.....Straight from an ABC Certified Prosthetic Practitioner

Thom Jansen

7/14/2003

We as Prosthetists work for each individual patient, independent of what
components any manufacturer might be pushing. We cannot limit the
patient's choice by our inept ability to comprehend the function of
these components. Nor can we choose one that is a no brainer just
because we don't want to learn a new technology. And we cannot look at
the reimbursement to cost ratio or scheme to Let us unbundled this unit
into these L-codes as our primary motivation to recommend a solution.
Or how about, let's put all these L-codes together so we'll get more on
the bottom line. Or, let's charge the patient for every minute we
consult and or do adjustments. These are all
conversations/recommendations I've heard over the last 20 years made by
a lot of HIGH POWERED individuals during continuing education seminars.
AND FRANKLY THEY TURN MY STOMACH.

Limiting any patient to only using components that some mega-corp.
requires you to use because that same corporation owns the manufacture
is WRONG. But it happens. I don't hear many of you are complaining about
that. It seems a lot of you have sold the farm and you are all ready to
help pack it up and move it.

As I see it, Ossur is trying to help us David's fight the Goliath's in
the industry. They're not trying to take any of YOUR patients away from
you! You'll do that job fine all by yourself with that kind of
self-righteous attitude. If everybody would work on their patients like
they were your Mom or Dad, then the patients wouldn't be looking for
someone better. If someone calls another Prosthetist after they read the
Ossur brochure then you didn't do your job. Don't blame it on Ossur.

I had a patient of mine who was a bilateral BKA that had been going to
another shop in town that supplied him SACH feet because his insurance
wouldn't pay for anything better. He was blind almost deaf and had a
kidney transplant and guess what,, OSSUR gave us a pair of flexfeet and
all the graphite components, I donated the time and materials for a free
set of prosthetic legs,,,, and you know what else, go to the Grand
Canyon information center and read the rest of the story for yourselves,
short and sweet, he made it down and back in 13 hours, first time they
had that happen. He was also diabetic and he needed to exercise so he
walked at least 5 miles a day to help control himself. So don't tell me
Ossur doesn't help out our patients. He has since pasted away.

I have had patients of mine call me after they received a blanket
mailing from the Mega-corp. saying Free clinic - come in for a free
evaluation. And, these people never before set foot in their
facilities. Yet these patients called me to see if I COULD HELP THEM, OR
JUST CHECK THINGS OUT for them. No big deal, they wanted to stick with
me, they didn't run off for their FREE CHECKUP.

There are a few patented technologies out there that every Joe Blow
can't offer to their patients, because some corporation has the rights
to those technologies. I'm not hearing many complaints about that.
Right! Get a grip! Having been a police officer, I've heard better
excuses out the drunks I've pulled over than the rational I've seen
posted here.

If you're too cheap to help out, don't complain. YOU ARE IN THE WRONG
FIELD, WE ARE PATIENT ORIENTED. If you have already sold out to the
other guys, then sleep in the bed you made. If you're in it for the
money, you're in the WRONG field, so GET OUT!

I am here to help the PATIENTS and I know there are some others that are
here for the same reason. I also know a few of you personally that
aren't. I am PROUD to use Ossur as well as Hosmer, Ohio Willow Wood,
Otto Bock, Tec, Daw, and CPI. And, I am glad they all try to provide
high quality components. I am proud that Ossur does so much with the
sports lines. And, I'm happy to be an independent and not have to put up
with all the heartless bean counters in the world.

IT'S TIME FOR THE P&O POLICE.

Thanks for letting me vent,,,,,

Thank you,

Thomas Jansen CP
Horizon Prosthetic Laboratories LLC
7763 SW Cirrus Dr.
Suite E, Bldg. 26
Beaverton, OR
97008-5968

(503) 626-3163 Office
(503) 626-6224 FAX