ABC Invitation to BOC Practitioners
Lance Hoxie
Description
Collection
Title:
ABC Invitation to BOC Practitioners
Creator:
Lance Hoxie
Date:
3/9/2004
Text:
Mr. Uellendahl has asked that I post his comments to the listserve,
regarding the ABC decision to accept BOC practitioners into the ABC
credentialing program:
I am posting this note in response to the requests for responses from
ABC board members. First, I would like to say that this process has
been every bit as emotionally draining and painful as I knew it would
be. It's brutal...but I believe necessary. The board was fully aware
that the decision to bring BOC certifees in as equals would be met with
the range of emotions expressed thus far by listserv participants.
Therefore it was a decision that was made with deliberate purpose - to
begin the process of moving from 2 certifying organization to one. We
believe this step is absolutely necessary and of time sensitive
importance.
In an environment where both organizations are recognized as equal by
important 3rd parties (government and payers) it is obvious that our
requirement that O&P practitioners complete an educational/experiential
pathway has been circumvented. Our requirement that formal education
specific to O&P followed by a residency has not been deemed by these
agencies to be the only means to obtain the required knowledge to
practice.
In states where O&P licensure laws exist, BOC and ABC certifees were
seen as equal when the laws went into effect. (and I should say that
ABC supports licensure in response to several comments on the list). I
have read with interest the comments by my colleagues in states with
licensure expressing how pleased they are with the results....all
providers were licensed and from that point in time enforceable
standards, which tend to mimic the ABC standards, were set. This was a
necessary step in order to move the profession forward and to protect
the consumer.
Present BOC certifees are already working along with ABC certifees in
traditional O&P facilities, we are not bringing in a whole new group not
previously assimilated into the work force.
These are a few of the facts that the board considered prior to arriving
at our decision to bring about unification. I should also comment that
this decision has been debated and scrutinized at the leadership levels
of our organizations for many years...this is by no means a knee jerk
reaction.
We now need to get past the fight over us vs them, it's self-defeating
and other important issues are in need of our attention. Start thinking
about how WE can move the whole profession forward....how all of us
together can enforce one mandatory standard to become an Orthotist or
Prosthetist. It would have been easy to put our heads in the sand and
ignore all the warning signs, but that would have been irresponsible.
Our actions today are expected to show positive results in the
long-term, however, there is certainly short-term pain that must be
worked through first.
I understand the anger express by many of you. These are not easy
decisions, yet they are decisions that need to be made in order to plan
for the future.
The ABC board feels that the issue must be pursued; the stakes are too
high to do otherwise.
Respectfully,
Jack E. Uellendahl, CPO
Immediate Past-President, ABC
Lance Hoxie
Executive Director
American Board for Certification
in Orthotics and Prosthetics
330 John Carlyle Street, Suite 210
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: (703) 836-7114
Email: <Email Address Redacted>
regarding the ABC decision to accept BOC practitioners into the ABC
credentialing program:
I am posting this note in response to the requests for responses from
ABC board members. First, I would like to say that this process has
been every bit as emotionally draining and painful as I knew it would
be. It's brutal...but I believe necessary. The board was fully aware
that the decision to bring BOC certifees in as equals would be met with
the range of emotions expressed thus far by listserv participants.
Therefore it was a decision that was made with deliberate purpose - to
begin the process of moving from 2 certifying organization to one. We
believe this step is absolutely necessary and of time sensitive
importance.
In an environment where both organizations are recognized as equal by
important 3rd parties (government and payers) it is obvious that our
requirement that O&P practitioners complete an educational/experiential
pathway has been circumvented. Our requirement that formal education
specific to O&P followed by a residency has not been deemed by these
agencies to be the only means to obtain the required knowledge to
practice.
In states where O&P licensure laws exist, BOC and ABC certifees were
seen as equal when the laws went into effect. (and I should say that
ABC supports licensure in response to several comments on the list). I
have read with interest the comments by my colleagues in states with
licensure expressing how pleased they are with the results....all
providers were licensed and from that point in time enforceable
standards, which tend to mimic the ABC standards, were set. This was a
necessary step in order to move the profession forward and to protect
the consumer.
Present BOC certifees are already working along with ABC certifees in
traditional O&P facilities, we are not bringing in a whole new group not
previously assimilated into the work force.
These are a few of the facts that the board considered prior to arriving
at our decision to bring about unification. I should also comment that
this decision has been debated and scrutinized at the leadership levels
of our organizations for many years...this is by no means a knee jerk
reaction.
We now need to get past the fight over us vs them, it's self-defeating
and other important issues are in need of our attention. Start thinking
about how WE can move the whole profession forward....how all of us
together can enforce one mandatory standard to become an Orthotist or
Prosthetist. It would have been easy to put our heads in the sand and
ignore all the warning signs, but that would have been irresponsible.
Our actions today are expected to show positive results in the
long-term, however, there is certainly short-term pain that must be
worked through first.
I understand the anger express by many of you. These are not easy
decisions, yet they are decisions that need to be made in order to plan
for the future.
The ABC board feels that the issue must be pursued; the stakes are too
high to do otherwise.
Respectfully,
Jack E. Uellendahl, CPO
Immediate Past-President, ABC
Lance Hoxie
Executive Director
American Board for Certification
in Orthotics and Prosthetics
330 John Carlyle Street, Suite 210
Alexandria, VA 22314
Tel: (703) 836-7114
Email: <Email Address Redacted>
Citation
Lance Hoxie, “ABC Invitation to BOC Practitioners,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/222549.
