An ABC Practitioner's Response
Frank Friddle, Jr.
Description
Collection
Title:
An ABC Practitioner's Response
Creator:
Frank Friddle, Jr.
Date:
3/5/2004
Text:
> <<<<The recent BOC/ABC events have prompted this communication. As a CPO I
> am trying to sort out these issues and define my position. I realize ABC
has
> not asked for my opinion nor does it appear to be interested in its
members
> option on this topic. Therefore, with no advocate for certified
> practitioners I feel I need to be proactive and define my and my patients
> best interests.
>
> Specifically, can you help me answer the following questions.
>
> 1. Like all certified practitioners I have spent considerable time, money
> and sacrifice to obtain and maintain my ABC credentials. Given ABC's offer
> to now give these credentials away it would seem these credentials are now
> worth much less than I paid for them. Please explain how this benefits me
or
> my patients?
> The time and money spent are for the educational tools that can enable you
to
provide high quality patient care. The quality of care that you dispense is
not and
should not be dependent upon what type of acronym is behind one's name.
There are
many outstanding practitioners on both sides of this issue. Consequently,
there are some
practitioners on both sides that do not deliver the highest quality of
patient care. A college
diploma does not ensure that an individual is exceptionally brilliant.
Do what you do and do it well.
> 2. ABC has, at its core, been a consumer protection organization. All
> patients could be reassured of a minimum competency/training level. In
light
> of ABC's offer to BOC, what assurances do consumers now have?
> ABC's standards have not changed. All certifees must adhere to the same
standards of
continuing education, facility accreditation, and code of ethics.
> 3. This year I must renew my credentials. I am short credits and if I do
not
> pay substantial fees to obtain these credits ABC will suspend my
> credentials. Given ABC's offer elevate BOC practitioner to certified
> practitioners, how do I reconcile the fact ABC is ready to suspend my
> credentials and then give them away to individuals who can not and are not
> required to meet the same standards ABC holds me to?
> Once an individual is credentialed by ABC, they will have to meet the
exact same
standards as all ABC practitioners. Only those BOC practitioners that are in
good
standing will be accepted into ABC. Therefore, they must have obtained
the required continuing educational credits required by BOC.
> 4. Given ABC's failure to promote ABC credentials and differentiate them
> from BOC why shouldn't an ABC practitioner switch certification agencies
and
> enjoy the benefits of BOC (i.e. free annual dues, parity with ABC at the
> federal and State level, a say in how and who runs the certification
agency
> and other potential financial savings)? >>>>
The federal government has recognized the BOC practitioner as qualified
under
the law and is paid by the same sources as an ABC practitioner. ABC can
promote
their standards but it is up to the individual practitioner to both promote
and demonstrate
their ability to provide quality patient care. ABC is the largest and oldest
credentialing
organization in the O&P profession and is recognized globally in regard to
our standards.
Today, individual practitioners have a choice to what credentialing body to
associate with.
The reasons and standards that you used in making that decision years ago
are intact and
are being applied to this very day. The choice is yours.
Frank Friddle, Jr., CO, FAAOP
> am trying to sort out these issues and define my position. I realize ABC
has
> not asked for my opinion nor does it appear to be interested in its
members
> option on this topic. Therefore, with no advocate for certified
> practitioners I feel I need to be proactive and define my and my patients
> best interests.
>
> Specifically, can you help me answer the following questions.
>
> 1. Like all certified practitioners I have spent considerable time, money
> and sacrifice to obtain and maintain my ABC credentials. Given ABC's offer
> to now give these credentials away it would seem these credentials are now
> worth much less than I paid for them. Please explain how this benefits me
or
> my patients?
> The time and money spent are for the educational tools that can enable you
to
provide high quality patient care. The quality of care that you dispense is
not and
should not be dependent upon what type of acronym is behind one's name.
There are
many outstanding practitioners on both sides of this issue. Consequently,
there are some
practitioners on both sides that do not deliver the highest quality of
patient care. A college
diploma does not ensure that an individual is exceptionally brilliant.
Do what you do and do it well.
> 2. ABC has, at its core, been a consumer protection organization. All
> patients could be reassured of a minimum competency/training level. In
light
> of ABC's offer to BOC, what assurances do consumers now have?
> ABC's standards have not changed. All certifees must adhere to the same
standards of
continuing education, facility accreditation, and code of ethics.
> 3. This year I must renew my credentials. I am short credits and if I do
not
> pay substantial fees to obtain these credits ABC will suspend my
> credentials. Given ABC's offer elevate BOC practitioner to certified
> practitioners, how do I reconcile the fact ABC is ready to suspend my
> credentials and then give them away to individuals who can not and are not
> required to meet the same standards ABC holds me to?
> Once an individual is credentialed by ABC, they will have to meet the
exact same
standards as all ABC practitioners. Only those BOC practitioners that are in
good
standing will be accepted into ABC. Therefore, they must have obtained
the required continuing educational credits required by BOC.
> 4. Given ABC's failure to promote ABC credentials and differentiate them
> from BOC why shouldn't an ABC practitioner switch certification agencies
and
> enjoy the benefits of BOC (i.e. free annual dues, parity with ABC at the
> federal and State level, a say in how and who runs the certification
agency
> and other potential financial savings)? >>>>
The federal government has recognized the BOC practitioner as qualified
under
the law and is paid by the same sources as an ABC practitioner. ABC can
promote
their standards but it is up to the individual practitioner to both promote
and demonstrate
their ability to provide quality patient care. ABC is the largest and oldest
credentialing
organization in the O&P profession and is recognized globally in regard to
our standards.
Today, individual practitioners have a choice to what credentialing body to
associate with.
The reasons and standards that you used in making that decision years ago
are intact and
are being applied to this very day. The choice is yours.
Frank Friddle, Jr., CO, FAAOP
Citation
Frank Friddle, Jr., “An ABC Practitioner's Response,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 6, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/222616.
