Re: Noma members response, you won't believe
Joe Sansone
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: Noma members response, you won't believe
Creator:
Joe Sansone
Date:
5/12/2005
Text:
You two make some valid points. Yes, every medical community must look
out for themselves, and, as you say. The members of NOMA are no
different than the members of any other business organization. - But
with one glaring difference. Most of the members of NOMA are so
uncomfortable admitting their activities that they refuse to disclose
their membership. Many purport to be the ally of our profession one
day, and then clandestinely lobby against us the next. By nature, such
anonymity makes many suspicious.
If the members of NOMA care so much for their cause, (and by the way I
do think there are definite drawbacks to many state licensure programs
AND the need for some changes) then they should not be ashamed to say so
in public.
Unfortunately many members of NOMA will not come out of the closet
because the money they spend lobbying against our O&P profession comes
directly from our O&P businesses....because we continue to buy from
them.
Joe Sansone
C.E.O.
TMC Orthopedic
www.tmcortho.com
Tel: (713) 669-1800
-----Original Message-----
From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>] On
Behalf Of Saunders, Jan CPO
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 5:44 PM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: [OANDP-L] Noma members response, you won't believe
Mr. Saunders,
The members of NOMA are no different than the members of any other
business
organization. They, too, are just trying to sell their products/service
and
survive (provide for a living). Since I'm not practicing in Florida I
can't
support you by calling my state representative and crying foul. I don't
know
what all is going on in the Sunshine State but there must be a demand
for the
sales rep's services or this couldn't be happening.
Hey, let's get real here. A majority of the problems in the O and P
industry
are the ramifications of self-inflicting wounds; years of abusive
billing
practices, slandering the competition, and the forming of monopolies.
I often hear the cry for unification of practitioners (and I'm all for
it).
However, just as the poor will always among us, unfortunately, so will
the
greedy. In some of our organizations there is more of a focus on monthly
numbers
and bonus plans than there is on the quality of product/service. This
cancerous attitude can only be only disguised for so long before eats
away at the
heart of what we are supposed to all be about and that is professionals
providing a necessary and noble service (for reasonable profit).
You can hide behind a smoke screen or blow smoke up someone's #@#, but
the
truth will be exposed.
Regards,
Bradford Baker, CO, C.Ped., RT(O)
Jan,
With all due respect, orthotic manufacturers aren't stealing anything!
Do
you not see that the manufacturers are merely doing the exact same
thing
that your organization does, protecting its own business interests? If
the
O&P community had it's way, every orthotic product could only be
legally
provided by an orthotist, and not the physicians themselves, physical
therapists, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, pharmacists,
DME
suppliers, etc. That may make perfect sense to you, but look at it
this
way: if orthopedic surgeons had their way, all patients with back pain
could only legally be treated by them, and not chiropractors,
neurosurgeons,
massage therapists, yoga instructors, etc. If podiatrists had their
way,
they would see all the feet, etc, etc, etc.
I am a distributor for one of the manufacturers that is a member of
NOMA.
Currently, less than 10% of the sales in my territory are to O&P
facilities.
Do I think a licensure law like they passed in Florida would hurt my
business? You better believe it! In the manufacturer's eyes, your
proposed
qualified provider restrictions, if passed exactly the way the O&P
community
wanted them without differentiating viewpoints from NOMA, physician's
groups, PT's, OT's, etc., would seem just as criminal to me as NOMA's
practices seem to you.
Every medical community must look out for themselves to make sure they
don't
get shafted by the other medical communities who are looking out for
themselves. The government is trying to come up with a reasonable line
of
delineation of which products should REQUIRE the expertise of an
orthotist.
I personally feel that they are just about on the money with the limit
being
custom bracing that requires the use of a cast mold and not a
measuring
instrument. Does that leave the possibility out there for a patient to
be
fitted with an inappropriate product, or have the product be fitted
incorrectly? Absolutely! But guess what? If that practitioner does
that
too many times, they will soon lose the business. That is how a free
market
economy weeds out any sub-standard vendor!
The O&P community has been trying too hard for too long to legislate
loyalty. Hopefully someday they will wake up and realize that you have
to
earn loyalty! Why do you think so many doctors refer their patients to
the
brace reps to get their product and not to the O&P shop? Do you not
think
the doctor realizes that you (collectively) are more qualified?
Certainly
he or she does. They send their patients to the places that make their
(the
doctor's) lives easier.
Any provider that causes patients to come in and complain, for whatever
reason, will soon find themselves out of the loop. Those complaints
could
range from the brace being poor quality, poorly fit, inappropriate,
etc. to
having to wait too long for an appointment, how much they were charged,
etc.
to the practitioner wearing too much cologne! It doesn't matter what
the
problem is, most doctors can't stand hearing their patients complain
about
things that are out of their control.
In the vast majority of cases, that brace rep has solved a complaint
that
the doctor has received from patients about the O&P practitioner or
facility. And yes, that also includes being called in due to
inappropriate
or ill-fitting products received in the O&P shop!
Anyway, my point is that those physicians out there are your referral
base.
They should be treated as your customers just as much if not more so
than
the actual patients. In my 10 years in this field, I have seen that
attitude to be sorely lacking among your colleagues.
Just thought you might appreciate another perspective.....
Todd Griffin
out for themselves, and, as you say. The members of NOMA are no
different than the members of any other business organization. - But
with one glaring difference. Most of the members of NOMA are so
uncomfortable admitting their activities that they refuse to disclose
their membership. Many purport to be the ally of our profession one
day, and then clandestinely lobby against us the next. By nature, such
anonymity makes many suspicious.
If the members of NOMA care so much for their cause, (and by the way I
do think there are definite drawbacks to many state licensure programs
AND the need for some changes) then they should not be ashamed to say so
in public.
Unfortunately many members of NOMA will not come out of the closet
because the money they spend lobbying against our O&P profession comes
directly from our O&P businesses....because we continue to buy from
them.
Joe Sansone
C.E.O.
TMC Orthopedic
www.tmcortho.com
Tel: (713) 669-1800
-----Original Message-----
From: Orthotics and Prosthetics List [mailto:<Email Address Redacted>] On
Behalf Of Saunders, Jan CPO
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 5:44 PM
To: <Email Address Redacted>
Subject: [OANDP-L] Noma members response, you won't believe
Mr. Saunders,
The members of NOMA are no different than the members of any other
business
organization. They, too, are just trying to sell their products/service
and
survive (provide for a living). Since I'm not practicing in Florida I
can't
support you by calling my state representative and crying foul. I don't
know
what all is going on in the Sunshine State but there must be a demand
for the
sales rep's services or this couldn't be happening.
Hey, let's get real here. A majority of the problems in the O and P
industry
are the ramifications of self-inflicting wounds; years of abusive
billing
practices, slandering the competition, and the forming of monopolies.
I often hear the cry for unification of practitioners (and I'm all for
it).
However, just as the poor will always among us, unfortunately, so will
the
greedy. In some of our organizations there is more of a focus on monthly
numbers
and bonus plans than there is on the quality of product/service. This
cancerous attitude can only be only disguised for so long before eats
away at the
heart of what we are supposed to all be about and that is professionals
providing a necessary and noble service (for reasonable profit).
You can hide behind a smoke screen or blow smoke up someone's #@#, but
the
truth will be exposed.
Regards,
Bradford Baker, CO, C.Ped., RT(O)
Jan,
With all due respect, orthotic manufacturers aren't stealing anything!
Do
you not see that the manufacturers are merely doing the exact same
thing
that your organization does, protecting its own business interests? If
the
O&P community had it's way, every orthotic product could only be
legally
provided by an orthotist, and not the physicians themselves, physical
therapists, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, pharmacists,
DME
suppliers, etc. That may make perfect sense to you, but look at it
this
way: if orthopedic surgeons had their way, all patients with back pain
could only legally be treated by them, and not chiropractors,
neurosurgeons,
massage therapists, yoga instructors, etc. If podiatrists had their
way,
they would see all the feet, etc, etc, etc.
I am a distributor for one of the manufacturers that is a member of
NOMA.
Currently, less than 10% of the sales in my territory are to O&P
facilities.
Do I think a licensure law like they passed in Florida would hurt my
business? You better believe it! In the manufacturer's eyes, your
proposed
qualified provider restrictions, if passed exactly the way the O&P
community
wanted them without differentiating viewpoints from NOMA, physician's
groups, PT's, OT's, etc., would seem just as criminal to me as NOMA's
practices seem to you.
Every medical community must look out for themselves to make sure they
don't
get shafted by the other medical communities who are looking out for
themselves. The government is trying to come up with a reasonable line
of
delineation of which products should REQUIRE the expertise of an
orthotist.
I personally feel that they are just about on the money with the limit
being
custom bracing that requires the use of a cast mold and not a
measuring
instrument. Does that leave the possibility out there for a patient to
be
fitted with an inappropriate product, or have the product be fitted
incorrectly? Absolutely! But guess what? If that practitioner does
that
too many times, they will soon lose the business. That is how a free
market
economy weeds out any sub-standard vendor!
The O&P community has been trying too hard for too long to legislate
loyalty. Hopefully someday they will wake up and realize that you have
to
earn loyalty! Why do you think so many doctors refer their patients to
the
brace reps to get their product and not to the O&P shop? Do you not
think
the doctor realizes that you (collectively) are more qualified?
Certainly
he or she does. They send their patients to the places that make their
(the
doctor's) lives easier.
Any provider that causes patients to come in and complain, for whatever
reason, will soon find themselves out of the loop. Those complaints
could
range from the brace being poor quality, poorly fit, inappropriate,
etc. to
having to wait too long for an appointment, how much they were charged,
etc.
to the practitioner wearing too much cologne! It doesn't matter what
the
problem is, most doctors can't stand hearing their patients complain
about
things that are out of their control.
In the vast majority of cases, that brace rep has solved a complaint
that
the doctor has received from patients about the O&P practitioner or
facility. And yes, that also includes being called in due to
inappropriate
or ill-fitting products received in the O&P shop!
Anyway, my point is that those physicians out there are your referral
base.
They should be treated as your customers just as much if not more so
than
the actual patients. In my 10 years in this field, I have seen that
attitude to be sorely lacking among your colleagues.
Just thought you might appreciate another perspective.....
Todd Griffin
Citation
Joe Sansone, “Re: Noma members response, you won't believe,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 5, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/224860.
