help with complex UE patients

help with complex UE patients

Thomas Passero Cp

Having recently taken advantage of unique consulting services that are new to
the industry, in particular to independent practitioners, I feel compelled to
share the outstanding results with the listserve members.

Although my staff and I have been certified in myoelectrics for many years,
and are relatively confident in our ability to provide skilled care to most
levels of upper extremity amputees, we, like many independent practitioners, do
not treat a significant number of complex high level or bilateral UE amputees.

I recently had just such a case, a bilateral radioulnar level amputee from
outside of the US, and just prior to the patient’s scheduled visit, I became
aware of the services of Biodesigns, Inc., a newly formed company that is
offering, under the direction of Randy Alley, a CP with extensive upper extremity
experience, affordable supportive consulting services to independent
practitioners. The services offered include innovative use of technology (I think that
this is the first application of tele-medicine in our field) to bring his
presence into your office using the Internet and cameras focused on the real time
work with the patients.

Although I was unable to utilize the highest level of technological services
available due to the imminent arrival of the patient (Biodesigns sends cameras
to your office to be used in the process), a less complex method of using
emailed photographs and telephone/internet consulting was employed.

Before, during and after the first consulting session, a dialogue with Randy
and our staff took place, during which he discussed socket design as well as
pros and cons of multiple hybrid options for control systems and component
choice. He then provided a detailed parts list for our purchasing department
that included not only the primary components and cabling, but duplicates of
specific plugs and cables that can be lost or damaged during assembly and can
derail the process, costing valuable practitioner time.

The results were outstanding for the patient, his family and our staff.
Early success by the patient stimulated his motivation; our awareness of some of
the subtleties associated with hybrid myoelectric systems has been raised, and
all at relatively little cost to our facility.

I want to close with a clear and definitive statement that I have no
affiliation whatsoever with Biodesigns, other than as a very satisfied consumer of
their services to the benefit of my patient, my staff and my company. I want to
post this information because I feel certain that I am not the only
practitioner in the country (or out of the country, for that matter) who could benefit
from this unique application of technology and expertise when treating a very
small portion of the amputee population under their care.

I will do my best to respond to any queries from other independent
practitioners on our experience with Biodesigns.

Thomas Passero, CP
New York