Re: Direct Sales Forces/ saying it like it is !
Tony Barr
Description
Collection
Title:
Re: Direct Sales Forces/ saying it like it is !
Creator:
Tony Barr
Date:
2/23/2006
Text:
All the hype about supporting this new O & P Legislative Alliance and how
they can change this current trend is Bull----.Bradford Baker
I sadly agree Brad and here is one main reason why.
Lets take the industry and profession and ABC flag waiver Sam Hamontrees's
recent post to the list serve praising the O&P Alliance .
As an 1) ABC Certifee, 2) Academy Member, 3) a principal in a facility
which is both a) an NAAOP and b) an AOPA Member and personally, a long -
long - long time part of the O&P Community (49 years), I want to extend a
very big THANK YOU to the leaders of those four organizations who have been
instrumental in bringing together this O&P ALLIANCE.
As a unregulated ABC provider, Academy and manufacture member, Mr.
Hammontree's interests are split just as they as they will be with the newly
formed O&P Alliance. Nothing will be accomplished.
Its interesting to note that supporting regulation was not in the
announcement of the O&P Alliance nor in Mr.Hamontree's salute.
Here is another point Sam made :
In my view, differences over the years have developed between and among our
organizations when there is no or very limited discussion taking place among
the individuals who are in leadership positions at the time- be cognizant of
the fact, that those differences are not between the organizations, but
between/among the organization leaders in place at the time.
I agree with my friend Sam. However what is not pointed out that the
leaderships of the organizations Sam speaks of and are now members of the
O&P Alliance, for the most part have all been leaders or held directorships
on the AOPA board.
When one leadership interest (professional) tries to break ranks from
industry and accreditation interests, is when the storm breaks.
Policies wont change when business philosophies CANT change .
Business strategies that continue today ,including supporting a unregulated
profession and industry, a self policed accrediadation system and
maximizing the number of buyers(qualified or not) to purchase their
products, come way before reforming of a O&P business into a profession, and
providing accountability and qualification to better ensure proper patient
care.
This incestuous relationship, or musical chairs if you will, among the
leadership positions of O&P organizations has existed since 1948 when the
trade industry at that time, the American Artificial Limb Association,
latter to be renamed AOPA, formed ABC.
The Academy was founded also by AOPA members in the late 60's.
Today's ABC president, is a prior AOPA president.
Sam will confirm this since he been around for 50 years and he himself a
founding member of the Academy has served as a past president of (ABC) and
as a member of various boards and committees of the Academy, ABC, and the
American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA)..
The Solution for Medicare Providers of O&P and DME . With Medicare's new
accreditation regulations for suppliers of orthotics, prosthetics, and
durable medical equipment, finding an approved source of affordable
accreditation is critical to your business. Scott Williamson ABC
Accreditation: Director, Facility Accreditation, American Board for
Certification in Orthotics & Prosthetics
Ridiculous !The quote is self serving at best and certainly not a position
for badly needed reform.
IT actually endorses a meaningless certification for DME providers, the
primary culprit of fraud and abuse, as a cure.
ABC is playing your pocket book with a statement like affordable
accreditation and not acting on providing the much needed accountability
and proper qualification thru regulation.
ABC is beginning to sound like BOC in their positions.
At ABC's own admission, they condone cross credentialing in the name of
allowing free trade ABC nor BOC have suspended nor revoke a providers
certificate in years.
Below is a copy of a e-mail sent by yours truly to the ABC Professional
Discipline Committee involving a formal complaint I made against a ABC
certified provider and ABC accreddited facility.
The Canons of Ethics applies to all ABC credentialed persons and accredited
facilities. Our profession is self-policed, meaning we rely on the
patients and peer network to help us maintain the highest standards. We have
an active committee that responds to and evaluates all complaints against
ABC credentialed individuals. Those complaints found to have merit can
result in various disciplinary actions ranging from warnings to revocation
of the credential. For more details, see the Rules and Procedures Regarding
Ethical and Professional Discipline Complaints Scott Williamson
Below I have summarized my formal complaint to the current PDC members in
preparation of the September 19, 2005 meeting.
Scott, I have high regard for ABC credentialed providers and the Academy
members so please don't misinterpret my filing of this complaint as a
method to cause friction, nor sabotage or divide the integrity of ABC (or
the integrity of a ABC accredited facility ) but rather a message to a
resource to further protect patients receiving these services.
Contrary to believe., if ABC and the Academy were to report on this specific
incident to their membership, they would be sending a message , that ABC is
indeed disclosing and enforcing their own Cannon Of Ethics, and would
further reinforce to everyone that the Professional Discipline Program is
alive and well and functioning as it was meant to.
In the present controversial O&P reimbursement environment, its important
that leaders of the O&P community project to third party payers, lawmakers
and the general public, particularly within unlicensed states, that ABC is
providing oversight of its members and accredited facilities to better
ensure and maintain the highest standards in the profession.
I think it is also imperative to the current and future credibility for
ABC, to be recognized as a legitimate professional certification credential
that ABC, thru the PDC, does actively enforce your own Cannons of Ethics
particularly in a unregulated state where a patient's only other recourse is
the Consumer Affairs Department under the Department of Agriculture within
that state..
I hope that as a result of a public member's complaint, a independent
investigation by the PDC of the identified ABC accredited facility and ABC
credentialed practitioner, will occur and the outcome of the PDC ruling be
revealed to your membership and to the general public.
I have outlined the appropriate guidelines to your bylaws and summarized my
formal complaint and what I believe to be several violations of the ABC
Cannons of Ethics violated by both the ABC credentialed practitioner and the
ABC accredited facility.
Tony Barr
My complaint was not acted on.
Now tell me again whose side this new alliance is on and how are they going
help this little independent O&P provider? Bradford Baker
Until I see a honest effort for the O&P Alliance to support the separation
of, industry from profession ,of O&P from DME , and supporting regulation
for all O&P providers, your chances to remain a little independent O&P
provider are slim to none.
The cavalry could come in the form of the Academy again breaking ranks.
However, every organization is as strong and as committed as its members
and...unfortunately there appears to be too much apathy in your
'profession' and their desire and willingness to support the Academy and
providing credibility to their own professional interests..
Tony Barr
********************
To unsubscribe, send a message to: <Email Address Redacted> with
the words UNSUB OANDP-L in the body of the
message.
If you have a problem unsubscribing,or have other
questions, send e-mail to the moderator
Paul E. Prusakowski,CPO at <Email Address Redacted>
OANDP-L is a forum for the discussion of topics
related to Orthotics and Prosthetics.
Public commercial postings are forbidden. Responses to inquiries
should not be sent to the entire oandp-l list. Professional credentials
or affiliations should be used in all communications.
they can change this current trend is Bull----.Bradford Baker
I sadly agree Brad and here is one main reason why.
Lets take the industry and profession and ABC flag waiver Sam Hamontrees's
recent post to the list serve praising the O&P Alliance .
As an 1) ABC Certifee, 2) Academy Member, 3) a principal in a facility
which is both a) an NAAOP and b) an AOPA Member and personally, a long -
long - long time part of the O&P Community (49 years), I want to extend a
very big THANK YOU to the leaders of those four organizations who have been
instrumental in bringing together this O&P ALLIANCE.
As a unregulated ABC provider, Academy and manufacture member, Mr.
Hammontree's interests are split just as they as they will be with the newly
formed O&P Alliance. Nothing will be accomplished.
Its interesting to note that supporting regulation was not in the
announcement of the O&P Alliance nor in Mr.Hamontree's salute.
Here is another point Sam made :
In my view, differences over the years have developed between and among our
organizations when there is no or very limited discussion taking place among
the individuals who are in leadership positions at the time- be cognizant of
the fact, that those differences are not between the organizations, but
between/among the organization leaders in place at the time.
I agree with my friend Sam. However what is not pointed out that the
leaderships of the organizations Sam speaks of and are now members of the
O&P Alliance, for the most part have all been leaders or held directorships
on the AOPA board.
When one leadership interest (professional) tries to break ranks from
industry and accreditation interests, is when the storm breaks.
Policies wont change when business philosophies CANT change .
Business strategies that continue today ,including supporting a unregulated
profession and industry, a self policed accrediadation system and
maximizing the number of buyers(qualified or not) to purchase their
products, come way before reforming of a O&P business into a profession, and
providing accountability and qualification to better ensure proper patient
care.
This incestuous relationship, or musical chairs if you will, among the
leadership positions of O&P organizations has existed since 1948 when the
trade industry at that time, the American Artificial Limb Association,
latter to be renamed AOPA, formed ABC.
The Academy was founded also by AOPA members in the late 60's.
Today's ABC president, is a prior AOPA president.
Sam will confirm this since he been around for 50 years and he himself a
founding member of the Academy has served as a past president of (ABC) and
as a member of various boards and committees of the Academy, ABC, and the
American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA)..
The Solution for Medicare Providers of O&P and DME . With Medicare's new
accreditation regulations for suppliers of orthotics, prosthetics, and
durable medical equipment, finding an approved source of affordable
accreditation is critical to your business. Scott Williamson ABC
Accreditation: Director, Facility Accreditation, American Board for
Certification in Orthotics & Prosthetics
Ridiculous !The quote is self serving at best and certainly not a position
for badly needed reform.
IT actually endorses a meaningless certification for DME providers, the
primary culprit of fraud and abuse, as a cure.
ABC is playing your pocket book with a statement like affordable
accreditation and not acting on providing the much needed accountability
and proper qualification thru regulation.
ABC is beginning to sound like BOC in their positions.
At ABC's own admission, they condone cross credentialing in the name of
allowing free trade ABC nor BOC have suspended nor revoke a providers
certificate in years.
Below is a copy of a e-mail sent by yours truly to the ABC Professional
Discipline Committee involving a formal complaint I made against a ABC
certified provider and ABC accreddited facility.
The Canons of Ethics applies to all ABC credentialed persons and accredited
facilities. Our profession is self-policed, meaning we rely on the
patients and peer network to help us maintain the highest standards. We have
an active committee that responds to and evaluates all complaints against
ABC credentialed individuals. Those complaints found to have merit can
result in various disciplinary actions ranging from warnings to revocation
of the credential. For more details, see the Rules and Procedures Regarding
Ethical and Professional Discipline Complaints Scott Williamson
Below I have summarized my formal complaint to the current PDC members in
preparation of the September 19, 2005 meeting.
Scott, I have high regard for ABC credentialed providers and the Academy
members so please don't misinterpret my filing of this complaint as a
method to cause friction, nor sabotage or divide the integrity of ABC (or
the integrity of a ABC accredited facility ) but rather a message to a
resource to further protect patients receiving these services.
Contrary to believe., if ABC and the Academy were to report on this specific
incident to their membership, they would be sending a message , that ABC is
indeed disclosing and enforcing their own Cannon Of Ethics, and would
further reinforce to everyone that the Professional Discipline Program is
alive and well and functioning as it was meant to.
In the present controversial O&P reimbursement environment, its important
that leaders of the O&P community project to third party payers, lawmakers
and the general public, particularly within unlicensed states, that ABC is
providing oversight of its members and accredited facilities to better
ensure and maintain the highest standards in the profession.
I think it is also imperative to the current and future credibility for
ABC, to be recognized as a legitimate professional certification credential
that ABC, thru the PDC, does actively enforce your own Cannons of Ethics
particularly in a unregulated state where a patient's only other recourse is
the Consumer Affairs Department under the Department of Agriculture within
that state..
I hope that as a result of a public member's complaint, a independent
investigation by the PDC of the identified ABC accredited facility and ABC
credentialed practitioner, will occur and the outcome of the PDC ruling be
revealed to your membership and to the general public.
I have outlined the appropriate guidelines to your bylaws and summarized my
formal complaint and what I believe to be several violations of the ABC
Cannons of Ethics violated by both the ABC credentialed practitioner and the
ABC accredited facility.
Tony Barr
My complaint was not acted on.
Now tell me again whose side this new alliance is on and how are they going
help this little independent O&P provider? Bradford Baker
Until I see a honest effort for the O&P Alliance to support the separation
of, industry from profession ,of O&P from DME , and supporting regulation
for all O&P providers, your chances to remain a little independent O&P
provider are slim to none.
The cavalry could come in the form of the Academy again breaking ranks.
However, every organization is as strong and as committed as its members
and...unfortunately there appears to be too much apathy in your
'profession' and their desire and willingness to support the Academy and
providing credibility to their own professional interests..
Tony Barr
********************
To unsubscribe, send a message to: <Email Address Redacted> with
the words UNSUB OANDP-L in the body of the
message.
If you have a problem unsubscribing,or have other
questions, send e-mail to the moderator
Paul E. Prusakowski,CPO at <Email Address Redacted>
OANDP-L is a forum for the discussion of topics
related to Orthotics and Prosthetics.
Public commercial postings are forbidden. Responses to inquiries
should not be sent to the entire oandp-l list. Professional credentials
or affiliations should be used in all communications.
Citation
Tony Barr, “Re: Direct Sales Forces/ saying it like it is !,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 6, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/226169.
