OPINION: Our Profession needs this help, Now !

OPINION: Our Profession needs this help, Now !

Saunders, Jan CPO

We as a profession are indispensable, to the people we serve. Many of us
have spent a lifetime helping changing life for the better for many of our
patients. How many times can you remember patients letting you know how much they
appreciate you and the job you do or did for them or, a family member, or
friend? Countless times I'm sure. We as a profession have impacted the lives of
so many people and have become deeply etched in their minds and hearts
forever.
Well, now we need someone to help us. Every day I am seeing and hearing
amputees on TV, magazine covers, and the radio. The coverage we see today is
unsurpassed by any media coverage I have ever seen of our patients in 35 years.
We recognize we are a very small in the number of practitioners, but critical
to the rehabilitation of patients who need our services. We have been kept in
the closet and no one on the outside wants to talk about what we do, unless
a friend or family member needs us.
Whenever one of us is taking care of the high profile patient, we have the
ability to ask for their help as well. Believe me they would jump at the
opportunity to give back to you for what you have done for them. While the chance
is here, we as a profession need to take advantage of this opportunity, not
for our own personal egos or pockets, but for present and future patients
needing our help. Because they are in the lime light they can help our
profession as a whole, as they are truly the only ones who care about our profession.
Through the publicity, they can bring to light to the government, insurance
companies, with the information that by 2010 there won't be enough of us out
there to care for 75% them, yet they will need us long after.
Talk to your patients. Let them know we need their help, just as we were
there for them when they came to us for our help. Have them contact their
politicians, and lawmakers now. I was reminded how we lost the biggest chance to
tell our story, when I saw an amputee war veteran who had just taken a run
with the president (a photo op for the pres). Our patients need to know we are
a dying profession and when we are retired or gone who will take care of
them.
Step 1- Inform them the only way we are going to be recognized as an
educated health care professional and be there for them in the future, is to get the
US Govt. to take us out of the vendor category of Durable medical
equipment. As our education and expertise far exceed that of the oxygen or scooter
salesman (no disrespect intended) and recognize us as health care professionals
we are.
Please if you have one of these high profile patients either locally or
nationally it is part of your responsibility to them to help insure there will be
someone there to carry on after you are dead or gone. They will always be
willing to help you, it's an emotional payback for them.
DO IT NOW!! and post any results on the server, maybe it will inspire
others to jump on the bandwagon.
Jan Saunders CPO, LPO
 
  
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