Practitioner Assistant Responses
Julie Whittinghill
Description
Collection
Title:
Practitioner Assistant Responses
Creator:
Julie Whittinghill
Date:
6/5/2007
Text:
Here are the responses to the Assistant questions... sorry it's taken me so long to get them out!
Julie Whittinghill
We have started to use assistants in our 3 practices and have found that this role is going to be key to have successful practices and we are really embracing the concept. Unfortunately I think the last O&P Assistant program in Oklahoma finally closed it's doors, but there will be many other pools to draw from to find assistants. Some useful roles for assistants include preparing rooms, assisting with casting/measurements, preparing the patient (donning devices BEFORE the practitioner has to get involved), checking out devices before delivery and performing some basic fabrication and soft good fitting.
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I have recently hired an assistant and he has been a life saver. With the volume of patients I now see, I could not provide the quality of care I expect without an assistant. He works under my direct supervision and does everything from tech work, to shipping and receiving, to assisting with patient care. He will gain more independence as he becomes a Certified Fitter and eventually a C.Ped.
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In my experience there are a lot of people that are experienced techs that work as assistants as well as a lot of fitters. I think there is a real need for someone to see patients at follow-up or for minor repairs, but as stated before ABC is closing the door. I read that some shops and the Shriners are interested where a CPO would go in with an Assistant and do the eval, then the assistant would cast, oversea fab, and do initial fitting with the CPO coming in at the end to make sure everything is hunky-dory. Seems like a good way to address the upcoming practitioner shortage but I don't know where the assistants will come from.
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We use practitioner assistants in our program here at the University of Michigan O&P Center. We use the assistants in areas that can be most hectic at times and that is our acute care program. Our assigned orthotists on the acute care team can handle many more patients when they have assistance. It has worked very well for many years.
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I used one for 3 years after he was employed for 1 1/2 years... he then felt as if he was not making enough, breached his non-compete and is now working for a crooked competitor in town. I think they can be great asset, but you need a bullet proof contract, limited access to referrals and patient's. NEVER make it seem as if they are in control or running the office. I felt as if it would benefit the PA and the patient if it appeared as if he did more than he did, it back fired, so walk soft and careful.
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I employ 3 assistants. Their roles vary. I have a prosthetic assistant who is my right arm and has learned over 5 years to everything except actually cast and modify (he is in the process of getting his BOC adn is starting this now). He sees pts for adjustments, assists in every other aspect. He basically makes me look good. Ensures all the details for our patients are followed up on. He is also an administrative assistant working on chart audits, preparing billing, getting all our paperwork done like Rx's del slips, ordering specific components, etc.. He has become a very valuable clinician attending outside clinics and has earned our patient's and doctor's respect. A great personality helps. I have two others who are O assistants with similar duties.
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Julie Whittinghill
We have started to use assistants in our 3 practices and have found that this role is going to be key to have successful practices and we are really embracing the concept. Unfortunately I think the last O&P Assistant program in Oklahoma finally closed it's doors, but there will be many other pools to draw from to find assistants. Some useful roles for assistants include preparing rooms, assisting with casting/measurements, preparing the patient (donning devices BEFORE the practitioner has to get involved), checking out devices before delivery and performing some basic fabrication and soft good fitting.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have recently hired an assistant and he has been a life saver. With the volume of patients I now see, I could not provide the quality of care I expect without an assistant. He works under my direct supervision and does everything from tech work, to shipping and receiving, to assisting with patient care. He will gain more independence as he becomes a Certified Fitter and eventually a C.Ped.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my experience there are a lot of people that are experienced techs that work as assistants as well as a lot of fitters. I think there is a real need for someone to see patients at follow-up or for minor repairs, but as stated before ABC is closing the door. I read that some shops and the Shriners are interested where a CPO would go in with an Assistant and do the eval, then the assistant would cast, oversea fab, and do initial fitting with the CPO coming in at the end to make sure everything is hunky-dory. Seems like a good way to address the upcoming practitioner shortage but I don't know where the assistants will come from.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
We use practitioner assistants in our program here at the University of Michigan O&P Center. We use the assistants in areas that can be most hectic at times and that is our acute care program. Our assigned orthotists on the acute care team can handle many more patients when they have assistance. It has worked very well for many years.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I used one for 3 years after he was employed for 1 1/2 years... he then felt as if he was not making enough, breached his non-compete and is now working for a crooked competitor in town. I think they can be great asset, but you need a bullet proof contract, limited access to referrals and patient's. NEVER make it seem as if they are in control or running the office. I felt as if it would benefit the PA and the patient if it appeared as if he did more than he did, it back fired, so walk soft and careful.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
I employ 3 assistants. Their roles vary. I have a prosthetic assistant who is my right arm and has learned over 5 years to everything except actually cast and modify (he is in the process of getting his BOC adn is starting this now). He sees pts for adjustments, assists in every other aspect. He basically makes me look good. Ensures all the details for our patients are followed up on. He is also an administrative assistant working on chart audits, preparing billing, getting all our paperwork done like Rx's del slips, ordering specific components, etc.. He has become a very valuable clinician attending outside clinics and has earned our patient's and doctor's respect. A great personality helps. I have two others who are O assistants with similar duties.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------
Need Mail bonding?
Go to the Yahoo! Mail Q&A for great tips from Yahoo! Answers users.
Citation
Julie Whittinghill, “Practitioner Assistant Responses,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/228329.
