ANNOUNCE: Academy News: Report to the Profession
Manisha Bhaskar
Description
Collection
Title:
ANNOUNCE: Academy News: Report to the Profession
Creator:
Manisha Bhaskar
Date:
7/17/2008
Text:
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
PETER D. ROSENSTEIN
JULY 2008
Report to the Profession
ACADEMY TESTIFIES AT SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE HEARING
At the urging of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
the
Sub-committee on Contracting and Technology of the House Small
Business
Committee held a hearing on Ensuring Continuity of Care for
Veteran
Amputees: The Role of Small Prosthetic Practices.
Testifying for the Academy was President, James P. Rogers, CPO,
FAAOP. He
spoke of the importance of ensuring that small O&P businesses
continue to
have the ability to provide services to our veterans both through
contracts
with the VA and by allowing veterans to choose their own O&P
practitioner to
provide them with O&P services. The Academy has long worked with the
VA to
promote small business contracts and to ensure that these contracts
are
awarded fairly and openly.
In addition to Rogers, others testifying for the profession were
NAAOP
representative, Tom Guth, CP; Captain Matthew Bacik, a retired army
veteran
who is an amputee and served three tours of duty in Iraq and
Afghanistan;
Dennis Clark, CPO, President of Clark and Associates Prosthetics
and
Orthotics; and Christian T.Z. Smith, CPO, BOCOP, President and
Co-owner of
Victory Orthotics and Prosthetics, Inc. Testifying for the VA was
Frederick
Downs, Jr., Chief Prosthetics and Clinical Logistics Officer.
The hearing was chaired by Sub-committee Chair Rep. Bruce Braley
(D-IA) and
attended by Representatives David Davis (R-TN) Ranking Minority
Member,
Joseph Sestak (D-PA) and Yvette Clarke (D-NY). The Congresspersons
raised a
number of issues with Mr. Downs. These included how veterans can
communicate
with the VA, what the mechanisms are for letting veterans know all
their
rights within the system, how contracting is done with small
business, what
standards are used for determining the level of care veterans
with
amputations will receive, and whether those standards are used across
the
board in every facility both within the VA and their contractors.
The
Academy and the others testifying indicated that these are important
issues
that need to be addressed.
The testimony was positive and the VA was complimented on their
efforts over
the years for working with O&P small businesses to provide the best
possible
care to our veterans who have given so much for our country. Rogers
also
testified on behalf of the Academy that in addition to the need to
continue
to contract with small business, the Academy would like to expand
its
relationship with the VA in the areas of research and providing
additional
continuing education opportunities.
After the hearing Peter D. Rosenstein, Executive Director of the
Academy,
spoke with Fred Downs and his new Deputy Chief Prosthetics Officer,
Billie
Jane Randolph. He thanked them for their testimony that included
talking
about the importance of the relationship between the VA and the
Academy and
the significance of the VA working with the Academy to send VA
practitioners
to the Academy Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium. The high
quality
education content serves as a primary source for earning
continuing
education credits. This collaboration will take place again in
Atlanta at
the Academy's 35th Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium March 4-7,
2009.
The Academy will be following up with both the Sub-committee and the
Small
Business Committee staff on the issues discussed at the hearing in
its
continuing effort to ensure that our members are represented at the
table
and that they have every opportunity possible to work with the VA and
to
serve the veterans of our nation by providing the kind of high level
O&P
care that only our members are able to provide.
Manisha S. Bhaskar
American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
Director of Marketing & Publications
WE HAVE MOVED!
(Please note our new contact information as of July 1, 2008)
1331 H Street, NW, Suite 501
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 380-3663, ext. 210
FAX (202) 380-3447
www.oandp.org < <URL Redacted>>
PETER D. ROSENSTEIN
JULY 2008
Report to the Profession
ACADEMY TESTIFIES AT SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE HEARING
At the urging of the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
the
Sub-committee on Contracting and Technology of the House Small
Business
Committee held a hearing on Ensuring Continuity of Care for
Veteran
Amputees: The Role of Small Prosthetic Practices.
Testifying for the Academy was President, James P. Rogers, CPO,
FAAOP. He
spoke of the importance of ensuring that small O&P businesses
continue to
have the ability to provide services to our veterans both through
contracts
with the VA and by allowing veterans to choose their own O&P
practitioner to
provide them with O&P services. The Academy has long worked with the
VA to
promote small business contracts and to ensure that these contracts
are
awarded fairly and openly.
In addition to Rogers, others testifying for the profession were
NAAOP
representative, Tom Guth, CP; Captain Matthew Bacik, a retired army
veteran
who is an amputee and served three tours of duty in Iraq and
Afghanistan;
Dennis Clark, CPO, President of Clark and Associates Prosthetics
and
Orthotics; and Christian T.Z. Smith, CPO, BOCOP, President and
Co-owner of
Victory Orthotics and Prosthetics, Inc. Testifying for the VA was
Frederick
Downs, Jr., Chief Prosthetics and Clinical Logistics Officer.
The hearing was chaired by Sub-committee Chair Rep. Bruce Braley
(D-IA) and
attended by Representatives David Davis (R-TN) Ranking Minority
Member,
Joseph Sestak (D-PA) and Yvette Clarke (D-NY). The Congresspersons
raised a
number of issues with Mr. Downs. These included how veterans can
communicate
with the VA, what the mechanisms are for letting veterans know all
their
rights within the system, how contracting is done with small
business, what
standards are used for determining the level of care veterans
with
amputations will receive, and whether those standards are used across
the
board in every facility both within the VA and their contractors.
The
Academy and the others testifying indicated that these are important
issues
that need to be addressed.
The testimony was positive and the VA was complimented on their
efforts over
the years for working with O&P small businesses to provide the best
possible
care to our veterans who have given so much for our country. Rogers
also
testified on behalf of the Academy that in addition to the need to
continue
to contract with small business, the Academy would like to expand
its
relationship with the VA in the areas of research and providing
additional
continuing education opportunities.
After the hearing Peter D. Rosenstein, Executive Director of the
Academy,
spoke with Fred Downs and his new Deputy Chief Prosthetics Officer,
Billie
Jane Randolph. He thanked them for their testimony that included
talking
about the importance of the relationship between the VA and the
Academy and
the significance of the VA working with the Academy to send VA
practitioners
to the Academy Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium. The high
quality
education content serves as a primary source for earning
continuing
education credits. This collaboration will take place again in
Atlanta at
the Academy's 35th Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium March 4-7,
2009.
The Academy will be following up with both the Sub-committee and the
Small
Business Committee staff on the issues discussed at the hearing in
its
continuing effort to ensure that our members are represented at the
table
and that they have every opportunity possible to work with the VA and
to
serve the veterans of our nation by providing the kind of high level
O&P
care that only our members are able to provide.
Manisha S. Bhaskar
American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists
Director of Marketing & Publications
WE HAVE MOVED!
(Please note our new contact information as of July 1, 2008)
1331 H Street, NW, Suite 501
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 380-3663, ext. 210
FAX (202) 380-3447
www.oandp.org < <URL Redacted>>
Citation
Manisha Bhaskar, “ANNOUNCE: Academy News: Report to the Profession,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/229551.
