Fracture Care
Charles Barocas
Description
Collection
Title:
Fracture Care
Creator:
Charles Barocas
Date:
10/23/2009
Text:
List,
Should the orthotic fitter's scope of practice be expanded to include some component of acute fracture care after specialized training?
Consider;
Recently, the BOC has added 8 hours of fracture management to their continuing education requirements. ABC and BOC already approve fracture casting courses (including mine) with their continuing education programs. But both organizations have limitations on fracture care within the scope of practice of orthotic fitters. Even the Florida state licensure law prohibits orthotic fitters when it comes to fracture care.
But neither organization nor the state of Florida define a fracture. Do they mean the acute stage or the entire healing process? Recently, a study was done on wrist fractures in children. The results were that Taurus fractures healed faster in a wrist support when compared to a cast. I hope all of us know that a 3rd degree sprain in an ankle ligament is a hell of lot worse than a simple non-displaced distal fibula fracture. New braces are being designed (see exomedical.com) and marketed that replace casts. Velcro is being replaced by the BOA lacing system ( www.boatechnology.com) Twist and it's closed!
Orthopedic Technologists have no licensure in any state and 90% are on-the-job trained in casting by their employer, the orthopedic surgeon. Only about 20% hold a national certification. Yet they can apply any fracture cast or brace under the supervsion (whatever that means) of the orthopedic surgeon. I think the same should go for an orthotic fitter. This is a shift in thinking that an orthotic fitter be supervised by an orthopedic surgeon. But the time has come.
The cast room is now also the orthotic shop.
Sincerely,
Charles Barocas, CO (first retired licensed CO in FL)
PS. I have given up selling Gelato in Naples......it melts too fast.
_________________________________________________________________
Windows 7: It works the way you want. Learn more.
<URL Redacted>
Should the orthotic fitter's scope of practice be expanded to include some component of acute fracture care after specialized training?
Consider;
Recently, the BOC has added 8 hours of fracture management to their continuing education requirements. ABC and BOC already approve fracture casting courses (including mine) with their continuing education programs. But both organizations have limitations on fracture care within the scope of practice of orthotic fitters. Even the Florida state licensure law prohibits orthotic fitters when it comes to fracture care.
But neither organization nor the state of Florida define a fracture. Do they mean the acute stage or the entire healing process? Recently, a study was done on wrist fractures in children. The results were that Taurus fractures healed faster in a wrist support when compared to a cast. I hope all of us know that a 3rd degree sprain in an ankle ligament is a hell of lot worse than a simple non-displaced distal fibula fracture. New braces are being designed (see exomedical.com) and marketed that replace casts. Velcro is being replaced by the BOA lacing system ( www.boatechnology.com) Twist and it's closed!
Orthopedic Technologists have no licensure in any state and 90% are on-the-job trained in casting by their employer, the orthopedic surgeon. Only about 20% hold a national certification. Yet they can apply any fracture cast or brace under the supervsion (whatever that means) of the orthopedic surgeon. I think the same should go for an orthotic fitter. This is a shift in thinking that an orthotic fitter be supervised by an orthopedic surgeon. But the time has come.
The cast room is now also the orthotic shop.
Sincerely,
Charles Barocas, CO (first retired licensed CO in FL)
PS. I have given up selling Gelato in Naples......it melts too fast.
_________________________________________________________________
Windows 7: It works the way you want. Learn more.
<URL Redacted>
Citation
Charles Barocas, “Fracture Care,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 5, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/230817.
