X-finger responses
Sharidy Hathcock
Description
Collection
Title:
X-finger responses
Creator:
Sharidy Hathcock
Date:
4/27/2010
Text:
List,
I did not originally plan to post the responses regarding the x-finger from Didrick Medical but I had many requests to do so. Responses were kept anonymous for obvious reasons.
In my original post I was extremely tactful on the situation that we have had. Though I do feel it is important to pass along important information to each other as practitioners in order to make the best decisions possible for our patients. All I would say is, I would strongly encourage you to read the responses and come to your own conclusion about this company.
Thanks to all who responded, I guess it's comforting to know we are not alone!
Sharidy MacCord, orthotist/prosthetist
Virginia Prosthetics
Responses
1.) I am fitting one right now and it has been touch and go from the beginning. They have a good product; they just need a little refinement in the process of custom fabrication. I do not think they have a prosthetist per se in house so much of what they do is again touch and go....
2.) Our company had a considerable amount of problems when it came to problem solving. It took us months to get everything taken care of.
3.) I inquired about them on the listserve last year and had many negative responses. I decided to stay away. The video of the finger looked great though.
4.) I had tried to contact them, and it was only with persistent phone calls and an aggressive don't take no for an answer that I got in touch with the regional rep(?). Even then I was met with We've been so busy... after 1-2 months of casual calls, and a week of calling every day.
I was told that: PIP disarticulations worked best. that there is a lot of difficulty at the MCP disarticulation level. One of my patients had a Stub of the proximal phalanx left and that would mean, a lot of work to fit.
He did not strike me as helpful or a problem solver. I do have a Berger's patient who is waiting to hear from his personal insurance company, and even then the remaining 20% of a $12,000 (per hand) is a little much to swallow.
It is my hope that a larger Company buys them out as I think this could be a great product, but I have been turned off dealing with them as they had lousy service. I would suspect they would be very hard to get in touch with for customer support once the product has been dispensed.
5.) I just fit an X - Finger on a right index finger amp just above the dip jt. it took approx. 7 months to receive the device and it was very difficult to reach anyone at the company. The finger fit poorly and the patient rejected it after 1-2 weeks of home use and adjustments. I will not use this device in the future.
6.) They seem to be non-responsive.
7.) We have been working with Didrick Medical for a patient that needs 2 fingers (index, middle) they custom made a x finger to accommodate his need. Since delivery we have sent it back a few times to get it right. The company has been very responsive with great customer service in getting us what we need done.
8.) It took us 6 months to get a finger that cost over $5,000.00. The engineering is great but the finger is not very functional and not really customized. Our patient rejected it.
9.) I did use this product about one year ago on a 2nd digit PIP amputation. It was a WC so they paid for the high cost of this product despite my feelings that it wasn't worth its value. Getting it finally fit and working right took several back and forth shipping's. The two people I talked to were helpful with the redos's, but frequently postponed shipping and it seemed like this product is continuously going through upgrades. I must say that in the end my patient was fairly satisfied with it but he was a mid twenty year old guy who loves gadgets. I would be hesitant to try it on any other type of patient. It is a decent design and does function but I am not sure that this company has the product quite ready for a market with little patience for unprofessionalism yet.
10.) We fit an X-finger. Didrick wanted cash up front before they would ship it. It took almost three months to get it. The pins broke within three weeks. Mechanically it is a great concept but working with Didrick Medical has been nothing less than a disappointment. I spoke the owner and engineer regarding suspension, sent photos to get some technical assistance. Seemed very willing and interested in helping while they were on the phone but that was two months ago and I haven't heard anything. It seems that if they are not called daily, progress stalls. Overall the x-finger has helped the patient; thank goodness that the patient has been very patient.
We have another patient that could benefit from the design but there has been a debate among the prosthetists whether the patient will tolerate the time it will probably take to get the product and whether the suspension will be adequate. It has been suggested not to offer it as an option.
I'm interested in what other customers have to say about their interaction
with Didrick Medical.
11.) I don't like to talk poorly of any company but I had a lot of trouble with Didrick Medical. I ordered an index finger for a patient in Nov 2008 and I just delivered it in March of this year. We had a lot of problems even after sending two molds of the patients hand, measurements and a lot of pictures. It even came back from them one time with another finger on it. I don't know if other people have had better luck than me but I would be hard pressed to use them again. Even after all the time and sending it back it didn't fit well and my patient wasn't real happy with it.
I did not originally plan to post the responses regarding the x-finger from Didrick Medical but I had many requests to do so. Responses were kept anonymous for obvious reasons.
In my original post I was extremely tactful on the situation that we have had. Though I do feel it is important to pass along important information to each other as practitioners in order to make the best decisions possible for our patients. All I would say is, I would strongly encourage you to read the responses and come to your own conclusion about this company.
Thanks to all who responded, I guess it's comforting to know we are not alone!
Sharidy MacCord, orthotist/prosthetist
Virginia Prosthetics
Responses
1.) I am fitting one right now and it has been touch and go from the beginning. They have a good product; they just need a little refinement in the process of custom fabrication. I do not think they have a prosthetist per se in house so much of what they do is again touch and go....
2.) Our company had a considerable amount of problems when it came to problem solving. It took us months to get everything taken care of.
3.) I inquired about them on the listserve last year and had many negative responses. I decided to stay away. The video of the finger looked great though.
4.) I had tried to contact them, and it was only with persistent phone calls and an aggressive don't take no for an answer that I got in touch with the regional rep(?). Even then I was met with We've been so busy... after 1-2 months of casual calls, and a week of calling every day.
I was told that: PIP disarticulations worked best. that there is a lot of difficulty at the MCP disarticulation level. One of my patients had a Stub of the proximal phalanx left and that would mean, a lot of work to fit.
He did not strike me as helpful or a problem solver. I do have a Berger's patient who is waiting to hear from his personal insurance company, and even then the remaining 20% of a $12,000 (per hand) is a little much to swallow.
It is my hope that a larger Company buys them out as I think this could be a great product, but I have been turned off dealing with them as they had lousy service. I would suspect they would be very hard to get in touch with for customer support once the product has been dispensed.
5.) I just fit an X - Finger on a right index finger amp just above the dip jt. it took approx. 7 months to receive the device and it was very difficult to reach anyone at the company. The finger fit poorly and the patient rejected it after 1-2 weeks of home use and adjustments. I will not use this device in the future.
6.) They seem to be non-responsive.
7.) We have been working with Didrick Medical for a patient that needs 2 fingers (index, middle) they custom made a x finger to accommodate his need. Since delivery we have sent it back a few times to get it right. The company has been very responsive with great customer service in getting us what we need done.
8.) It took us 6 months to get a finger that cost over $5,000.00. The engineering is great but the finger is not very functional and not really customized. Our patient rejected it.
9.) I did use this product about one year ago on a 2nd digit PIP amputation. It was a WC so they paid for the high cost of this product despite my feelings that it wasn't worth its value. Getting it finally fit and working right took several back and forth shipping's. The two people I talked to were helpful with the redos's, but frequently postponed shipping and it seemed like this product is continuously going through upgrades. I must say that in the end my patient was fairly satisfied with it but he was a mid twenty year old guy who loves gadgets. I would be hesitant to try it on any other type of patient. It is a decent design and does function but I am not sure that this company has the product quite ready for a market with little patience for unprofessionalism yet.
10.) We fit an X-finger. Didrick wanted cash up front before they would ship it. It took almost three months to get it. The pins broke within three weeks. Mechanically it is a great concept but working with Didrick Medical has been nothing less than a disappointment. I spoke the owner and engineer regarding suspension, sent photos to get some technical assistance. Seemed very willing and interested in helping while they were on the phone but that was two months ago and I haven't heard anything. It seems that if they are not called daily, progress stalls. Overall the x-finger has helped the patient; thank goodness that the patient has been very patient.
We have another patient that could benefit from the design but there has been a debate among the prosthetists whether the patient will tolerate the time it will probably take to get the product and whether the suspension will be adequate. It has been suggested not to offer it as an option.
I'm interested in what other customers have to say about their interaction
with Didrick Medical.
11.) I don't like to talk poorly of any company but I had a lot of trouble with Didrick Medical. I ordered an index finger for a patient in Nov 2008 and I just delivered it in March of this year. We had a lot of problems even after sending two molds of the patients hand, measurements and a lot of pictures. It even came back from them one time with another finger on it. I don't know if other people have had better luck than me but I would be hard pressed to use them again. Even after all the time and sending it back it didn't fit well and my patient wasn't real happy with it.
Citation
Sharidy Hathcock, “X-finger responses,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/231425.
