Doctor/Prosthetist Relationship
Jeremy Sprouse
Description
Collection
Title:
Doctor/Prosthetist Relationship
Creator:
Jeremy Sprouse
Date:
2/10/2015
Text:
I'm having a hard time trying to figure out what to do here. I have a
vascular practice that is steering ALL of its patients to one O&P provider.
Which it has been this way for 20 years. I haven't done anything in all this
time but now things are getting worse with them. Not only are they not
referring new patients to us.they are telling our old patients that request
us, that they will not fill out any of our paperwork. And it's not because
of our work or service, we had two other clinics in our town at the time who
did pretty good work also. One has since closed its doors so that leaves 3
of us. This vascular group will not send any of its patients to ANY other
O&P provider except for the one they use (Which has the worst quality
products). So today I met with a bi-lateral BK who has used this provider
and is not happy with him at all. In fact he wore his last prosthesis for 3
weeks, got a sore and has been receiving wound care for over a year because
of it. So he wants to change providers to us, but his doctor told him if
you go anywhere else I will make sure your insurance will not buy your
legs. So the doctor has threatened him with the possibility of not
receiving a new prosthesis. This doctor is extremely difficult to deal with
, he is over the wound care center in this area. My question is..is there
anyone to contact about this. I know the other clinics had complained to
Medicare years ago but I haven't seen where anything changed. Can a doctor
threaten to stop treatment or prevent a patient from getting O&P services?
The whole situation just seems very fishy to me. I've never heard of a group
having such a strong preference to where their patients go. Would Medicare
investigate to see if a kick back is involved?
-Should I complain/ is there anyone who would care about this?
-Should I compile a list of complaints by patients and send it to Medicare?
-Should I just have the patients make a complaint to Medicare?
-Should I do nothing and just keep trudging along as we have done for 35
years.
Thanks in advance.
Jeremy CPO
PS..A doctor in this practice will be on our local news this week for
amputating not 1.not 2..but 3 of the wrong toes on a patients foot before he
amputated the right toe.
vascular practice that is steering ALL of its patients to one O&P provider.
Which it has been this way for 20 years. I haven't done anything in all this
time but now things are getting worse with them. Not only are they not
referring new patients to us.they are telling our old patients that request
us, that they will not fill out any of our paperwork. And it's not because
of our work or service, we had two other clinics in our town at the time who
did pretty good work also. One has since closed its doors so that leaves 3
of us. This vascular group will not send any of its patients to ANY other
O&P provider except for the one they use (Which has the worst quality
products). So today I met with a bi-lateral BK who has used this provider
and is not happy with him at all. In fact he wore his last prosthesis for 3
weeks, got a sore and has been receiving wound care for over a year because
of it. So he wants to change providers to us, but his doctor told him if
you go anywhere else I will make sure your insurance will not buy your
legs. So the doctor has threatened him with the possibility of not
receiving a new prosthesis. This doctor is extremely difficult to deal with
, he is over the wound care center in this area. My question is..is there
anyone to contact about this. I know the other clinics had complained to
Medicare years ago but I haven't seen where anything changed. Can a doctor
threaten to stop treatment or prevent a patient from getting O&P services?
The whole situation just seems very fishy to me. I've never heard of a group
having such a strong preference to where their patients go. Would Medicare
investigate to see if a kick back is involved?
-Should I complain/ is there anyone who would care about this?
-Should I compile a list of complaints by patients and send it to Medicare?
-Should I just have the patients make a complaint to Medicare?
-Should I do nothing and just keep trudging along as we have done for 35
years.
Thanks in advance.
Jeremy CPO
PS..A doctor in this practice will be on our local news this week for
amputating not 1.not 2..but 3 of the wrong toes on a patients foot before he
amputated the right toe.
Citation
Jeremy Sprouse, “Doctor/Prosthetist Relationship,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 1, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/237080.
