Scott's Certification Update |
John and I agreed early in 2007 before launching Optimus
Prosthetics that my personal goal of becoming an ABC-Certified Prosthetist fit
well with the Optimus Prosthetics 3-year business plan.
There are less challenging paths to become a
certified and licensed prosthetist but ABC certifications are considered the profession's highest standards for professionals
providing prosthetic patient care.
And
with my MSE in Rehabilitation Engineering, I had the prerequisites and
education already behind me. I opted for
Northwestern University's Prosthetic Certificate program in Chicago which is
the same program that John attended almost 20 years ago (and the same program
that started 51 years ago).
Now I
anxiously await sitting for the ABC written and practical exams in May and June
2010, respectively. Once passed, I will
eagerly and proudly add the CP after my name.
CP: ABC-Certified Prosthetist
CO: ABC-Certified Orthotist
CPO: ABC-Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist
RTP: ABC-Registered Prosthetic Technician
BOCP: 'Board of Certification/Accreditation
International'-Certified Prosthetist
BOCO: 'Board of Certification/Accreditation
International'-Certified Orthotist
LP: Ohio-Licensed Prosthetist
LO: Ohio-Licensed Orthotist
LPO: Ohio-Licensed Prosthetist/Orthotist
|
Our Calendar
|
Wed 11/11/09 HAPPY VETERANS DAY!
Wed 11/11/09 (7:30am) Maria Joseph Center, Course 5
Wed 11/18/09 (8am) UVMC, Course 1
Wed 11/18/09 (Noon) CareSpring-Springboro, Course 3
Thu 11/26/09 HAPPY THANKSGIVING! (closed)
Fri 11/27/09 CLOSED
Wed 12/9/09 (Noon) CareSpring-Springboro, Course 4
Wed 12/16/09 (Noon) CareSpring-Springboro, Course 5
Fri 12/25/09 MERRY CHRISTMAS! (closed)
Fri 1/1/10 HAPPY NEW YEAR! (closed)
Would you like to schedule a course?Call the office at 937-454-1900
|
Optimus Prosthetics on YouTube NEW VIDEOS!
|
|
Accredited by:
|
The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics & Pedorthics.
ABC is the national certifying and accrediting body for
the orthotic and prosthetic professions. The public requires and
deserves assurance that the persons providing orthotic, prosthetic, and
pedorthic services and care are qualified to provide the appropriate
services.
|
|
Greetings!
With
Thanksgiving quickly approaching, I thought it would be an ideal time to give
thanks and express some gratitude. John
and I would like to thank all of our referring physicians and therapists who have given us the opportunity to serve them and their patients throughout
2009. Not only do we appreciate the
referrals but we also appreciate the confidence they have placed in us.
If you've got any suggestions, compliments, complaints or feedback on our email newsletter or on Optimus Prosthetics - we'd love to hear it! Call us at 937-454-1900 or click here to send us an email. Sincerely, Optimus Prosthetics * 8517 N. Dixie Drive * Suite 300 * Dayton OH 45414
PS - "optimus online" is archived online! If you missed an issue, click here. |
C-Leg RoadShow stops at Optimus Prosthetics 11/5/09
Otto Bock's clinical specialist in prosthetics Byron Backus
CP, sales representative Angi Danner, and model patient Robert Jordan ( read Robert's story here) rolled
into the Optimus Prosthetic complex in their mobile lab at 8am last Thursday
morning for a full day event focused on the C-Leg. (pictured left to right; Jon, Byron, Angi, Linda, Robert and Scott) The Otto Bock C-Leg is a
microprocessor-controlled knee that a patient with an above-knee (transfemoral)
amputation can speed up, slow down, take on hills and go down stairs
step-over-step-all with a secure, more natural gait. Video of Robert jumping/landing on C-Leg and Tim Buehl going down step over step for the first time!
Byron spent the morning providing advanced C-Leg training to
John, Scott and Ellie of Optimus with the help of Optimus model patients Linda
Lyons (2-year-C-Leg-wearer pictured below with Robert Jordan) and Tim Buehl (first-time-C-Leg-wearer, pictured below). Byron also spent
mid-day educating 15 local therapists on the features and benefits of the C-Leg
before heading to their next stop. Optimus Prosthetics would like to
thank the crew from Otto Bock and all the therapists who joined us for taking
time out of their busy schedules to spend with us.
|
'Prosthetics for Therapists' 2010
2009 Optimus
Prosthetics offered 5 courses in 2009 to 30 therapy groups representing more
than 325 therapists.
If you are a
therapist and your group has not scheduled the 5th and final course
for 2009, give us a call!
1. Immediate Post-Op Modalities (for transtibial
level amputations)
2. Transtibial Prosthetics
3. Transfemoral Prosthetics
4. Amputee Mobility Predictor
5. Gait Training and Deviations
2010 As mentioned in
last month's eNewsletter, Optimus Prosthetics will be offering 4 courses in
2010 available on a quarterly basis. You can call us to schedule the 2010
courses when your group is ready to do so.
The following are the topics
for 2010 which will have new approval numbers (and will be video-enhanced):
1. Overview
of Prosthetics (includes an overview of all levels of amputations with emphasis
on upper extremity, partial foot, and Symes)
2. Transtibial
Prosthetics (including post-op modalities)
3. Transfemoral
Prosthetics (including an introduction to our computerized gait alignment
system and a refresher on the Amputee Mobility Predictor)
4. Lower
Extremity Prosthetic Gait Training and Deviations (a refresher based on course
#5 from 2009)
Give
us a call to schedule your course! 937-454-1900
|
Prosthetic
Fairness Bill Introduced
Most people don't read the fine print of their insurance policies until
something happens to them. While programs
like Medicare and Medicaid cover at least 80 percent of the cost for
prostheses, private insurance companies are allowed to have annual 'caps' or maximums on
prosthetics, placing them in the same category as canes, crutches and walkers. Some private insurance caps are $2500 and
$4000 which seems like a reasonable amount to those who know little about the
actual costs of prostheses. Below-knee
or transtibial prostheses can cost $8000-$15,000 while above-knee or
transfemoral prostheses can cost $12,000- $35,000. In any case, these caps are usually a huge
financial burden to amputees.
State Rep. Denise Driehaus (D-Cincinnati) introduced the Prosthetic Fairness Bill- or House Bill 310 - on October 13, 2009 which would remove
prosthetics from the Durable Medical Equipment category and make private insurance
companies provide the same coverage as Medicare and Medicaid. Some states, like Indiana, California, and
Texas, have already passed similar bills; others pushing for it include
Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan, according to the Amputee Coalition of
America.
About 40,000 people in the state of Ohio would be impacted by the
legislation, according to the Buckeye Amputees for Action's founder and amputee
Bob Thurman. Thurman is heading
up the Ohio initiative and hopes to see the bill voted out of committee before
the holiday break.
For more
information, please contact Bob Thurman.
Know someone who you think would be interested in receiving our newsletter?
|
|