In a message dated 99-02-10 06:30:26 EST, [email protected] writes:
<< John, I was just rereading your last post in response to Ronny Snell's e-mail. A lot of good points were made on both sides. However, you mentioned some information which I would be interested in knowing more about. Specifically, the one where you refer to in the following quote: " I expected that my comments and opinions would be shared with our sister organizations and at the Conference and trust that they were. If not, I am surprised that they weren't, as I did not indicate that they were confidential" I did not have the luxury of attending the conference, and have become more interested in this issue since these discussions have been occurring on the listserver. I would appreciate knowing more of your concerns and opinions. Sincerely, Wade Bader, CPO Tampa, FL >>
Wade…… My comments regarding consolidation to the Academy Board were
essentially the same as those I detailed in my original post to OANDP-L.. As
requested however, the following is a copy of that post to the Academy Board
which also included my 1997/98 Professional Issues Council (PIC) Annual
Report, dated 10/26/98, which I referenced in my post to AOPA President Ronney
Snell, CPO on 1/31/99.
Please understand the Conclusions & Recommendations in my PIC Report represent
my personal opinions as the outgoing Chair of the Academy’s Professional
Issues Council and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Academy
Board.
I trust my comments/opinions regarding consolidation and the PIC Report are
self explanatory!!………… John
Subj: 1997/98 PIC Annual Report & Consolidation
Date: 10/26/98
To: BB4ONP, AAOPExec
CC: WWSCPO, SDLBCPO, DavidJCP, JUCPO, FBostock
CC: TimLacyCP, [email protected]
CC: [email protected], [email protected]
CC: [email protected], TOMDIBCO, [email protected]
CC: MAllenCPO, RGing1
File: PIC98RPT.RTF (10519 bytes)
DL Time (32000 bps): < 1 minute Dear Bob & Tom........... Below is my 1997/98 Annual Report for the Professional Issues Council. Please accept my apologies for its lateness. I have also taken the liberty of forwarding it to the entire Board. If I have missed anyone who should have a copy of the Report, I would appreciate your forwarding it to them. I have also attached the Report as an RTF file for those who wish to download it in is originally formatted text. The signed original will be forwarded to the Academy National Office for appropriate filing. On another note, I had the opportunity of speaking today with President-Elect Bill Schumann, who called me today seeking my thoughts and opinions on the subject of Consolidation. We talked at great length about many issues related to this subject, which are too numerous and too complex to detail in this post. I would advise all of you, however, I am not in support of the Academy considering the option of consolidation. As most of you know, I did not support consolodation the last time around for the same reasons I have today. At this point in my life/career, this is more than I would like to get into or rehash again. Many of you have been through this effort before and I am sure you remember the overwhelming negative response from the profession. I do not suspect that it will be any different this time around. Without getting into all of the details, I personally feel the Academy has been, since its inception and more so in recent years, gradually strengthening its foundation. The Academy has been focused in its direction and with little change in its overall structure or governance. It has developed a solid base and reputation for offering quality continuing education which is unparalleled in the history of our profession. In recent years, it has further demonstrated its strength and ability in representing the individual practitioner by addressing professional issues. Issues which, henceforth, were either not being addressed or totally ignored and much of which are embodied within the PIC Report below. In my mind, education and professional issues have become kindred and equal to representing the needs, wants and desires of the individual practitioners. As previously mentioned, the Academy, unlike our ever-changing sister organization.... AOPA, has been solid in its governance and structure. Essentially, it continues to have the same Board and Chapter structure it had when it was founded more than 25 years ago. It has gradually built its strength on this fact and with a greater degree of consistency than our sister organization. Fundamentally, I would have to ask myself...... Why pour all the marbles out of the bag and let them scatter in all directions, only to gather them up again? Why change now when the Academy is a strong and viable organization which has painstakingly developed its image into the only true professional society representing the profession and one that is ingrained in the minds and hearts of its member practitioners? Why do away with all of the rich tradition the Academy has developed and stands for in its recognition and representation of the individual O&P practitioner? Our profession needs stability now more than ever! Consolidation will only divide members of the profession further and waste a great deal of time and financial resources over the next year...... which could be put to better use. Although invited, at the Academy’s expense, I will not be attending the conference in Phoenix. I simply do not wish to "go down that road again" and become involved in what would be the total dismantling of an organization I have personally dedicated so much time and effort to helping become what it is today. I am sure there are other options to consider. I trust all of you will understand my position. Sincerest regards!!............... John American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists PROFESSIONAL ISSUES COUNCIL 1997/98 ANNUAL REPORT October 23, 1998 Council Members: John N. Billock, C.P.O., Chair Gary A. Lamb, C.O., Vice Chair Michael J. Allen, C.P.O., Chair Subcommittee on Licensure & Credentialing Frank H. Bostock, C.O., Chair Subcommittee on Healthcare & Provider Trends Un-named Chair Subcommittee on Terminology & Practice Standards Ronald E. Gingras, C.P.O., Chair Subcommittee on State & Federal Legislative Policy Donald E. Katz, C.O., Chair Subcommittee on Research & Development Gary A. Lamb, C.O., Chair Subcommittee on Inter-professional Relations 1997/98 Council Projects & Activities Introduction Besides the individual responsibilities of 6 Sub-Committees of the Professional Issues Council (PIC), the following represents those projects and activities collectively achieved during the 1997/98 Academy year. This Report is intended to augment Annual Sub-Committee Reports and provide an overview of those projects and activities universally achieved by the PIC. 1. O&P Compendium The updating of the Fourth Edition of the "O&P Compendium" was completed in April and made available to those in attendance at the O&P Marketing & Professional Relations Seminar at the Academy Annual Meeting & Scientific Symposium in Miami, Florida. Updates to all the sections of the "O&P Compendium" regarding the organizations represented within our National Office were provided along with a variety of their existing brochures relevant to the delivery and practice of Orthotics and Prosthetics. These informational brochures were provided by the respective organizations without cost to the Academy for inclusion within the "O&P Compendium". The primary text of the "O&P Compendium" is accessible at the Academy’s Internet homepage and should be updated before the end of this year. The "O&P Compendium" has many uses as a marketing tool but is intended to be the single most comprehensive resource document regarding the O&P profession as we know it for private, state and federal health care organizations, as well as, state and federal legislators. It should be on the library shelf of every Academy member, ABC credentialed practitioner and/or facility for reference when telling the story of our profession, its history and recognition as a rehabilitation health care profession. 2. The Pathway to Competency "The Pathway to Competency and Scope of Practice of an ABC Certified Orthotist and/or Prosthetist" was also completed in April. This Academy publication is a document aimed at marketing the education, training and credentialing process, as well as the skills of ABC O&P credentialed practitioners as the most competent providers of comprehensive O&P services. The "The Pathway to Competency" has many uses as a grassroots marketing tool when approaching all health care providers, health insurance carriers, managed care organizations, state and federal health agencies, state and federal legislators, O&P consumers and even career counselors. 3. Grassroots Marketing The PIC again offered the Grassroots Marketing Seminar titled: "O&P Marketing and Professional Relations” at the Academy's Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium. This seminar has been one of the core education modules within the Academy's Program for Professional Development, as part of the Practice Management Certificate Program. It will be offered again in San Diego, California as part of the Academy's Continuing Education Conference Series, November 12-14, 1998. Plans are also in the works to offer the Seminar in a slightly different format next year. 4. Legislative Support and Assistance The PIC has collectively continued to provide ongoing support and assistance to Academy members pursing legislative and/or regulatory initiatives as well as those related to education and research funding through its various sub-committees. This support has been more at the State level than at the Federal level. At the State level to date, the PIC has actively supported legislative initiatives at the request of Academy members in the States of California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, and Washington. Conclusions & Recommendations The Purpose, Goals and Objectives of the Professional Issues Council are clearly defined in their support of the Academy's Mission Statement. The PIC, since its inception in 1994 as the Professional Issues Committe, has become a viable and important aspect of meeting the Academy’s Mission. The Academy, as a professional society representing individual practitioners, must continue to have an active voice in the growth and development of our profession; and especially within the ever-changing health care environment of today. Professional issues, whether they be educational or practice related, must be paramount in the minds of the Academy's leadership as they represent the concerns of the individual practitioner and are at the heart of the O&P profession. It is for this reason, the complacencies of the past and the stereotyped image of the Academy being just a vehicle for continuing education must not continue. Individual practitioners must have a true voice in the affairs of their profession. Without it, the Academy and the profession will fall back into the problems of the past and not appropriately address the issues of the future. The "O&P Compendium" must continue to become a living document that is not lost to time. The "O&P Compendium" and its documents define in a very real way who we are as a profession, what our structure is as a profession and how we got to where we are as a true profession. Regular updating of the "O&P Compendium" must be continued and its availability needs to be marketed both within and outside the profession. The "Pathway to Competency" needs marketed to every Academy member and non-member practitioner as a tool to educate others about the competency and scope of practice of ABC credentialed practitioners as the most qualified providers of comprehensive O&P health care services. The Grassroots Marketing Initiatives are also an ongoing process that must be continued and strengthened at the local level. This must be done in cooperation with our sister organizations which make up the core of our profession wherever and whenever possible. It is essential for the Academy to promote our profession and the practitioners it represents from the ground up. This can only be done effectively at the grassroots level and with the direct involvement of individual practitioners committed to such an effort. The Academy, however, has the responsibility to provide the tools and information necessary to achieve this goal. The State and Federal Legislative Support provided by the PIC and its Sub-Committees is also an ongoing process that collectively must continue to grow and develop. It is essential to continue the support and assistance provided by the PIC to Academy members pursuing legislative and/or regulatory initiatives relevant to the professional concerns of ABC credentialed practitioners. At the Federal level, as well as the State level, these activities are intended to cooperatively augment and support the efforts and initiatives of the AOPA Government Relations Program, whenever possible. In that regard, as the only professional society representing the professional needs, interests, and concerns of ABC credentialed practitioners, every effort should be made to identify areas of common interest and encourage interaction with AOPA and all of our sister organizations. I trust and hope that my efforts towards these initiatives on behalf of our profession and colleagues will survive the test of time. Thank you for the opportunity of allowing me to address these issues on behalf of our profession and hopefully assure that quality O&P heath care is being provided to those individuals who depend its practitioners. Respectfully submitted, John N. Billock, C.P.O., Chair Professional Issues Council
