An editorial in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation suggested three areas where a “precision rehabilitation framework” could improve prosthetic foot prescription and patient satisfaction. The method includes using data about prosthetic foot features and properties to augment clinicians’ reliance on their experience and reduce reliance on manufacturer claims when making prescription decisions. A patient-centered approach based on the clinical care-to-research continuum would combine to support the framework.
The authors wrote that clinical prosthesis prescription should include determining objective prosthetic foot properties, patient-specific study designs that compare prosthetic feet, and predictive modeling to determine how patient characteristics could lead to probable outcomes.
The editorial included suggestions about translating the model into a clinician-facing decision support tool and patient decision aids using shared decision-making to understand patient priorities that allow them to be active participants in their care, which may lead to more realistic patient expectations and greater prosthetic satisfaction.
To read the article, “Future directions in prosthetic component research and clinical prescription: A precision rehabilitation and patient-centered care approach,” visit the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
