The second assembly of an advisory board comprised of top health officials met in October in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in an attempt to increase communication and build trust between various health professionals in the field in order to improve orthotic and prosthetic patient care. The meeting was sponsored by Lyons Prosthetics and Orthotics and included patients, surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, and, new to the board, a family nurse practitioner, a certified physician assistant specializing in rehab, and a medical billing expert. "One of the biggest benefits that this group offers is a chance to see what other healthcare professionals are experiencing within the realm of their practices," said Alexander Lyons, CPO, president of Lyons P&O. "The board creates a forum to share ideas, discuss relevant issues that affect patients, and establish partnerships in a cooperative effort to provide the highest quality service to O&P patients." The board discussed current industry concerns, reasoning that with a rise in the aging population, O&P needs will increase, creating a greater demand for trained professionals. "The title 'orthotist/prosthetist' is being loosely used by people with various levels of education," explained Lyons. "As technological advances are made in the field and patient demand for new technology rises, there is a greater importance of higher education requirements, national certifications, and regulations to ensure consistent patient care." Another prominent issue raised at the meeting is the rising cost of proper O&P care with inadequate third-party coverage, often limited to only certain devices and/or capped at an amount barely covering the cost of one prosthesis. Board member Louise Pearce, PT, owner of Community Rehab & PT, Conway, South Carolina, said, "The costs of the products that my patients need are high. Most of them are on Medicare, and rarely does Medicare pay for anything new. So, it can be frustrating to work with insurance companies when they won't provide what I know my patients [can benefit from]."
