Vern Hostetler, CPO, of Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics, Zanesville, Ohio, has volunteered to serve a three-month term at the Hanger prosthetics clinic in Deschapelles, Haiti, to provide care to Haitians injured in the January 12 earthquake. Hostetler will serve as the lead prosthetist at the Hanger clinic at the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS), an undamaged local hospital with a high clinical reputation located 60 miles from Port-au-Prince.
Hostetler is the third Hanger practitioner to lead the clinic since it opened February 22. He was preceded by John “Jay” Tew, CP, from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Anna Avakian, CPO, from Washington, DC. Avakian is currently serving the second three-month term as lead prosthetist and will transition her role to Hostetler during a two-week training process, according to Hanger.