Dear List,
Here is my original post. The responses to follow.
An SNF administrator approached me recently and asked if I were familiar
with www.neuro-ifrahproducts.com . I was not. They wanted to use their
orthotics, pre-fab and custom. I looked at the site. Interesting ideas and
solutions. I would like to ask the list if anyone is familiar with the
products and actually used them. Seems that the fabrication is very
expensive and the site actively promotes direct orders by physical
therapists. They offer ceretrtification courses. Here is an excerpt from the
FAQ section:
*Q: My facility has a contract only with certain vendors, can your orthotics
be provided by our authorized vendor, or do we have to go through
Neuro-IFRAH Products?*
*A: We can make arrangements with certain vendors providing that they
contact us and sign specific agreements regarding confidentiality and
intellectual property. In many cases staff has proposed that the facility
has a direct contract with Neuro-IFRAH Products thus eliminating having to
go through another middle entity. Also having a direct contact with
Neuro-IFRAH Products makes it easier to have access to all the latest
equipment as well as the wide range of products without delay. We will be
very glad to facilitate the process of having your facility establish an
account with Neuro-IFRAH Products.*
So, we are referred to as a “middle entity”. Anyway, the purpose of this
e-mail* is not* to start (again) a discussion about P.T.-s or M.D.-s
ordering directly from the manufacturers. A lot has been said in this
regard. My question is clinical. Does anyone have clinical knowledge about
the products? In particular their AFO called PRO:
http://www.neuro-ifrahproducts.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory0&idproduct 3
What
do you think?
*RESPONSES:*
This is the voice of regret telling you, “Don’t do it…”
20K and you can be a provider for him. He has patents on AFO’s.
I had a hospital that had some PTs brainwashed by him.
Thru a bit of education on my part, they have sut the umbilical cord from
his way of thinking. Waleed is only in this for the money-not good patient
care.
I have had some dealings with this company. If you work with them, they have
an agreement that you must sign that you would violate everytime you made an
AFO of any sort.
We told them thanks but no thanks. BTW – I did not lose my referral over
this 🙂
Researched product versus reimbursement=ser
Yep, I know the guys over at Kinemedic Concepts. Pretty well, in fact.
They are orthotists that developed the design in conjunction with Waleed for
their therapy system. ABC certified and everything (the main developer was
a PT as well as a CO). Understand this about Waleed: he did that NDT thing
a few years back until everyone developed NDT acronyms and tried to copy
it. Now he does Neuro-ifrah and he wants quality control of anything that
they do. Regarding Kinemedic Concepts, the fabricators of the PRO, they
tried to license the fabrication of the orthosis to c-fab companies, but you
can imagine how well that went. So, rather than orthotists all over the US
trying to make the Perfect Response Orthosis and only succeeding to various
degrees, then giving up in disgust, and thus discrediting the design, they
have decided that they would control the quality of the fabrication of the
orthosis. They are happy to have orthotists cast, fit and deliver the
orthosis, but the modifications and fabrication are done by them. Less
money for me due to the cost, but a heck of a lot less work as well. I will
occasionally trim the toeplate, but other than that- fit and go.
My opinion of the orthosis? You better pick the right candidate. The
orthosis is bulky (layer of pelite, thin layer of polypro, layer of carbon,
and outer layer of polypro (whew!)). Besides that, there are 3 or 4 straps
(including one for the posterior heel) in the design. With all of that, you
can see that the fabrication is more complex, but at least the codes are
well justified. For the right patient, it works better than any other
design that I have seen. If you have a therapist that believes that every
patient belongs in one, just be patient and wait; I had a couple patients
that needed simple dorsiflexion assist and preferred a graphite afo to the
PRO. After that, the therapist trusts this lowly orthotist a bit more.
The reason that they work directly with the therapists is because the
therapy originated with therapists. The therapist then goes to their
orthotist and requests this afo. The orthotist then says to the therapist,
“I can do just as good a job as this one.” and the orthotist proceeds to
make the regular articulated afo, just with the toes dorsiflexed. Can you
see their side? Yep, me too.
By the way, they paid for the patenting process of the afo. This means that
they are entitled to enforce their intellectual property through legal
means. And they have. So, with the occasional patient that is a good
candidate, pay the money for the fabrication and have the therapist see us
as the professionals that we are.
I hope that this helps. Yeah, I hate writing such a big check as well, but
the therapist likes the orthosis, so rather than being seen as a whiner, I
just go with being the professional.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
TRIED TO WORK WITH BOTH OUR PTS-OTS,BUT THERE WASN’T ANY ECONOMICAL SENSE IN
TAKING PART. THE PRODUCT COST EQUAL REINBURSEMENT. TO ME ITS A NEW REHAB
“CULT” BEING DEVELOPED.
*THANK YOU ALL, WHO RESPONDED.*
—
*Stephan R. Manucharian, M.A., MSc, CP, BOCO, LP(NJ)
Clinical Director
Orthopedic Arts Laboratory, Inc.
141 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-858-2400; Fax: 718-858-9258;
http://www.OrthopedicArts.net
Non est vivere sed valere vita est!
The content of this communication is for exclusive use of the addressee and
may contain confidential, privileged and non-disclosable information. If the
recipient of this communication is not the addressee, such recipient is
strictly prohibited from printing, photocopying, saving on any media,
distributing or otherwise using the information contained herein. If you
received this communication in error, please contact the sender by e-mail,
fax or telephone and destroy this document.
*
—
*Stephan R. Manucharian, M.A., MSc, CP, BOCO, LP(NJ)
Clinical Director
Orthopedic Arts Laboratory, Inc.
141 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-858-2400; Fax: 718-858-9258;
http://www.OrthopedicArts.net
Non est vivere sed valere vita est!
The content of this communication is for exclusive use of the addressee and
may contain confidential, privileged and non-disclosable information. If the
recipient of this communication is not the addressee, such recipient is
strictly prohibited from printing, photocopying, saving on any media,
distributing or otherwise using the information contained herein. If you
received this communication in error, please contact the sender by e-mail,
fax or telephone and destroy this document.
*
