There has been a number of responses that seem to oppose the consolidation and
an apparent lack of information on the topic at this time. It is my
understanding that time and money has been expended on looking at the
viability of consolidation of the three organizations including a recently
concluded consensus conference. I was told that $280,000 was spend on ACPORS.
We can not afford to waste that kind of money again. I was hoping by this time
that those person favoring the consolidation would have commented. In an
effort to get a balanced viewpoint and, without identifying the author, I am
sharing an e-mail in part that I received from someone favoring the
consolidation as well as other comments I have received.
For those that have questioned the OANDP List as being the appropriate place
to discuss this “US Political Issue” I can assure you that a consolidation
can and will have international and clinical implications, given the
organizations, companies, and individuals involved. Prosthetics and orthotics
is part of the global economy and has been for many years.
Al Pike, CP
>>>>I attended the Consensus Conference. I am replying as an individual and
not
representing of the organizations within the National Office. First and
foremost I
agree with the need to consolidate.
As a profession we need to respond to the changes in the health care
environment.
One the trend that is occurring is the combining of the professional and
business
aspects of various health care fields.
Physicians are advertising on television, radio, and in the news. They are
forming their own insurance groups and affiliating with hospitals.
If we don’t respond to the external changes in our environment we will not
flourish as a profession.
****************************
>From strictly a layman’s viewpoint, I like the idea of the checks and
balances that each entity represents, but I feel that it is getting
too expensive for the bread and butter clinician to belong to all
three organizations, let alone someone just starting out. I feel one
central organization with a membership roll and dues might be more
manageable. Something similar to the APTA in physical therapy.
I think that there may be some duplication of efforts with our three
organizations.
**************************
Al, I am one practitioner who is concerned and hope the changes proposed
will be done so with great concern and caution. I believe that it is
imperative that all three divisions be represented well and kept
separate. However, I do have some concerns regarding the cost of this
national office. Have you seen the number of employees they have at this
time? There are many corporations that handle a tremendous amount of
work with much less staff. I don’t have any answers or solutions up my
sleeve, but am hoping those involved will keep us closely informed and
maybe together we can help this process.
***********************
Thanks for stimulating the talk on consolidation. I agree with you that we
need to have more conversation — in public — about this important topic. I
know there is a strong expectation by the members that this will be a good
thing that results in lower fees/dues. But it ain’t going to happen unless
the members make it happen.
********************
Dear Al,
I too have been expecting a discussion of the impending consolidation of
ABC, AOPA and AAOP. I hope this is the beginning. It deeply disturbs me
that this consolidation appears to be a reality.
As a certified practitioner and a member of AAOP, I have equal voice in
the direction of our professional society as any other member. I am not
a member of the trade association (the only incentive in joining this as
a practitioner appears to be discounts at AOPA meetings). Combining the
two, in my opinion would lower the credibility of my certification.
Would my professional judgement be cheapened in the eyes of my referral
sources if they know that my certification is only a branch of the trade
association? This would liken my CPO credentials to being a Truform
orthotic fitter. No offense to those who have such qualifications, but
there is a perception of impartiality in being certified by a wholly
independent body.
Would the largest O&P corporations (being the largest contributors to
the trade association) have some control over my certification?
Legally, probably not, de facto most likely. As a CPO and an employee,
I feel that this is a loss of my autonomy as a health care practitioner
when my employer (an AOPA member) and my suppliers (mostly AOPA members)
have a voice in my professional certification.
As a recent prosthetic certifee I was dismayed to find that the
prosthetic exam was testing as much my product knowledge as my basic
prosthetic skills. Is there a link between this fact and the already
close relationship between ABC, AAOP and AOPA? I believe that this will
only get worse with the consolidation. I am starting to sound like a
conspiracy theorist so I will stop here.
*****************
Dear Al,
As always you help to get the ball rolling in the right direction. I am not
in favor due to the likelihood that the bureaucracies will not get any better
organized if the same people are involved as they were when they were smaller
groups. If the three smaller groups do not have distinct missions and are
overlapping in tasks and duties, fix it. If they can’t fix three smaller
groups, how will it work by putting them in a bigger organization?
I truly am grateful for the many tens of hours all of my volunteer colleagues
have put forth in building what we have today. It has been a monumental
undertaking for busy practitioners keeping their own heads above water, and
yet give their time for these various organizations. I am skeptical. What
are the alternatives, they are based on the real problems.
****************
Mr. Pike,
I agree with you about the three organizations creating some checks and
balances. I fear that consolidation will make it a bit too easy to effect
changes that previously required a lot more consensus building, by people with
very different perspectives.
Though we might have had some duplication of effort and waste of resources, we
did increase the pool of members who were involved in decision making.
This is the first year in the past 11 that I have really not felt like joining
AOPA and paying them my dues.
******************
Al,
I am very concerned about the consolidation issue and am also surprised
that there is little discussion on the matter. As a practitioner involved
in the licensure effort, I saw firsthand how the separate
organizations had more credibility. When the BOC tried to make their case
for lower standards for patient care, they had only BOC to go to bat for
them. This didn’t impress the senators or the lobbyists. The help we had
from NCOPE and ABC gave us more credibility. If consolidation takes
place, future licensing efforts could certainly be hindered. The individual
practitioner is a low priority to ABC. I wonder where we will be after the
changes at the National Office. I may reconsider paying for certification
every year. Anyway, there’s my two cents. I look forward to seeing your
posts Al. We see things the same. If you should need help / ideas /
suggestions I would like to hear from you.
*****************
Why does this consolidation sound strangely like something that was tried and
defeated a few years back? Sounds as if there are those hellbent on
consolidating. I haven’t heard all the details regarding this matter, but I do
hope we aren’t railroaded into accepting consolidation without full disclosure
as to the whys, hows, and whens.>>>>>>>
