I find it odd that Ms. Barreda finds the word “Patient” offensive but has no
sensitivity to calling her web site “Cripworld” . Nuff said, now drop it!
Brian Gustin CP.
—–Original Message—–
From: Kimberley Barreda
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 8:19 PM
Subject: Respect issues
>”Patient states he would…..”
>
>”I have a patient…”
>
>”I’ll bet your patients exo leg….”
>
>”I have a couple of patients wearing them …”
>
>
>How do I put this nicely…..
>
>FYI: many amputees consider the term “patient” when used by prosthetic
>providers to be condescending and patronizing.
>
>To refer to the end user as a patient doesn’t reflect the true nature of
>the prosthetist/amputee relationship which is, in actuality, a business
>based client/provider relationship and not a patient/caregiver
>relationship.
>
>I need prosthetics so I hire a prosthetist to manufacture these prosthetics
>for me. I then pay the prosthetist a CONSIDERABLE sum of money for that
>product. That makes our relationship business/financial. I hire you, you
>become my “manufacturer” and I become your “Client” or customer.
>
>The services provided by the professional prosthetist can be likened to
>that of a mechanic or other trades person as in actual fact you are hired
>to provide me with a custom fabricated prosthetic. If I did not have that
>prosthetic, my medical condition would not change, so if we take the term
>literally, we are not patients and you are not medical providers.
>
>Some of you may think there is no difference between patient and client,
>that it is just a term, but I can assure you there is a huge difference.
>It’s an indication of the attitude of the prosthetist. It is also an
>indication of future earnings.
>
>There are prosthetists that provide the level of service that is expected.
>They are the ones who get a ton of referrals because of the level of
>service they provide. They’re the ones whose names are passed around the
>amp community as in “you have to call this guy/gal/office, I got great
>service and I love my arm/leg”. And it all boils down to how valuable you
>consider the amputee, your clients, to be.
>
>I value my clients. They pay my bills. If I had no clients, I would have
>no money. Simple as that. So in order to pay my bills, my clients are the
>most important thing in my business and they are treated that way. The
>same can be said for prosthetists. There are so many of you out there that
>we can pick and choose who will or will not get our business and by
>default, our money.
>
>Just letting you know.
>
>
>Kimberley Barreda
>CRIPmedia – a different point of view
>http://www.cripworld.com
>The information and marketing resource
>for the disability community
>
>
