O&P Wages Versus Inflation, Unraveling The Mystery You Didn’t Know Existed
Presenter: Nathanael Feehan, LPO
Wages in O&P have been going up, but have they kept up with the cost of living and more importantly the standard of living? Using data from the AOPA Compensation and Benefits reports from 1977 onward Feehan will show how the O&P staff has fared in the US economy. Comparing and contrasting practitioners, technicians, and administrative staff, he will describe which are driven by market forces and which are more insulated.
Reimbursement trends drive the bottom line, so the presentation will begin with how employees are paid and how raises are doled out, and then project that to business performance and how, historically, companies have passed this along to employees. Trends will emerge showing why the feeling that you are underpaid is real.
By looking backward, the presenter will identify trends that may help in navigating the coming years. “Knowledge is one thing, but being able to use it to make decisions and help us position ourselves is more valuable,” Feehan says, and will help individuals or business owners set goals and plan.
The session will discuss several questions: How will emerging technologies affect you, your coworkers, or business? What dangers result from these trends? How can we keep the brightest minds in O&P and not lose them to other industries which pay better? How will modern technologies affect or even perform some of our jobs in the coming years?
The Unforgettable Prosthetist: Grow Your Prosthetic Practice with Early Intervention
Presenter: Jennifer Latham Robinson
At 9 a.m., you meet a patient who underwent a transtibial amputation eight weeks ago. They are now cleared for a shrinker and evaluation but haven’t consulted with a prosthetist or anyone with limb loss experience. For the past eight weeks, their residual limb has been hanging off the front end of the wheelchair. They have no resources or knowledge about the prosthetic rehabilitation process, resulting in feelings of depression. During the evaluation, you notice the contracted knee and swelling in the residual limb, presenting a challenging journey ahead.
At 10 a.m., you have an appointment with someone whose name you recognize. The referring physician informed you about the patient’s amputation in advance, allowing you to provide a limb protector shortly after the surgery. Alongside the initial cursory evaluation, you assessed their potential K-Level based on motivation, overall health, and prior activities. Your detailed notes were shared with the referring physician, and you arranged an amputee peer visit and provided related literature before their discharge. Despite transferring to multiple rehab facilities, they have been using the limb protector and stayed in touch, making them well prepared for prosthetic rehabilitation. They stand eagerly between the parallel bars and their residuum looks great.
Reflecting on both situations, it becomes evident that being equipped with the necessary tools and information for prosthetic use is vital. Early intervention, including a limb protector, can significantly impact long-term outcomes. In this session, you’ll learn effective strategies for implementing a robust early-intervention post-op protocol that’s a win for patients and your practice.
Predicting Scoliosis Outcome
Presenter: Gez Bowman, CO, MBAPO
There is little consensus in the medical community as to the required average daily wear time (ADW) for an effective scoliosis bracing treatment. Patients continue to be given a subjective value for the number of hours they need to wear their brace, ranging from 8 hours/day to 23.5 hours/day. However, multiple prior studies have shown that bracing outcomes are proportional to ADW. In addition, other studies have shown that outcomes are proportional to in-brace correction (IBC) and that the amount of IBC varies considerably between the braces used and between orthotists.
By recognizing the relationship between IBC and outcome, and ADW and outcome, and adjusting for the other factors that influence outcome, Bowman will describe the mathematical formula developed to predict the outcome of brace treatment.
Comparing the actual results of several braced scoliosis patients with the outcome prediction numbers shows a significant correlation of the two values. The prediction formula is now routinely used in the presenter’s clinic to present to patients the expected outcome of treatment and show how it varies depending on the number of hours worn. It has been proven to act as a motivator to encourage compliance with full-time bracing wear schedules.
Once a patient has obtained their in-brace x-ray and we have determined the IBC, use of a mathematical formula using the given values for IBC and ADW could be a useful tool for the treatment team to predict outcome and/or show the need for changes to the treatment. When the prediction formula suggests a negative outcome, it would demonstrate a need for modifications to the brace to improve IBC and/or increase the ADW.
