An article in the November issue of The O&P EDGE discusses the importance and success of setting company goals. Thirty-eight percent of those who responded to our poll question last week—What is most important when setting company goals?— said following through on them is most important; 25 percent said getting employee input beforehand; 21 percent responded that it’s important to know why a goal matters, and 17 percent said making goals specific helps the most.
The poll that focused on the challenges that come with amputations was the second of two parts. The question—What are some the biggest challenges a new upper-limb amputee can face?—resulted in 37 percent answering that learning to use the prosthesis was the biggest obstacle to overcome; 32 percent said wellness and self-esteem issues were the most difficult; and 16 percent said finding help through peer and family support and dealing with public perception were equally challenging.
The poll produced some insightful comments. Linda Calabria, product and marketing manager for Össur, said, “Depending on the individual, all of the above to some degree.”
Randall Alley, CP, owner of biodesigns, said, “Most OTs and wearers we’ve talked with complain about poor performing sockets/interfaces. And too many facilities claim they have sufficient UL experience when they may have managed a mere couple of cases over the years, successfully or not. Payers are also often part of the problem, frequently looking for the cheapest or geographically closest ‘solution.’”
Chris Baschuk, regional clinical manager, Mountain West at Handspring Clinical Services said another challenge upper-limb amputees face is insurance. “How about insurance authorization and finding a prosthetist and rehabilitation team that has a comprehensive knowledge regarding upper-limb prostheses?”
Tisha Titus, a public health physician, said, “Lack of effective options. Most arm amputees abandon their prosthetic because it is not sufficiently functional or they are more functional without it—that is a significant hurdle to continuous use. I would love for developers to stop developing their perception of a ‘cool’ arm/hand and focus on functionality—grip strength and dexterity.”
Interested in reading more related upper-limb comments? Check out our LinkedIn page.
Speaking of responses, our latest poll on employee retention is up and in full swing. Our question: What is the most important benefit to keeping good employees?
Tell us what you think. We love to hear from you.
Vote now on LinkedIn.
