Tag: ATPs

STEVENS POINT, Wis. - When wheelchair manufacturers create a new product, it's not uncommon for them to give a few samples to get feedback. With Ki Mobility's new Complex Rehab Systems (CRS) platform, they worked directly with National Seating & Mobility's ATP for four years before launching. “In a software product, we need beta testers," said Doug Munsey, president. “We want to know what someone who didn't design it, what they want to do with it, how they want to use it. There's a variety...

EXETER, Pa. - It's an “exciting” time to be leading RESNA's Professional Standards Board, a group charged with overseeing the organization's certification programs, says its newly appointed Chairwoman Julie Piriano. The complex rehab industry is at a crossroads as to how to best recognize professionals who specialize in seating, positioning and mobility, with a recent bill to create a separate benefit requiring CMS to establish an additional designation above and beyond the ATP. Here's...

ARLINGTON, Va. - RESNA has made two changes that should help to grease the wheels for potential ATPs.The organization announced at its annual conference in late June that it will allow younger professionals to sit for the ATP exam before they meet all of the education/training and work experience requirements for the certification and, if they pass, earn the distinction of Candidate for ATP or ATP (Cand), says Charlie Raphael, director of certification and education.“Nothing changes—they...

YARMOUTH, Maine - It hinges on a bill passing in Congress and, even then, it's years away from being implemented, but what could an “ATP-plus” designation look like?“It's anybody's guess right now,” said Weesie Walker, executive director of NRRTS. “We're not rushing into anything; we want to get it right.”A bill to create a separate benefit for complex rehab requires CMS to establish an additional designation for providing complex rehab technology—above and...

TORONTO - RESNA announced at RehabWeek 2019 two changes to its ATP certification program. The organization now offers a program called “Candidate for ATP" or ATP (Cand) that allows younger professionals and students to take the ATP exam before they have met all of the other eligibility requirements. Professionals with ATP (Cand) will still have to meet all of the certification requirements. RESNA has also re-introduced the “Rehabilitation Engineering Technologist” certification....

PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh's Department of Rehabilitation Science & Technology has stepped up efforts to increase the number of ATPs.The department is offering eight $10,000 scholarships to incoming students in the Master of Science in Rehab Technology program this fall. Students are eligible to sit for the ATP exam soon after graduation.“The bigger picture is to make it more affordable for people to go to school, and to try and backfill the number of ATPs that we're going to...

ARLINGTON, Va. - After being under the same leadership since it was founded 14 years ago, the Clinician Task Force has a new executive director and a new governing structure.Cathy Carver, PT, ATP/SMS, who runs the wheelchair and seating clinic at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center in Birmingham, Ala., became executive director on Jan. 1. She replaces Laura Cohen, PhD, PT, ATP/SMS, a principal at Rehabilitation & Technology Consultants, in Arlington, Va.“I'm going to be pursuing new challenges,”...

ARLINGTON, Va. - RESNA isn't sitting idly by while a large number of ATPs age out of the complex rehab industry, says Charlie Raphael, the organization's director of certification and education.“We're aware that the demographic skews a bit older, and we understand the challenge,” he said. “We're continuing to try to regenerate the number of ATPs and we feel like we're ahead of the curve.”Nearly 25% of the current pool of ATPs could be retired in five years, according to the...

YARMOUTH, Maine - It's become an age-old question in the complex rehab industry: How does it recruit more ATPs?But things went from a simmer to a boil recently when a survey conducted by the University of Pittsburgh and NCART showed that nearly 25% of ATPs could retire in the next five years, exacerbating an already tight market for certified professionals in wheeled seating and mobility.“It's not like this is a brand new issue,” said Don Clayback, executive director of NCART. “There's...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - National Seating & Mobility's recent annual Seating Symposium kicked off with 73 new ATPs in attendance and closed out with a concert by country singer-songwriter John Rich.It's all par for the course for a company pursing excellence in employment and a best-in-class culture.“We're working hard on new training programs for employees and just our overall relationship with them, including the benefits we offer,” said Bill Mixon, CEO and president. “We're trying...