Tag: Prosthetics

OWINGS MILLS, Md. - The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has committed $30,000 to fund a study, “Racial Bias in Orthotics and Prosthetics,” the first of its kind in the O&P field.  The study is a recipient of a 2021 American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) and Center for Orthotic and Prosthetic Learning and Outcomes/Evidence-Based Practice (COPL) Pilot Grant.  "This research is an essential first step to reduce health disparities and improve racial...

WASHINGTON – The O&P Alliance has issued a statement opposing direct-to-consumer delivery of custom orthotics and prosthetics.  The alliance, which includes the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association, American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, ABC, BOC and National Association for the Advancement of Orthotic and Prosthetic Patient Care, says such devices should be fitted by a licensed O&P professional as part of the overall plan of care. The direct-to-consumer model, they...

WATERLOO, Iowa – The Orthotic Prosthetic Group of America (OPGA) and Össur announced Cristalei Polk as recipient of the Russell Walker CP, LP Emerging Leader Grant Program at the Academy Annual Meeting & Scientific Symposium on March 3, 2022. Polk is a current prosthetic resident at ProCare Prosthetics in Buford, Ga. “I can’t say enough how proud we are to partner with Össur on this new initiative,” said Todd Eagen, president of OPGA. “The Rusty Walker...

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. – Össur has announced that its Empower By Össur program has earned renewed certified status for information security by HITRUST. HITRUST CSF Certified status means that Empower by Össur has met key regulations and industry defined requirements, and that it is appropriately managing risk. “Organizations and programs like Empower by Össur are under more pressure than ever to meet complex compliance and privacy requirements that include technical...

WASHINGTON – While CMS has not officially released it, the 2022 O&P Medicare fee schedule is expected to increase by 5.1%, according the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association.  That is larger than any annual Medicare increase in the last 30 years, says AOPA.  The annual increase to the Medicare O&P fee schedule is based on the annual change to the Consumer Pricing Index for all urban areas (CPI-U) from June to the same month the previous year, adjusted by an annual productivity...

Ashlie White isn’t an O&P clinician but, as the daughter of a prosthetist, she grew up in the profession. After beginning a career in documentary work and journalism, she went to work at her family’s O&P clinic, eventually landing at the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, where she serves as director of health policy and strategic alliances.  “I was always called back to the patient advocacy of the work,” she said. “The exposure to the change that...

Orthotics and prosthetics are somewhat out of the mainstream when it comes to home medical equipment and specialists in the field say it has its challenges regarding reimbursement and logistics. Yet the product types within the category dovetail nicely with the major HME markets, such as mobility, rehab and respiratory because those clients often need them.  As a category, O&P encompasses a wide range of products serving a diverse patient population. Because many HME patients have chronic...

AUSTIN, Texas – The Hanger Foundation has announced the 2021 recipients of the inaugural Hanger Foundation Diversity Scholarships. It has awarded six graduate students from three universities two-year scholarships to help supplement the cost of their Masters of Science in Prosthetics and Orthotics. It’s also offering a two-year mentorship, with the option of pursuing a residency at the Hanger Clinic. The recipients are: Taushima “Shima” Nixon at Alabama State University, Kayla...

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Cailor Fleming Insurance and VGM Specialty Underwriters have formed an exclusive partnership to meet the needs of members of the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association, and the O&P and pedorthic professions. “Creating this partnership allows us to serve O&P providers in an even greater capacity,” said Don Foley, owner/operator, Cailor Fleming Insurance. “We’ve developed tailored products and coverage options for the unique needs of...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association seeks nominations for its Lifetime Achievement Award. The award honors outstanding leaders who have made significant contributions to the advancement of patient care in the orthotics and prosthetics profession over their lifetimes, the association says. “They represent the brightest and most influential minds in the field,” it says. “Receiving the award is the highest honor bestowed upon an individual by AOPA.”...