July 2005 • Vol. 1, No. 2
	Advancing Orthotic and Prosthetic Care Through Knowledge

Investment in Academy Membership Pays Dividends

For recently retired David J. Forbes, CPO(E), FAAOP, it meant the ability to stay on the cutting edge of O&P for more than three decades. From the most seasoned practitioners to students just getting their feet wet in the field, members find the Academy offers a plethora of opportunities to enhance clinical knowledge and skills as well as heighten awareness of the profession’s commitment to quality patient care.

Since its formation in 1970 to further the scientific and educational attainments of professional O&P practitioners, continuing education has been a primary focus of the Academy, as it is with 95 percent of the more than 147,000 associations in the United States. “Continuing education is important,” said Forbes, a former president of the Academy and winner of the organization’s 2004 Titus-Ferguson Award for lifetime achievement. “Over 30 years you can’t possibly keep up with the changes in the field on your own.”

Bill Beiswenger, CPO, FAAOP, couldn’t agree more. After earning his certification in 1980, he sought an organization that offered the opportunity to keep learning, even though continuing education was not yet mandated. “I wanted to continue my education. I felt then and still feel now like the day I know everything and have nothing new to learn is the day I need to quit,” he explained. “The Academy is the best avenue for me to learn about new developments.”

The Academy’s Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium, regional continuing education conferences, one-day seminars, certificate programs, and video series provide extensive continuing education opportunities. In addition, through the new online learning center, practitioners can earn PCE credits 24/7 without the expense and hassle of leaving their office. However, when practitioners are able to attend educational meetings, they find value that goes far beyond the scheduled programming.

“I’m an orthotist and I want to be the best I can be. The education helped me achieve that goal,” said Austin, Texas, based Bud Bronkhorst, CO, LO, FAAOP. “But the networking with other orthotists and prosthetists gives me volumes of information not even in the programs.”

The opportunity to connect with other practitioners willing to generously share their knowledge and experience helps Academy members better serve their patients. “So many people are willing to support you. To meet a guru in a particular area, then be able to pick up the phone and call for advice is so helpful,” said Beiswenger, who practices in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After 25 years of attending Academy meetings and programs, he has built a nationwide network of friends and colleagues with whom he trades insights and advice whenever they meet. “I still bring back information to help me with challenging patients or running my practice,” he said.

Frank Bostock, MBA, CO, FAAOP, joined about 30 years ago after looking at the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) registry and realizing that all the names he recognized as top leaders, successful in the field professionally and financially, were Academy members. “The biggest benefit has been the privilege of working with and being mentored by the most successful people in the profession. I’m a better practitioner and a better leader as a result,” said Bostock, a former president of the Academy.

State and regional chapter meetings and programs, as well as the Academy’s eight interest-focused societies, provide additional forums for network-building and information sharing. Resident Gabrielle Bossarte, who joined the Academy about a year and a half ago, recently spoke at a local program and found it a broadening experience. “I was outside the normal Hanger staff that I work with. I touched base with a whole new group, and was rubbing elbows with other people trying to solve the same problems,” she said.

St. Louis-based Keith Smith, CO, LO, who earned a Thranhardt Award from the Academy last year for a scoliosis lecture, became involved with the Spinal Orthotics scientific society so that he could interact with practitioners with similar interests. “Spine is a big part of my practice. It allows you to go a step further,” said Smith, who currently serves as chairman of all eight societies, which offer educational programming at the Annual Meeting, operate listserves, and spearhead research. He also relies regularly on his Academy network for problem-solving. “You really get a chance to establish camaraderie with colleagues. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve called and said, ‘I just want to know your thoughts on this patient.’ Our profession is not A + B = C. There are multiple ways of getting to an answer.”

Members can seek guidance on challenging practice issues as well as keep current with the latest research through Academy publications, including the Journal of Prosthetics & Orthotics, the Thranhardt Lecture Series, and residency research papers, as well as in the members-only area of the Academy’s website. Mike Hansen, a student in the masters program in O&P at Georgia Tech, plans to utilize these helpful tools to complete his required research work. All 18 members in his class recently took advantage of the Academy’s offer of free membership in the newly created student category. “Everyone in the program recognizes the need to become more unified in our profession to achieve the things we want to achieve, such as more emphasis on scientific and professional standards. It makes sense to get involved early to work toward that,” he explained. Classmate Eric Chen added, “We need to excel in every way. When we come together as a community, it benefits patients as well as us.”

Many Academy members share the students’ view that affiliation represents an investment not only in personal professional growth and success, but in a critical effort to strengthen the entire profession through clinical and ethical standard-setting. “It’s a wonderful organization composed of people who are passionate about our profession and patient care,” Bostock stated. “It’s contagious – you want to be part of something bigger than yourself to advance the profession. The Academy is the only organization on the national level where, as an individual, you have a voice.

“If you look at all the things the Academy has accomplished in the past four or five years, it’s phenomenal,” he added, pointing to the government grants awarded for the multifaceted Project Quantum Leap initiative, involvement in the negotiated rulemaking process for Medicare reimbursement, and the launching of online learning. In addition, experience has convinced him that the more human and financial resources the organization has, the more successfully it can move toward proactively shaping change rather than simply adapting to it.

Elliot Weintrob, CPO, a practitioner in the Washington, D.C. area, firmly believes the more members the Academy boasts, the stronger and more effective it can be, especially when it comes to having a voice on nearby Capitol Hill. “There’s power in numbers and we need to have a powerful voice to get the credibility and recognition we need,” he said.

Stephen Schulte, CP, FAAOP, a Georgia-based practitioner who also belongs to the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (AOPA), has been active in advocacy work. “I encourage all the organizations to work together so that our profession is represented and heard more clearly,” he said. As part of the PQL initiative, he has visited local high schools with the Academy’s Director of Communications Julie Hayes to stimulate interest in O&P careers and address the projected future shortage of practitioners. “My membership keeps me abreast of issues like these. I like to have input and promote the agenda,” he explained.

Academy members enthusiastically support the organization’s efforts to strengthen awareness of the profession through programs such as PQL. Bostock noted, “We have to get out and educate payers and government agencies on the wonderful things we do. Unless decision-makers have an opportunity to need O&P services, they don’t know what they are.”

Reinforcing the credibility of practitioners in the eyes of physicians, allied healthcare professionals, and consumers is also important to Academy members, who believe that joining demonstrates a visible commitment to professionalism. “How many practicing attorneys do you know who aren’t members of the American Bar Association?” Weintrob pointed out.

The Academy Fellow program, which recognizes members who meet rigorous education criteria, takes credibility-building a step further. Beiswenger explained, “Giving the title ‘FAAOP’ recognizes individuals who went above and beyond to provide better care for patients.” Forbes, who oversaw development of the Fellow program during his tenure as president, noted, “It adds a certain prestige when you’re working with other healthcare professionals.”

Academy members emphasized that the more they get involved, the more they benefit. “You get out of it what you put into it,” Smith observed. In Schulte’s view, the O&P profession’s small size heightens the importance of individual involvement in the Academy. “We’re so small, we all need to do our part and get involved. With changes in all areas of health care it’s hard, because our time is more and more valuable. But we all have to give a little,” he said.

Forbes feels fortunate that he had the opportunity to be actively involved in the Academy during his career. “I think membership should be a high priority for anyone in the field,” he said. “We’re all working toward the same goal of providing quality patient care.”