Vol.5, No.3 |
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April 2000 |
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"Forever members" David C. Schulz, CPO and John D. McNeill, CPO offered unrestrained opinions on today's O&P profession in a standing-room-only opening session.
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The Academy Annual Meeting was the second largest ever, totaling 1467 attendees. Approximately 900 practitioners registered to attend sessions with 535 exhibitors. Only the 1997 meeting in San Francisco had more attendees.
"I was pleased to see the new format draw such a large crowd," said Academy President Stephanie D. Landgon-Bash, CPO, FAAOP. "It proves that quality programming is what members want." The restructured scientific sessions were organized in a way to let attendees know what to expect. Symposia were focused on a particular theme and moderated by an expert. Instructional courses, similar to what is taught in O&P schools, technical workshops by manufacturer representatives, short free paper presentations, and a few professional development sessions completed the new format.
Among the many changes, attendees selected the winners of the Thranhardt Lecture Honoraria. Five papers were presented and evaluated by those in attendance with the top two individuals - Donald E. Katz, CO and James H. Campbell, PhD, CO - receiving the honoraria. More than 50 PCE credits were offered during the three-day meeting with most members achieving between 23-26 PCEs depending on how many sessions attended. (Certifees may earn up to three PCE credits by spending time in the exhibit hall and talking with exhibitors.
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With more than 20 hours of exhibit time, 7 of which were not competing with other activities, the large number of members had plenty of opportunities to talk with suppliers.
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The growing number of exhibits at the Academy meeting caused tabletops and booths to fill two halls. To ensure traffic in both halls, planners added a "game card" to add a little more fun to the exhibits. The perimeter booth concept, which debuted last year, was a big hit (54 perimeters booths, up from 23 in 1999) and a win-win for everyone involved. Members also appreciated having the opportunity to talk directly with exhibitors at the tabletop exhibits.
"Our 20 new Gold and Silver Partners certainly received a lot of exposure during the meeting with signs, slides, and announcements acknowledging their part in subsidizing member registration fees," Exhibit Chairman Jeff Kingsley summarized.
By approving a short, simply-worded statement saying it "will monitor the formulation of public policy that has an impact on the provision and quality of orthotic and prosthetic care," the Board took a significant step forward in creating an advocacy role for the Academy. Professional Issues Council (PIC) Chair Gary A. Lamb, CO, FAAOP applauded the move as "one of the best things the Board has done on behalf of the members." The parameters of issues in which the Academy will involve itself are described, in part, in its position statements on "The Provision of Custom-Designed, -Fabricated and/or -Fitted Orthoses and Prostheses", "The Ethical Conduct of Orthotic and Prosthetic Practitioners" and "The Minimum Education Essential & Credentialing for Providers of Comprehensive Orthotic and Prosthetic Services". The PIC will act as the clearinghouse for inquiries about issues affecting the profession.
Members are encouraged to bring issues of concern to the PIC, Licensure and Credentialing Committee, and the State and Federal Legislative Policy Committee. Those groups will determine the significance and impact of the issue and develop a plan of appropriate action and make recommendations to the Board. Once a position has been established and the plan of action adopted by the Board, formal notification of the Academy's position will be communicated to members and other O&P organizations through the website and other communication channels.
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Joseph J. Alexander, CP, FAAOP
Michael J. Allen, CPO, FAAOP
Michael M. Amrich, Jr., CPO, FAAOP
Blake Barlow, CP, FAAOP
Darrell W. Blades, CPO, FAAOP
Arie John Bronkhorst, CO FAAOP
Kevin Edward Calvo, CPO, FAAOP
Joseph F. Carideo, Jr., CP, FAAOP
Marita Dorsch-Carozza, CP, FAAOP
Gary Allen Cheney, CPO, FAAOP
Keith D. Cornell, CP, FAAOP
Daniel M. Crowder, CP, FAAOP
Matthew D. Flynn, CP, FAAOP
Carey A. Glass, CP, FAAOP
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The Academy welcomed 38 new Fellows during the meeting, and the new O&P Management of the Spine Certificate Program, the sixth in the series that lead to becoming a Fellow of the Academy.
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John D. Hatch, CPO, FAAOP
David J. Hendricks, CPO, FAAOP
Shandon H. Hime, CP, FAAOP
Gary W. Horton, CO, FAAOP
David J. Kozersky, CPO, FAAOP
Gary A. Lamb, CO, FAAOP
Alfred W. Lehneis, CP, FAAOP
Thomas LeTournear, CP, FAAOP
Robert K. Lotz, CPO, FAAOP
Theodore K. Markgren, CP, FAAOP
Chad E. Mason, CPO, FAAOP
David F. Moretto, CP, FAAOP
James Keith Myers, CO, FAAOP
Garry Ogilvie, CO, FAAOP
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Kathleen S. Olson, CO, FAAOP
William T. O'Neil, Jr., CPO, FAAOP
Rickey G. Parr, CPO, FAAOP
Joseph S. Pongratz, CPO, FAAOP
Steve D. Prock, CPO, FAAOP
Terry Lee Shaw, CP, FAAOP
John A. Wall, CPO, FAAOP
Douglas C. Walters, CPO, FAAOP
Harrell Wolgamott, CP, FAAOP
Jane Karen Wolking, CP, FAAOP
David A. Yates, CPO, FAAOP
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Donald E. Katz, CO was nominated to run unopposed for 2001Treasurer. Thomas V. DiBello, CO will become Academy President and Gary A. Lamb, CO FAAOP will become President-Elect according to the progression of officer positions described in the Bylaws. Stephanie D. Langdon-Bash, CPO, FAAOP will move to Immediate Past President when her term ends November 30.
Four members - Gary M. Berke, CP, Wendy Fischl Beattie, CPO, Louis O. Beaubien, CPO, and Susan L. Kapp, CPO were nominated to fill two three-year director positions.
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Gary M. Berke, CP
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Wendy Fischl Beattie, CPO
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Louis O. Beaubien, CPO
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Susan L. Kapp
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Two Bylaw changes in membership categories are on the ballot. The first is a "simple realignment of the name of a membership category," explained President Langdon-Bash. "We felt it would avoid confusion if we renamed the current Affiliate Member as Associate Member to parallel the terms used by ABC and AOPA." The existing Affiliate Member category is open to other ABC credentialed individuals involved in O&P, such as registered technicians and associates. This category would be renamed Associate Member.
The second proposed change is the establishment of a new category of membership using the name of Affiliate Member. This would be open to individuals who practice in allied fields and provide services used in conjunction with comprehensive O&P care. Affiliate Members would include anyone that has a professional interest in O&P while working within their scope of practice, such as Certified Pedorthotists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Podiatrists, Physicians, Rehabilitation Engineers Case Managers, and Licensed Orthotists and Prosthetists. Affiliate members may not vote or hold office on the national level of the Academy. Only Active Members (ABC certified practitioners) have voting privileges.
Stephanie Langdon-Bash alerted members to the many new changes in the "New Academy" and the Annual Meeting
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"It's amazing," said President-Elect Thomas V. DiBello, CO as he rose to the podium during the Annual Business Meeting. "I'm on the Board and even I'm surprised by the number of things that the Academy has done to raise the value of membership." DiBello's comments were echoed by several members in the audience as they listened to Executive Director Tom Gorski, CAE recap the litany of new benefits and services provided to members.
Gorski pointed to three successive slides that illustrated how the number of education offerings has doubled in the last two years. His remarks about the establishment of a series of new offerings that allow members to earn PCE credits "without the hassles and expense of travel" were met with strong applause from the audience. These include the ACES (Audio Conference Education Series) and PAWES (Professional Audio Web Education Series - a combination of a PowerPoint presentation via Internet and sound via the phone), and upcoming online courses that will debut this year.
He reminded members how the Academy had increased the number of Academician issues by two-and-one-half times (from 4 to 10 issues) annually, and added the Best of the Resident Research Series and Best of the Thranhardt Lecture Series exclusively as member benefits.
The Academy has made significant changes in the offerings on its website. "We're not just an electronic version of a brochure," Gorski noted. The website (www.oandp.org) will soon include the long-awaited Members Only area, protected by passcode, and housing several exclusive member benefits. Among those items to be housed in the Members Only area are: current issues of the JPO and Academician, Best of the Resident and Thranhardt Lecture Series, the Academy's first e-publication - Research Reference Guide, the Online O&P Graphic Library, and more.
One of the most talked about additions to the website is Your Personal Scheduler, which debuted a few weeks before the Annual Meeting and will continue for other meetings. The viewer simply clicks on the scientific sessions listed in the Final Program they wish to attend, and the Scheduler prints a personalized, customized schedule of sessions and events for the viewer. The same convenience is available to schedule visits with exhibitors and provides a list of the exhibitors selected, their booth numbers, plus highlights the location of the selected booths on a map of the exhibit hall.
In addition, the Academy added a seventh Scientific Society for Fabrication Sciences and individual Listserves for each of the societies where members can "ask the experts" for advice on clinical challenges, supplier experiences, or where to find special parts.
The newest addition to the Patient Care Booklet series is for Users of Lower-Limb Orthoses. The 20-page booklet is an educational tool for patients in understanding the types of problems for which an orthosis is used, the role of the orthotist, and what to expect in the fabrication, fitting, and follow-up process. The booklet also includes information on shoes, daily care, and other helpful tips.
The Lower-Limb Orthotics Society played a significant role in reviewing the content of this booklet written by Tom DiBello, CO.
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Alexandria, VA 22314
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