Vol.5, No.6

August 2000

Academy Launches 'MEMBERS ONLY' Website

"We're live!" exclaimed Executive Director Tom Gorski, CAE as he announced the opening of the new MEMBERS ONLY area on the Academy's website (www.oandp.org) to the Executive Committee via conference call. The new member benefit is exclusively for members and protected by password.

President Stephanie Langdon-Bash, CPO, FAAOP was unable to contain her excitement as she was the first to enter her password to access the new area. "This is so simple…I'm really pleased to see so much useful information…our members are going to love this!"

The content of the MEMBERS ONLY area is the result of several interviews with members to determine their needs and preferences for information and formatting. It contains the current year issues of the JPO. (Issues that are more than one year old are housed in the public area of the website). Langdon-Bash pointed out that the JPO Online library of past articles is the most frequently visited portion of the website and is viewed by practitioners and physicians from more than 50 countries each month.

Members (plus residents and O&P students) interested in the latest techniques, materials, or methodology will be pleased to find the Best of the Resident Research Series and the Research Reference Guide. The series contains about a dozen of the best research projects conducted by residents as part of their residency requirements. (Not all papers have been posted at press time. New papers will be added about every six weeks.) The Guide links the reader with more than 30 articles on O&P research methods, tips, funding sources, etc.

As a matter of convenience, the Academy is also posting the Best of the Thranhardt Lecture Series, which are the best papers presented (as voted by the attendees) at the Academy Annual Meeting and AOPA Assembly. This provides a ready resource for individuals who either missed the presentation or wish to share the information with other staff.

Paul Prusakowski, CPO, chair of the Online Education & Technologies Committee, is particularly pleased with what he calls "the gee-whiz" part of the MEMBERS ONLY section identified as Your Personal Annual Meeting Scheduler. "Next March I expect this to be the hottest part of the website as members plan their personal schedule of scientific sessions and even map out the exhibitors they wish to visit at the Annual Meeting in Dallas," Prusakowski notes. Members don't have to wait until next year to become familiar with the Scheduler. They may try it now by using the demo version, which contains last year's annual meeting program and exhibitor list. The viewer simply clicks on the sessions they wish to attend and then clicks the "view" button to see a personalized schedule of events for each day of the meeting. Printing of the schedule is easy. A similar schedule is available of exhibitors with booths highlighted on the exhibit hall floor plan.

Academy members are encouraged to submit photos (electronic scans or hard copy), illustrations, or slides of O&P topics to the O&P Online Graphics Library currently under construction. The library will be available exclusively for members to find appropriate graphics for presentations, research, or magazine articles. Please send electronic scans by mailing the disks or hard copy to Executive Director, AAOP, 1650 King Street, Suite 500, Alexandria, VA 22314.

More on Cranial Helmets…

The Academy's Cranial Helmet Task Force recently responded to members' questions on the O&P Listserve about the current status of the issue. Here is a summary of the exchange:

The July 1998 FDA regulation specifies that "any cranial orthosis" used in the treatment of non-synostotic positional plagiocephally is considered a Class II medical device and requires FDA approval. The broad language of this regulation, in effect, lumps the manufacture of cranial helmets with all other medical device manufacturers and requires the submission of a 510(k) application. The Academy is pushing hard to be exempted from the regulation, or at the very least, to have passive-design helmets exempted.

The Academy is aware of at least two practitioners cited by the FDA for providing helmets without FDA approval. Orthomerica has successfully submitted the required 510(k) application and received approval to manufacture cranial helmets on a central fab basis to O&P companies. Thomas V. DiBello, Co, FAAOP, task force chair, can be reached by email at tomd@dynamicoandp.com.

Board Recommends Shifting Governance Year

After studying the activity cycles of a typical Academy year, the Academy Board is recommending a shift in the governance year from the current December-November cycle to a July-June period. President Stephanie D. Langdon-Bash, CPO, FAAOP favors the shift. "It makes more sense for the president to report to the members at the Annual Business Meeting on what's actually been accomplished during their year rather than what they expect to accomplish," says Langdon-Bash.

Shifting the term of office to a July-June timeframe does not impact the election process. Currently, a slate of officers and directors is presented at the Annual Business Meeting with an opportunity for nominations from the floor. An election is held via mail ballot within 90 days thereafter. To approve the necessary bylaws change, members will receive a ballot enclosed with their renewal invoice in October. At least ten percent of the voting membership must complete and return their ballots to constitute a valid vote.

CEC-2 Offers Array of O&P Topics
Members Save 34% on Registration Fees

CEC-2 offers more than a dozen clinical sessions and 12 modules from the certificate programs. The 2-day conference to be held September 15-16 in Memphis begins with sessions on children with upper extremity prostheses, clinical treatment of scoliosis and an orthopedic review of disorders requiring O&P care. In addition, there are a dozen interesting modules from the geriatric, spine, and pediatric certificate courses. (Members who complete three certificate programs are eligible for Fellow recognition and may add "FAAOP" behind their credentials.) Attending this CEC is worth 14.25 PCE credits.

Featured on Saturday is a full-day session on The Bottom Block - A Foundation for the Kinetic Chain. The extended session covers the physics of rear foot posting, what's wrong with existing casting techniques, the special challenges of pediatrics, pregnancy, sports, and abnormal gait. A copy of the book, The Bottom Block by Dr. Edward S. Glaser, will be included at no extra charge.

CLICK HERE for complete program content details and registration information (members save 34%), or call (703) 836-7118.

Heard on the Street…
Academy Seeks Input on VA Complaints

The Academy has been hearing stories about a growing number of complaints from veterans that the quality of their prosthetic care and access to ABC-certified practitioners has been severely affected by VA decisions to contract solely on a cost basis.

The Academy would like to gather information from practitioners concerning specific examples of problems you may have had in either securing a contract or in losing existing VA patients because the regions have contracted with other providers on the basis of agreements for lower reimbursement levels.

If you have had such experiences, would you please write a letter to the Academy that details those events. The letter should be factual and should relate to events that have occurred within the last two years.