Vol.6, No.2

January 2001

Founding Fathers to be Honored at Dallas Meeting

Thirty years ago, at the invitation of William Bartels and Sam Hamontree, approximately 150 dedicated practitioners met in St. Louis to discuss the need for an organization to serve the professional needs of the practitioner. From that meeting the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists was formed and incorporated (Nov 1970) with the initial Board being: Blair Hanger, Henry Gardner, Ronney Snell, John Eschen, and Hugh Panton. The Academy will honor those individuals who were at that first meeting during the Opening Ceremony of the Annual Meeting in Dallas on March 8. Although records do not list the entire group of 150, the staff is attempting to identify and contact as many of those individuals as possible. (Here is a complete list of those identified thus far.)

Members Can See Meeting Program Online,
Create Own Schedule

The 20-page, full-color Annual Meeting program was mailed the first week of December providing full details for members to plan their time at the four-day meeting in Dallas, March 7-10. Updates to the program (a few speaker and time changes) will be mailed later this month and will also be posted on the Meeting Program Online as they occur.

The keynote speaker will be John Anthony "Tony" Herring, MD, chief of staff for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, who will speak on A Fight to the Finish: Stories of Polio.

Some of the program highlights include:

• The Scottish Rite Approach to Bracing Idiopathic Scoliosis

• Suction Liners: Through Thick and Thin

• Halo Systems and Their Application

• Making a Material Selection in Lower Extremity Orthoses

• How to Treat Your Employees Like a Dog

Your Personal Annual Meeting Scheduler is a new benefit for members, which was tested a few weeks before last year's meeting. It was an immediate success and earned rave reviews from those that used it. The scheduler, located in the Members Only area of the website, is easy to use. As you look over the program details simply click on a few technical workshops that you want to attend on Wednesday, then a bunch of sessions you want to attend on Thursday, and several on Friday and Saturday. You give the command to print and voila! - out from the printer comes a complete personalized schedule of what you just clicked, customized to your preferences. And if you decide later to change your mind, the program remembers what you selected earlier, making your changes quick and easy. It also allows you to click on the exhibitors you want to see and gives you a listing of them and their booth numbers, plus a map with their location in the Exhibit Hall highlighted.

Arizona Chapter Forming

The Academy Board approved the formation of an Arizona Chapter to serve the needs of practitioners in that geographic area. Members who are interested in joining should contact Lawrence Lange, CPO at LLange@hanger.com or (602) 274-3625.

Register Online for Annual Meeting

The complete program and topic descriptions can be found online at the Academy's website. Registrations can be completed and payment made online using a credit card, however the hotel reservation form must be downloaded and faxed directly to the Wyndham Anatole Hotel before February 2.

Recent Board Actions

At its November 18 meeting the Board of Directors approved the use of email as a vehicle to conduct votes on single issue proposals between meetings. A unanimous vote is required. The Academy agreed to work with the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS) on the development of a book, Prescription Guidelines for Lower Extremity Orthoses. A Letter of Agreement with the Amputee Coalition of America was signed encouraging both organizations to work closely on projects of mutual benefit. A formal policy identifying the Academy president as the spokesperson for internet postings was approved, as was a policy outlining expectations of Academy liaisons to other healthcare organizations.

Interested in a Cranial Helmet Society?

Rob Kistenberg, CP has heard from 20 individuals who wish to form a Cranial Helmet Society within the Academy. Having society status gives the group access to a private listserve to discuss clinical matters, funds for activities or projects, and creates an immediate network of similarly interested individuals. The cost of joining a society is $25. Contact Rob at (352) 331-4221 or email him at robcp@oandp.com.

Are You Aware of These Academy Activities?

The Academy is embarking on the development of Clinical Standards of Practice. First steps involve consensus conference(s) and identifying areas where O&P research is needed.

A new membership category, Affiliate Member, is open to individuals in professional fields that are related to the O&P field who do not meet the requirements for Active Membership, Associate Membership, or Candidate Membership. This would include CPeds, PTs, OTs, Podiatrists, Physicians, Rehabilitation Engineers, Case Managers, and Licensed Orthotists and Prosthetists. Affiliate members may not vote or hold office at the national level of the Academy.

The JPO was selected this year for the Brandon-Hill list, a prestigious grouping of "must have" publications for healthcare libraries.

The Academy has not raised its dues since 1994, yet has almost tripled the number of member benefits.

The JPO Online library is the most popular area of the Academy's website and attracts more than 3000 visitors each month.