Vol. 8, No.4 |
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May 2003 |
It almost seems like heresy for a committee to form with the promise of never meeting. But that's exactly what the Town Hall Committee will do. The committee is the Academy's first electronic committee and will be charged with providing feedback to the Academy on issues presented by the Board of Directors. Committee members will not meet in the traditional sense. Instead, participants will likely be contacted two to three times during the year exclusively by email requesting their viewpoint on an issue or asking them to respond within 72 hours to a survey. All communication will be by email.
William W. Schumann, CPO was asked by Academy President Frank H. Bostock, MBA, CO, FAAOP to chair the "virtual committee" and help develop its role in offering opinions on issues, activities, or operational initiatives.
"This is an exciting way to have the benefit of a committee without the expense and time commitments associated with holding meetings. Having the committee act as a rapid response group will provide the Board with valuable insight and understanding in a fraction of time most surveys normally take," Schumann predicted. "The Board is interested in direct input from the members on all critical issues."
Members interested in being part of the Town Hall Committee should send an email to Bill Schumann at bschumann@oandp.org. Your response is requested by June 20.
Ralph "Ronney" Snell, CPO, FAAOP passed away May 12 from heart failure at age 70. He was among those that formed the Academy in 1970 and was its first president. He served as president of ABC in 1969, and president of AOPA, twice -- in 1974, and 25 years later in 1999, making him the first practitioner to serve as president of all three O&P organizations.
His leadership was felt throughout the O&P community. As president of ABC he was instrumental in the setting of educational qualifiers requiring a baccalaureate degree as a base of education for certification. He was a frequent lecturer, teacher, mentor and tirelessly provided encouragement to scores of young men and women who entered the O&P profession.
He served on almost every major committee in AOPA and ABC and pushed the Academy to develop academic programs for orthotists and prosthetists to be recognized as healthcare professionals.
Snell also promoted the concept of an independent body to accredit educational institutions and worked behind the scenes until NCOPE became a reality. Underscoring his strong belief in lifelong continuous learning he became a Fellow of the Academy by completing three certificate courses at age 68, and was awarded the Academy's Distinguished Practitioner and Titus-Ferguson Award and AOPA's Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his impact on the O&P profession and industry.
Locally in Tennessee, he was actively involved with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for more than 20 years, where he developed the orthotics and prosthetics portion of their rehabilitation services. Ronney Snell is survived by his wife, Karrene, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
For those interested in continuing Ronney Snell's commitment to the profession the Academy is accepting donations in his honor (www.oandp.org/pql - complete the Memorial/Honorary Gift section) through the O&P Educational & Development Fund.
Members will want to check out the additions to the Academy's website (www.oandp.org) regarding chapters. In addition to the basic information on officers the Academy has added a map indicating boundaries of chapters. Thus, readers can click on a particular state to see which chapter covers that area. Chapter officers will now be able to update information about activities themselves.
James H. Campbell, PhD, CO will chair the Annual Meeting Clinical Content Committee responsible for the development of the scientific program for the 2004 meeting in New Orleans. Campbell will complete his three-year term as Editor of the JPO in November and will be succeeded by Jeffrey A. Nemeth, CPO, FAAOP.
The May 31 deadline for completed ballots to be returned to the Academy is fast approaching. All Active Members were sent the ballot and biographies of candidates in April. Two director positions are up for election.
At the request of officials at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center the Academy has gathered a group of experts to establish a specific patient procedure and protocol for the microprocessor knee mechanism. Walter Reed is charged with managing the needs of returning servicemen from the Iraqi War who may require prostheses. Most injuries will come from landmines according to an Army spokesman. At the two-day forum later this month on the Walter Reed campus in Washington, DC, each speaker will present a presentation to the panel, after which, the panel will participate in an open discussion regarding the topic. Following the discussion the panel will vote to adopt, reject or modify the recommendations made by the speaker. Topics include patient selection and justification, outcomes and protocol, microprocessor features/benefits, variations, follow-up, and outcomes, among others.
Project Quantum Leap's second conference towards documenting Clinical Standards of Practice (CSOP) is devoted to Post-Operative Management of the Lower Extremity Amputee. The two-day conference in Chicago this month will include experts in such areas as vascular surgery, orthopedics, O&P, research, physical therapy, physiatry, and rehabilitation. A report will follow the meeting. Findings from the first consensus conference on Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis and Schuermann's Kyphosis were presented at the Annual Meeting in San Diego by Chairman Donald E. Katz, CO, FAAOP and will be published as a supplement to the JPO.
The Academy will debut a comprehensive new course on this new aspect of orthotic practice. The three-day total immersion course September 18-20 in Chicago will address technical specifications and characteristics for SCO types 1 through 4. Attendees will consider the clinical advantages and limitations of each and gain an understanding of the key distinctions between the available Stance Control Orthoses (SCO). At the end of the course participants will be fully qualified to make and fit all types of SCOs including microprocessor-controlled devices. Further details may be found on the Academy website at www.oandp.org or by calling Bethany Oxer (703) 836-0788, ext 206.
The Academy's Advanced Training Series continues November 6-8 in Chicago with the debut of this intensive three-day course focusing on the practical application of biomechanical principles. The overall emphasis will be on making scientifically-based, clinical driven decisions from objective data about each patient's individual physical condition and functional deficits. Participants will learn how to conduct a comprehensive triplanar biomechanical assessment of each body segment and how to record this data using a visually-based assessment data sheet. The course will be taught by Don Weber CO(c), Dan Blocka, CO(c), FCBC and Gordon Ruder, CO(c), an internationally renowned faculty. Additional details may be found on the Academy's website at www.oandp.org or by calling Bethany Oxer (703) 836-0788, ext 206.
National O&P Awareness Week - The Board approved the concept of sponsoring the week to draw attention to the O&P profession as a career opportunity for students. No dates were specified allowing members to coordinate their activities with other existing programs such as career days, National Disability Awareness Week, National Rehabilitation Week, or other local activities. A poster and idea kit are available from the Academy for a $45 contribution to Project Quantum Leap. Contact Julie Hayes at (703) 836-0788, ext 203 or PQL@oandp.org.
One Meeting Concept - The Board-appointed task force continues to hold meetings as AOPA and the Academy examine financial scenarios that would make it feasible to hold a joint annual meeting instead of the two separate meetings currently held.
JPO Has Two Quizzes - The Board approved the expansion of JPO quizzes to two per issue. Beginning with the January issue (Vol. 15, No. 1) each issue now has two quizzes, each worth 2 PCE credits. Practitioners may now earn as many as 16 PCE credits annually by successfully completing the quizzes.
Two Years of JPO Issues Under Lock - The Board also approved keeping the most recent two years of JPO issues in the Members Only area of the website.
Support for O&P Schools - A letter of encouragement and support was sent to St. Petersburg College (FL) which is considering establishing an O&P program and to Eastern Michigan University which is starting a post-graduate certificate program.
Academy's Role in Research - The Board reaffirmed the Academy's role in research as a catalyst to encourage the development and funding of applied research in O&P.
Gary W. Horton, CO, FAAOP is the kind of practitioner Academy members can be proud of. He is a second generation orthotist running the family business in which his two children participate. He received the Academy's Clinical Creativity Award, and has been recognized for his creativity in the development of the Horton Stance Control Orthotic Knee. But in Little Rock, AR he is the fellow that has put smiles on a lot of faces of families with children with disabilities. He did it with a simple idea that is worth replicating in almost any part of the United States.
Even the weather cooperated to make the Day of Fishing an enjoyable outing for the entire family.
Each year for the past four years Gary Horton, his family and employees have organized what is simply called "A Day of Fishing" at Mountain Harbor Resort. The idea was spawned by Horton's memories of carefree fishing as a child. "With all that these children and their families have to deal with during the year, we just wanted to give them one day where they could enjoy the fun, the bonding, and the peacefulness of fishing at the lake - and do it for free," explained Horton.
Horton discussed his concept for the Day of Fishing to the management team at Mountain Harbor Resort, a hotel located on beautiful Lake Ouachita. They enthusiastically agreed to host the event. A pond on the hotel's property with a wooden deck was selected for its structured environment which would ensure the safety of the patients and provide easier access for those in wheelchairs.
Trophies and prizes were donated by local businesses.
Next, he sought the help of family members, friends, colleagues, and patients' families and a local bank. Horton's daughter, Tonya, who works with him at Horton's Orthotic Lab, is one of the key organizers along with Dick Antoine of Mountain Harbor Resort. Over the years the support team has grown considerably. A local sandwich franchise provides lunch for the more than 200 participants while other supporters provide trophies, T-shirts, goodie bags, sun visors, fishing poles, bait, and even the containers to take home their catch. Volunteers from a fishing club provide training, fishing tips, and help bait the hooks for the kids.
Horton's team leaves nothing to chance. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission stocks the pond about five days ahead of the event with 500 catfish. And to increase the likelihood of kids' success the commission staff makes sure the fish are hungry and ready to take the bait.
Horton believes the concept for A Day of Fishing could be easily replicated by others throughout the country and would be willing to share administrative information and lessons learned from the four annual events they have organized. Organizer Tonya Horton can be reached at thorton@hortonsoandp.com or by phone at (501) 663-2908.
"Activities such as the Day of Fishing are an excellent way to raise the community's awareness of O&P," declares Wendy Beattie, CPO, FAAOP, chair of the Joint Committee on O&P Awareness. "Through these events we can show how the work of practitioners touches the lives of the disabled enabling them to have increased mobility and greater enjoyment of life."
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Mail:
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