Practitioner Licensing
The debate about licensing requirements for prosthetists, orthotists, and pedorthists is heating up with Pennsylvania's HB-2015 at the center. Some practitioners say this particular bill, introduced in November of 2007, does not go far enough.
The bill's requirements for licensure include possession of a high school diploma or its equivalent; completion of formal training, including but not limited to any hours of classroom education and clinical practice established and approved by a prosthetic, orthotic, and pedorthic credentialing organization recognized by the National Organization for Competency Assurance (NOCA) and accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA); completion of a qualified work-experience program or internship in prosthetics, orthotics, or pedorthics; successful completion of all examinations that are required for certification by a prosthetic, orthotic, or pedorthic credentialing organization recognized by the NOCA and accredited by the NCCA; and the fulfillment of all educational and training requirements consistent with those required for certification by a prosthetic, orthotic, and pedorthic credentialing organization.
Some practitioners said the bill as written does not answer the basic questions of why a licensure bill would be wanted in the first place, stressing that patient advocacy should be first and foremost.
"As read, this bill amounts to a possibly very expensive certificate to hang on your wall, without providing the patients of Pennsylvania any assurance of competency," wrote one practitioner.
What do you think? What should the requirements be to achieve a prosthetic, orthotic, or pedorthic license? Send your opinion to press@opedge.com
Prosthetics and Orthotics Day
A question was raised asking if there is a recognized day for prosthetic and orthotic awareness. After all, there's a day, week, or month honoring just about everything and everybody--even potato chips have a day set aside (March 14). Though individual organizations have held prosthetic and orthotic awareness events, there currently is no nationally or internationally recognized day of recognition.
Irtaza Kazmi, MHA, BPOS, MNAPO, is gauging interest in the push for a world day of recognition for the profession. He has posted a poll aiming to determine whether or not and OP&P day is warranted at www.oppak.tk/
