News flash! The O&P field is constantly changing and advancing! Staying on top of these changes is one of the most important things you can do as a practitioner. But how do you stay on top of this evolution? Continuing education is the key!

Reading professional literature and trade publications, meeting with colleagues, attending industry conferences, meeting with manufacturers’ reps, participating in certification courses and in-services, watching the news, and listening to your patients and their experiences are all ways you can keep abreast of industry advances and bring those innovations to your practice.

Probably the easiest and most efficient of all those things to do, though, is attending the AOPA and/or AAOP annual conferences. Here you get a chance to mingle with other O&P practitioners to learn about their experiences to hear about what’s working and what’s not; listen to speakers from manufacturers, educators, and other professionals to see new products; talk to manufacturer representatives about their products and what might be on the horizon; pick up product literature, and absorb as much as you can in just a few days of an intensive educational experience.

When you return from the show, you have an outstanding marketing opportunity before you—sharing that newfound knowledge with your marketplace’s referral sources. There are many ways to get this done:

• Visit doctors, clinics, and therapists to tell them about the latest innovations.
• Bring referral sources to you by scheduling a special in-service session at your office or theirs.
• Partner with a manufacturer and offer a demonstration of a particular prosthesis, orthosis, or fabrication technique.
• Develop and distribute a news release announcing your participation and any special certifications you received by attending.

Remember, this is also an opportunity to re-introduce your practice and the full range of services you offer.

At the end of September, the annual AOPA conference will be held in Orlando, Florida. While the cost of travel and participation may appear to be daunting, you really can’t afford NOT to attend. Conferences are held to help keep you informed about the latest best practices and products to help your patients, and adopting these keep you in business. The benefits outweigh the costs when you consider the knowledge you will attain at the event. The possibilities of what you will learn and bring back to your practice make attending a must. Not to mention the fact that your competitors may be there. And if you’re not, they have the sole opportunity of reaching out to area referral sources when they return.

If you can’t attend the national meetings, make regional events a priority, and follow up individually with manufacturers that you expect were participants. Reading the trade journals and the professional papers will help you identify which companies are introducing new products and who to contact first!

Continuing education is crucial to your success and your future. It gives you opportunities to grow and share your knowledge. Make sure you include it in your annual marketing plan.