ACPOC/Academy Meeting Opens New Dimension

By Janet Marshall, CPO

The big event of the year in the O&P industry is being held at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort as the Association of Children's Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics (ACPOC) joins forces with the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists for their annual meetings.

The co-located meeting for 2005 originally stemmed from economic concerns for ACPOC and the Academy a few years back when budget cuts were affecting the attendance for both registrants and vendors. By combining locations, vendors are obligated to only one event, and the attendees get two meetings for the price of one.

The true benefits, though, are the outstanding programs offered-unmatched by any other meeting-and the ability of all registrants to freely choose from both venues.

Two joint symposia for the Academy and ACPOC are being presented on consecutive days. The Children's Healthcare of Atlanta has formed an interdisciplinary panel of experts on the management of children with cerebral palsy. The second symposium on PFFD has created a panel represented by multicentered and interdisciplinary professionals to discuss diagnostic and treatment options with respect to the multiple types of PFFD. Both presentations are formatted to encourage audience participation for questions and answers.

ACPOC: Who We Are

The Association of Children's Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics' primary focus is the orthopedic concerns and well-being of the physically challenged. Its diverse membership includes physicians, physical and occupational therapists, orthotists, prosthetists, nurses, rehabilitation engineers, social workers, care coordinators, and other ancillary support members. The association's mission is: To promote interdisciplinary team development and collaboration, support research in children's prosthetic-orthotic care, disseminate information to children's clinics, and improve the lives of patients and their families through  education. This international network of professionals is based upon mutual respect for each discipline's expertise that contributes to the treatment of the complex problems of the physically challenged. ACPOC endorses the value of the interdisciplinary clinic team approach.

Our membership is the sustaining force behind our organization that affords the ability to provide ongoing interdisciplinary education on children with orthopedic needs. Yearly dues help to fund the annual meetings, the website, the newsletter, and the support staff necessary to run this association. Members have actively endorsed the need for a network of specialty professionals and share in our mission. Participation through presentations, Contributing to the newsletter, and joining committees is encouraged to keep ACPOC strong.

Multidisciplinary Knowledge Sharing

The association holds annual spring meetings in locations around the continent, hosted by member clinics. The 2005 meeting is being hosted by Shriners Hospital for Children in Tampa, Florida. Meetings consist of scientific paper presentations, workshops, poster presentations, challenging case studies, creative solutions, and special symposia topics. All topics focus on the management of children with amputations and orthopedic and neurological concerns.

The format of the presentations allows panel groupings according to subject matter and encourages audience participation for questions and answers. The association also sponsors two special guest speakers each meeting. This spring we are fortunate to have Peter Armstrong, MD, director of medical affairs for Shriners Hospitals for Children; and Randal Betz, MD, chief of staff at Shriners Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The friendly atmosphere created by our diverse membership promotes networking between professions, which ultimately provides a benefi cial educational exchange. To enhance this, our name tags exclude our disciplines, giving only our locale, which helps to intermingle professions. Vendors are also given opportunities to hold workshops to promote their products, in addition to the exhibit hall.

ACPOC and the Academy have ventured into a new dimension of meeting formats, combining the best of both organizations. Whether or not this symbiotic relationship will continue ultimately depends on the approval of our memberships. However, the outstanding result of the co-located 2005 Academy and  ACPOC meeting is hard to ignore for the future.

Janet Marshall, CPO, is secretary/treasurer of the Association of Children’s Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics (ACPOC) and is a practitioner with the Shriners Hospital for Children, Tampa, Florida.

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