WASHINGTON, D.C. — During a presentation at the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Policy Forum, Michael Oros, CPO/LPO, FAAOP, stressed the importance of planning for the future of O&P. Oros, who is president and chief executive officer of Scheck and Siress, shared plans that are in the works as part of the Prosthetics 2020 initiative.
The purpose of the initiative is to protect and grow the market for lower limb prostheses using outcomes-based research to demonstrate economic value, he said.
“It is basically building a moat around where we are today, our lower extremity prosthetics today,” Oros said. “In building that moat around our castle, it is a huge investment in resources.”
Michael Oros
Prosthetics 2020 currently has six sponsors in addition to the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA), but more O&P firms need to become financially involved, he said.
Without an investment in the future of prosthetics, Oros said, “We are going to die by a thousand cuts,” referring to Recovery Audit Contractor audits.
The initiative has a medical advisory board composed of leading physicians, as well as a steering committee of leading scientists from supplier partners. Their purpose is to develop clinical endpoints and measures that are relevant to payers.
“Probably the most important aspect of this is, we have to develop that compelling clinical data,” Oros said.
In addition, AOPA recently commissioned the RAND Corporation to develop a health economic (HECON) model for the initiative. The model will translate prosthetics data into values that payers understand, according to Oros.
Initial data is expected to be published by the end of 2016.
“It is research, it is evidence, it is outcomes. Those three legs of the stool have to be present before we can come up with an argument. But I think once we have those three legs of the stool established, we will have an argument to go to the payers,” Oros said.
Oros said an orthotics initiative will follow Prosthetics 2020. – by Amanda Alexander
Reference:
Oros M. Panel #2. Presented at: American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association Policy Forum; April 26-27, 2016; Washington, D.C.
Disclosure: Oros reports no relevant financial disclosures.
