The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics released its 2017 Practice Analysis of Certified Technicians in the Disciplines of Orthotics and Prosthetics, according to a press release. The goal of the analysis is to determine current trend in the provision of O&P services by technicians.
“We wanted to get an idea of what current orthotic and prosthetic technician practice looks like in order to meet the everchanging needs of the profession,” Robert Carlile, CPA, CTPO, chairman of the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC) practice analysis task force, said in the release. “We were pleased with the participation and valuable input we received from the professionals surveyed.”
According to the release, the return rate for the survey was 30%. The board plans to use the results to ensure that its credential exam for O&P technicians remains relevant to individuals who enter the profession. The results will also help ABC identify content for in-service and continuing education, as well as provide guidance for education programs in regard to curriculum review, the release noted.
According to the release, the board asked technicians to identify changes related to O&P care, available componentry and current technology. The ABC practice analysis task force and Cathy Carter, the board’s executive director, worked with Professional Examination Services to develop and implement the survey.
“As a result of the survey, we will be able to provide the National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education (NCOPE) pertinent information on what orthotic and prosthetic technician students need to learn and what information to disseminate,” Carter said.
A complete copy of the analysis is available at www.abcop.org.
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Disclosure: Carlile and Carter report no relevant financial discoursers.
