ATPmurica

I work with AT in the US, although more on the wheelchair,access, support surfaces etc. Our system tends to sell Aug. Com. devices and access controls more direct from the manufacturers which limits my experience with them. One major differece between the US and Europe, especially the Scandanavian countries, that I seem to see is a distaste for AT of all types. I want to blame Scooter Store and the likes for making it all seem like a toy or trivial, but that might not be fair. Needless to say, things like competitive bidding here are driving the relevance of our services into non-importance.

My question is(questions are), how do you advocate in your system the cost savings and life improving benefits of the technologies? Is your system largely funded through non-profits and charity? or are the devices actually funded through your National health services? As healthcare changes in the US, Obamacare/national/whatever or not, I see A/T as playing a major role and we must advocate for it here constantly. I'm always curious to learn new ways to explain to people what these devices can actually do.

Also, not to steal any of your thunder, but Lee Woodruff and Bob Woodruff have a very intersting story about TBI. He was injurred as a reporter in Iraq and given rather extraordinary care and has since had amazing recovery. Long watch but one of the best speaches i've seen on the subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2j-i-JIibs

It's awesome to see this on here really. I know that people like you, the therapists, the specialists rarely get the credit you deserve. You have to control expectations, fight for funding, and deal with family who are often angry and unstable over what has happened. What you do looks amazing and I will definitely be reading more!

Haha... this has literally killed my company. Every year, Jan 01 for us, regulatory changes throw us for a loop. I definitely understand your pain on this. We are going through something very similar now.. although it went into effect already and is still not worked out three months later! Good luck on that.

One problem with our lobbying is that we are not under the American Medical Association who does the most lobbying as we are not considered the same level of professional. Much of our lobbying is grass roots or done by manufacturers and suppliers groups which means the information looks tainted to the politicians. It sounds like someone has taken note in the UK and that is great. I fully believe there is benefit behind our products, both in qualtiy of life and cost of care savings. It's sad how jaded I have become... I can't think of things in terms of benefiting the client.. i think of things in terms of benefiting the insurance/payer! Sad, but such is our system currently. (Not that I provide poor or innapropriate services to the client. What we provide is appropriate, there just might be a better, and usually more expensive, option out there)