3DPO Goes to Coffee with Dankmeyer

As Dankmeyer has offices in four locations, 3DPO was very anxious to explore some of the other spaces so that he would know more about them.  He was offered the opportunity to go to the Sinai office to help with setup for an event they were hosting there.  The Dankmeyer Sinai office is located on the Sinai hospital campus in the Morton Mower Medical Building.  He made a quick ride over on the morning of March 29, 2017 with Practice Liaison Toni Robinson.  On the way, they made a stop to pick up some of the treats that would be served at this social event, which is named “Coffee with Dankmeyer”. 

This Coffee was started a few years ago to create a relaxed environment where professionals who worked at Sinai could drop in, share a coffee and a snack and get to know more about Dankmeyer and its services.  Sheryl Nathanson, CPO, is on hand along with Toni and Patient Services Representative Jeanne Smith to answer questions and provide reference materials.  There are some demonstration devices placed around the waiting room on display as well.

3DPO was happy to help arrange the table with bottled water, snacks and of course, coffee!  Guests may bring their own coffee cups, but Dankmeyer has some very special custom mugs for these occasions.  There are a few take aways for those interested - like Dankmeyer calendars.  Today, the Dankmeyer hosts were providing a very special sweet treat - Rita’s Italian Ice.  3DPO was very interested in learning more about this employee favorite, if there was any left after the gathering.

He was honored to personally great guests at the table, eagerly waving a windmill to celebrate.  A few of the guests were so happy to meet him that they posed for a picture at his request!  Toni and Sheryl served up the Rita’s and engaged in witty conversation with everyone who came in to pass some time.  3DPO was so proud to help, and when all was said and done, he did get to sample the Rita’s.  Sadly, there was not enough left to take back to the main office and share with others.  After they cleaned up the office, Sheryl showed him some of the pictures from previous coffees. There was one for Mardi Gras a year ago, one for summer fun and another one at Halloween.  Those guys were really good a decorating!

But maybe most exciting was the news that was shared with guests, that there was going to be a really BIG event this summer at the Dankmeyer main office, and they were all invited!  3DPO would be part of the team to get the event off the ground.  The next Amputee Walking School, on June 21, 2017, was going to be held at Dankmeyer for a change of pace, and there was also going to be new course material for the professional education part.  One of the guests happily accepted a flyer on the event when 3DPO offered it to her.  This was going to be even bigger than the Coffee with Dankmeyer!  3DPO wondered if they would serve Rita’s.  He planned to suggest it at a planning meeting.

For more details about the summer session of the Amputee Walking School, click here.

 

3DPO's American Academy of O&P Field Trip

Despite his best intentions to report weekly, time got away from 3DPO over the last three weeks.  Time and the excitement of his first field trip!  3DPO was very excited he was able to attend the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists annual meeting in Chicago!

Interns don’t usually get to attend such prestigious events, but he was given the opportunity to learn a LOT about prosthetics and orthotics in a very intensive effort.  He was chaperoned by Kristen Beltran, Resident Prosthetist Orthotist, and Sheryl Nathanson, CPO, and Nina Bondre, Board Eligible Prosthetist Orthotist. Nina let him hitch a ride in her bag as they moved around the meeting space.

The focus of the meeting was on sharing clinical knowledge about prosthetics and orthotics, as well as networking with other professionals in the field. He studied the meeting materials in order to find the best lectures and demonstrations.  Some of these were lectures about new products in the field and others about current research. For instance, why do some patients use their orthoses more than others? He asked one of his mentors to explain this to him. Nina explained that one of the most important factors in a successful outcome is encouraging communication between the patient and practitioner. The more aligned expectations are on both sides, the better the outcome for the patient.

After a nutritious snack, 3DPO learned about some of the new components being used in P&O, including the Becker Triple Action ankle joint (just his size.) He learned all about the Gomez Scoliosis System and how he could better assess patients with scoliosis. His favorite prosthetic component on display was a myoelectric hand that operates based on a patient's muscle contractions and nerve signals. His favorite lecture was about how a patient's sense of balance and position in space affects confidence in mobility. Given his square body and inability to have a sense of balance, 3DPO was intrigued by this topic. He questioned Nina closely. She explained that it is fairly easy and quick to incorporate new techniques to assess someone's balance when evaluating for a prosthesis, for example. Patients who have a better ability to sense their body in space tend to have an easier time walking and feeling confident while doing so. 

3DPO had a great time in Chicago learning about the business he will be working so hard in.  He loved meeting new friends and teachers.  And he enjoyed some new flavors while he was there. A guy has to eat some time!  Now back home, 3DPO is looking forward to helping the staff at Dankmeyer continue to provide exceptional patient care.

Welcome 3DPO - Dankmeyer 3D Intern

3DPO is the newest intern at Dankmeyer, Inc. His history with the company began in 2015 as an experiment in 3-D printing with the newly acquired 3D printer (pictured here.) 

His predecessors 1DPO and 2DPO proved to be less than useful, in that their only noticeable skill was pencil holding. With his solid stance and jointed arms 3DPO has proven himself more flexible in his assignments. He may be a little green but is more than willing to help around the office any way he can. His keen wit and ready smile make him fun to be around.

Standing in at 5.5 inches "D", as his friends call him, is very good at paying attention to details. He is especially good at finding tiny things that have been dropped on the floor.

Outside of work he enjoys short walks, looking up at flowers and moving pebbles. His favorite movies are I Robot, Robocop, Wall-E, Short Circuit, and The Wizard of Oz. "D" is also considering adopting a robotic therapy dog if he can find one his size. He has read a lot about service dogs on the website, and would love to train one!

As he learns more about Dankmeyer and his Dankmeyer teammates, he will share those adventures here.  His contributions should engage, enlighten, and intrigue anyone interested in what goes on beyond patient care in Prosthetics and Orthotics.  He will be assisted by Dankmeyer staff in preparing photos and videos to share as he goes about his intern duties.

Welcome, 3DPO!