QUESTION:
What is the purpose of clinic? - Douglas S.
ANSWER:
Dankmeyer participates in several multi-disciplinary orthotics and prosthetics clinics that allow our patients to be followed by a care team. Clinics are particular blocks of time set aside for a team of healthcare professionals to see patients together. Our clinics normally include a physician, physical therapist, and an orthotist or prosthetist from Dankmeyer. The clinic team works together to address the patient's needs from their respective specialties. This allows the clinic team to provide a recommendation that will work with the patient's various healthcare professionals. For someone who is a chronic user of orthotic or prosthetic devices, being followed by a clinic team facilitates regular follow-up and tracking of a patient's health status.
Attending clinic is a convenient way to be examined by multiple experts at once instead of making separate appointments. For example, a patient can be evaluated for a prosthesis, obtain a prescription from a physician, and have orders written for physical therapy all in the same visit. The clinic team also works together to ensure the patient is receiving all of the external support he or she needs. Whether a new patient is looking for resources to help modify their home, is seeking peer support from someone who has a similar condition, or wants to learn about events in the area in orthotics and prosthetics, the clinic team can help guide the patient to the appropriate resources.
While many of our clinics are geared toward adults, we also attend several pediatric clinics. We attend both prosthetic and orthotic clinics for pediatric patients. Pediatric clinics emphasize childhood development milestones and ensure that the child has the opportunity to interact with others of his or her age with a similar condition. We work closely with patients' families to ensure we are taking care of them not only from a prosthetic or orthotic standpoint.
Feel free to ask us about multi-disciplinary orthotics and prosthetics clinics and how they may become part of your care plan. We look forward to seeing you there.
- Nina Bondre, Board Eligible Prosthetist Orthotist
Do you have a question you would like to Ask Us? Email us at info@dankmeyer.com.