Digital Profile: P&O Group
Digital Profile: P&O Group
We just announced the future arrival of our adjustable fixture to make scanning AFO patients easy and comfortable – but we have customers scanning AFO casts all over the world already!
Getting a patient in a corrective position at this time is mainly achieved by casting. With the introduction of scanning, practitioners are still able to digitally capture the cast and progress through their preferred digital fabrication steps.
Today we’re excited to share the digital profile of P&O Group, a California and Colorado based O&P clinic who utilizes Comb to scan a lot of pediatric AFO patients at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
How are you currently using scanning in your practice (how often, for which devices, etc)?
I use the scanner weekly. I scan patients directly for TLSO's but primary use is for scanning fiberglass molds for AFO's / KAFO's. All scans are sent out with measurements to a few different Cfab facilities which has reduced our time to delivery by about 1.5 weeks.
What tools are you using for scanning, modification and fabrication? Are you outsourcing fabrication? Where are you outsourcing to?
I use the Comb scanner for 100% of my scans now. All of my scans are uploaded to Ossur Design Studio where I clean up the image and do any conversion of the file in preparation for Cfab. All fab is outsourced to Spinaltech or Boston for spinal orthoses and to Hitek for all LE orthotics.
How did you decide to make the move to digital? What was your decision process like?
The move to digital was intentional for my office. The primary goals were to lower our cost of goods and to reduce the amount of time practitioners were in the lab. Using digital results in an immediate reduction in shipping and eliminates the need to purchase large quantities of plaster. I was also able to utilize other Cfab facilities for LE orthotics that further reduced our cost of fabrication. I haven't had an opportunity to calculate our savings yet but a rough estimate would be about 10-15% on fabrication and nearly 65% on shipping (with bulk shipping on the return). I have seen about an 80% reduction in the time I usually spend modifying plaster and fabricating orthoses . This was critical because most of our lab work had to be done at night and on the weekend.
Where is the value for you in digital? Is it costs, time savings etc?
Reduction in cost of goods as well as time savings for the practitioner and patient have been of significant value to my office since the transition to digital.
Do you believe that the digital workflow will be more widely used in O&P over the next few years? If so, why?
Yes.
Many offices are experiencing reduction in reimbursement in recent years and I doubt this will change in the future. Traditionally, this has been addressed by increasing volume which resulted in long hours in the lab. If we continue in this direction, we will inevitably experience very poor work / life balance. The next logical way to address reduced revenue is to lower cost of goods and to reduce time to delivery. Utilizing digital is a critical component of making this possible.
What advice would you give to the thousands of practitioners around the world exploring digital for the first time?
Don't shy away from a transition to digital due to the obvious hurdles that typically accompany a change in process. The key thing to focus on is identifying Cfab facilities that will be utilized on a regular basis and developing a protocol with them.
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Interested in giving Comb a try?
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