Prosthetic 3d Scanner created by O&P professionals for O&P professionals
The O&P industry has been introduced to scanning technology slowly over the course of the last few years and 3D shape capture is an increasingly popular topic of discussion among O&P professionals. Today a number of prosthetic 3D scanner options are available to a practice that compete with a traditional casting technique – but scanning is still not industry standard.
The discussion around scanning technology has been focused on accuracy, availability, cost and ease of use since its introduction to the industry. The Comb App was created by O&P professionals for O&P professionals – with the functionality and accessibility to help any clinician treat patients using today’s technology.
Training
Many clinicians haven’t used a scanner and are still practicing the traditional cast technique when fitting their patients. Understanding there is a learning curve when working with new technologies, Comb created a set of training tools that are available to every user to ensure an easy and streamlined adoption process.
Prior to scanning, each user must complete a brief in-app training that will walk every clinician through the best practices. After approximately 5 scans, most clinicians become proficient. Even after training has been completed, a library of support videos and articles are available – as well as 1:1 support for paid users of the platform.
Cost Efficiency
There are both tangible and associated costs tied to the traditional casting technique. Tangibly, the cost of casting supplies is nominal when it comes to expenses. However the time taken in the lab to ship, prep, pour and rectify a cast can add up over the course of a year. Especially if a patient isn’t casted in the proper position, repeated augmentation of the prosthesis/orthosis takes up valuable time in the lab.
Alternatively, scanning a patient gives the clinician the opportunity to send completed scans directly to a central fabricator or to their own lab in house. Prior to sending the scan for fabrication, a clinician has the ability to rectify the scan in a CAD software in order to ensure optimal positioning of the patient’s limb. The capabilities of the Comb App allow each clinician to scan for BK, AK, AFO, FO, Knee Brace, TLSO and Arm patients. Making the jump to this technology can have a bit of a learning curve at times, which is why the Comb App created a comprehensive training program available to all users.