Re: Prosthesis problems, time for a new provider? Advice?

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Posted by Gibby on December 12, 19101 at 23:35:25:

In Reply to: Prosthesis problems, time for a new provider? Advice? posted by Tony G. on December 12, 19101 at 02:05:57:

I also go to a Hanger facility and I am quite happy with my prosthetist and my prosthesis. I picked this practitioner based on referral from other successful amputees that used the same one. I did not accept the one they tried to line me up with who happened to have an opening in their appointment book.

I can walk a couple miles unaided, my gait is great, and I do pretty much whatever I want. It took a year for me to reach this state of satisfaction from the time I started the project (which actually included the old fashioned casting). The prosthetist persevered as long as I was willing to continue to do so myself. I paid once for the prosthesis in spite of having to have the socket redone twice and continual adjustments over the course of the year.

Just because the name on the door is Hanger, doesn't mean the prosthetist will be good. Hanger acquired NovaCare and many many independent prosthetists. They're a big company heavily into marketing and trying to make a profit. All that marketing hype has no correlation to the actual prosthetist you might be working with. The situation is only going to be as good as the individual prosthetist. I would hold Hanger accountable. If the practitioner you are working with is unacceptable have them recommend one who is and get references from other satisfied AKAs similar to you who have worked with that specfic prosthetist. I would not let Hanger get away with $25,000 while you have an unuseable prosthesis and your insurance company foots the bill ultimately increasing healthcare costs for everyone.

I will add that when I got my first prosthesis, it didn't fit well and it wasn't a suction socket because my residual limb was still shrinking. I was able to get a suction socket after about a year and I've never had anything other than that for the last 17 years - no belts, pins, etc. I know though that if you have a lot of volume fluctuation you can have a problem with maintaining suction.

If your situation is really as you describe it, I would say that is totally unacceptable unless there are some unusual circumstances you don't mention. I would absolutely not let the prosthetic company get away with this no matter who they are.

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: I also go to a Hanger facility and I am quite happy with my prosthetist and my prosthesis. I picked this practitioner based on referral from other successful amputees that used the same one. I did not accept the one they tried to line me up with who happened to have an opening in their appointment book. : I can walk a couple miles unaided, my gait is great, and I do pretty much whatever I want. It took a year for me to reach this state of satisfaction from the time I started the project (which actually included the old fashioned casting). The prosthetist persevered as long as I was willing to continue to do so myself. I paid once for the prosthesis in spite of having to have the socket redone twice and continual adjustments over the course of the year. : Just because the name on the door is Hanger, doesn't mean the prosthetist will be good. Hanger acquired NovaCare and many many independent prosthetists. They're a big company heavily into marketing and trying to make a profit. All that marketing hype has no correlation to the actual prosthetist you might be working with. The situation is only going to be as good as the individual prosthetist. I would hold Hanger accountable. If the practitioner you are working with is unacceptable have them recommend one who is and get references from other satisfied AKAs similar to you who have worked with that specfic prosthetist. I would not let Hanger get away with $25,000 while you have an unuseable prosthesis and your insurance company foots the bill ultimately increasing healthcare costs for everyone. : I will add that when I got my first prosthesis, it didn't fit well and it wasn't a suction socket because my residual limb was still shrinking. I was able to get a suction socket after about a year and I've never had anything other than that for the last 17 years - no belts, pins, etc. I know though that if you have a lot of volume fluctuation you can have a problem with maintaining suction. : If your situation is really as you describe it, I would say that is totally unacceptable unless there are some unusual circumstances you don't mention. I would absolutely not let the prosthetic company get away with this no matter who they are.

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