10 Questions Doctors Should Ask About Prosthetics
Questions you should ask your chosen central fabrication provider.
Doctors only want the best for their patients. Thus, when choosing a prosthetist, they naturally want to find a reliable partner who can deliver the best prosthetic device for their patients. At the end of the day, prosthetics aim to improve your patients’ quality of life, and this is only possible if you work with some skilled and experienced.
So, to help you, check these 10 key questions about prosthetics you should ask to find a central fabrication partner for your patients.
How long have you been in the industry?
While not directly related to fabricating prosthetics, this is still one of the most important questions about prosthetics to ask. It gives you a good idea of the company’s experience in the field, which is critical to ensure that they know the best practices.
Do you have proper accreditation?
Another way to verify expertise is to ask them if they have industry accreditations. When it comes to orthotic prosthetic work, you should look out for ABC accreditation since this is the highest standard given to professionals in central fabrication.
Are your technicians certified?
Get to know more about the people who will be designing and building the prosthetics. Like the previous point, your goal is to find ABC-certified technicians with proper knowledge and qualifications for central fabrication.
What type of devices can you fabricate?
This question gives you a good idea of the range of prosthetics that a company can make. Naturally, it would be best to work with someone who can fabricate all types of devices to cater to your patients’ needs. Generally, these include upper extremity, above knee, and below knee prosthetics.
How long does it take to get the prosthetics?
Fast turnaround times is an important consideration since you want to give your patients their prosthetics as early as possible. Thus, you should ask this early on to set expectations on how long it will take to get the prosthetics you order.
What do you use to make the prosthetics?
Of course, you want your patients to always get high-quality and durable prosthetics. So make sure you ask about the components and materials a company uses to see if these are industry standard.
How much do the prosthetics cost?
While it might be hard to get exact rates due to differences in each prosthetic device, you should still be able to get an estimate. This gives you a good idea of whether their services are within your budget.
How do you ensure that prosthetic devices fit properly?
Prosthetic limbs are never a one-size-fits-all since they need to be made based on a user’s needs and measurements. Given this, it helps to learn about what processes or tools a company uses to get the optimal fit. The last thing you want is to have problematic devices for your patients down the line, so asking this question early can help you decide better.
Do your prosthetics look like real limbs?
The prosthetic design can vary from one maker to another. However, some patients may have concerns about how their prosthetics will look, so you can try finding a company with technologies to create realistic-looking devices. For example, some have spray skins that can replicate a patient’s skin tone accurately.
What happens if there are problems with the prosthetics?
You never know when problems may arise with prosthetics, so it helps to have some form of assurance that you can repair or return them. As much as possible, find a company that offers warranty for their devices.
Contact Us Today for Your Prosthetic Needs
Grace Prosthetic Fabrication is a leading provider of central fabrication services with over 30 years of experience in the industry. With our advanced technologies, high-quality craftsmanship, and certified technicians, you can trust us to take over the fabrication work while you work with your patients’ physical therapist and healthcare team.
Whatever your prosthetic needs may be, we are ready to help you. Contact us today at 1-800-940-5347 to get answers to your questions about our prosthetics and orthotics.
