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An Important Note from the President

Research Grants Supporting Ongoing Orthotic Improvements

When I first launched my Pedorthic practice, I did what almost all Pedorthists do (and what is taught in school) which is to respond with urgency and enthusiasm to all patient concerns. In essence, I suppose it was a “no news is good news” approach. For the first three years of practice I thought I had a wonderful success rate because only 1 in 25 people voiced concern. I was wrong.

As people returned for new pairs of orthotics I heard feedback about positive results eliminating knee pain, back pain and even migraine headaches. I wondered how many more patients originally had pain in these areas and what degree of relief they experienced.

So, I made a sizable investment and a considerable commitment…

First, I invested in custom software to track symptom relief by client. I always start with the detailed prescription and chief complaint, but also ask about all major weight bearing joints, muscle groups and even headache frequency. Then I started a follow-up program involving a telephone interview 4 weeks after dispensing to discuss the degree of relief of each symptom presented. This ongoing commitment of resources has provided insightful information and has changed my practice profoundly.

I discovered that my approach to crafting orthotics (combining gait mechanic correction with spring-like shock absorption) delivered consistent results… not just with foot pain, but knee, back, neck and shoulder pain as well. In fact, the relief of pain above the foot was so consistent that when the results were less than ideal I brought patients back for a free adjustment and found that in almost all cases, I was able to achieve the desired effect.

The Canadian Federal Government and the Ontario Provincial Government were so intrigued by our research and approach to patient wellness that they provided grants to continue the effort.

Two major findings have come from this ongoing approach to patient follow-up and symptom relief tracking:

1. My client concern rate went from a perceived 1 in 25 to an actual 1 in 4 for the first year. This told me that MANY of my clients were less than satisfied in my first three years in practice, but like most in my field to this day… I had no idea.
   
   
2. From all of the adjustments and learning resulting from the follow-up program, I became much better at accurately designing the orthotics the first time. In 2007 my clients were more pleased than ever and my adjustment rate was 1 in 7 with an overall satisfaction rate of over 99%.

I struggled with whether to share this information on a public web site, but this is a level of commitment and expense that few competitors would attempt. Meanwhile, Ortho-Care Precision Orthotics continues to develop new ground breaking initiatives.

Please remember the single most important advice I give when public speaking or on my “Ask the Expert” radio program:

If you need orthotics, visit a clinic that makes orthotics, not one that just sells them. My research indicates that this rules out 96% of providers.

Yours, relieving the agony of da-feet,

John F. Does C. Ped., C Ped (C)
President / CEO
Ortho-Care Precision Orthotics Inc.
285 Frederick St
Kitchener, ON N2H 2N3 519-885-3719

If my daughters required orthotics and lived too far away to come and see Dad, this is what I would tell them:

• Visit a certified professional in a clinic that MAKES orthotics, not one that simply SELLS orthotics.  This unfortunately rules out 96% of providers in central Ontario.  There is a considerable disconnect, when the person assessing the patient has never made an orthotic and the person or people crafting the orthotic have never assessed a patient. 

• Ask how long it takes for the orthotics to be manufactured.  Sometimes it takes 6 to 8 weeks.  If it takes more than 10 days they may not be made on site.  If it takes less than 2 days the product may not be custom made. 

• Ask the provider if adjustments are done while you wait.  Some adjustments require a few days, but most adjustments take just 5 to 10 minutes if there is a lab on site.  This also allows for fine tuning during initial trial.

• Ask the clinic what they charge for an assessment.  Some feel a free assessment entices unnecessary visits.  Others feel that charging a fee of $75 for an assessment and then waiving that fee if orthotics are ultimately purchased is even more coercive.  This is for the patient to decide.

• Ask the clinic about the raw materials they use to craft the orthotics (base shell, postings and top cover).  Do the materials vary depending on the patient’s condition?  Or do they use the same approach for everyone?

• Ask the provider if you need to buy bigger shoes to accommodate the orthotics.  It is not advisable to wear an ill-fitting shoe to accommodate an orthotic.  Shoes are designed to bend where your foot bends… if the shoe is too big because of an unnecessarily bulky orthotic, the shoe is not optimally bending where the foot bends.  Also, a foot floating and sliding inside an ill-fitting shoe can cause incremental problems for the patient.

• Ask the provider how the orthotics will accommodate your fashion preference AND your athletic footwear.  Wearing a corrective device part-time (especially only for high impact sporting activities) can be MUCH worse than not wearing it at all.  Hopefully the provider will suggest you bring your favourite footwear to the assessment and design orthotics that will suit most types of shoes (dress and sport) rather than suggesting more than one pair of orthotics is necessary.

• Ask the provider how YOU will know if the orthotic is working or not.  A good answer to this question is “your original discomfort (foot, knee or back pain) goes away to your satisfaction, there is no new discomfort, and you are pleased”.

• Ask the provider how THEY will know if the orthotic is working or not.  A BAD answer to this question is “our patients call if there are any concerns”.  This is a medically necessary device that can affect (positively or negatively) many body parts.  It is impossible to predict how the body will respond and many patients do not properly comply with the instructions.  A “No News is Good News” follow-up policy is not ideal patient care.

• Ask the provider what happens if you‘re unhappy or regret purchasing the orthotics for any reason.  A good answer that is heard rather infrequently is, “We will provide a refund and recommend another professional”

Questions or concerns can be addressed to the writer:

John F. Does   MBA, C Ped (c)

1-800-255-3839
john.does@ortho-care.ca