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How Often Should a Person Be Re-Evaluated or Refitted for a New Prosthesis?

Debra Latour, OTD, M.Ed. Advanced Practice of Occupational Therapy, OTR/L

October 12, 2015

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Question

How often should a person be re-evaluated or refitted for a new prosthesis?

Answer

Excellent question. A simple answer is as often as they need to be. There are many things that we evaluate. Is the device well-fitting on them? Are they able to use it? Is it functioning well? Is it causing pain? Is there any discomfort? If yes to any of these questions, then the patient needs to be reevaluated.

Typically most insurances will allow refitting. Many will even allow one device per year. I know that seems like a lot. Some people, when they have a well-fitting socket, they do not want anyone to mess with it. They just will keep going with what they have. The device should be checked as often as it needs to be to ensure it is still working properly.


debra latour

Debra Latour, OTD, M.Ed. Advanced Practice of Occupational Therapy, OTR/L

Dr. Debra Latour, OTD, M.Ed., OTR/L is a registered occupational therapist and owner of Single-Handed Solutions, LLC, providing clinical, educational, and research consulting services to manufacturers, providers, and individuals with upper limb loss/difference. She offers clinical interventions through her affiliation with Handspring Clinical Service.   Debi graduated from BSOT/Tufts University and earned her M.Ed. (Advanced Practice OT) from Springfield College and post-professional OTD at A.T. Still University. She is a full-time academic faculty at Western New England University.  Debi is active with the Amputee Coalition and is a member of ACPOC, AAOP, ATA, and AOTA. Debi has a congenital upper limb difference, is an active prosthesis-user and shares her experiences and tips through her blog at www.Single-HandedSolutions.blogspot.com. She is the inventor of record of patented prosthetic technology, and has authored published articles and chapters in occupational therapy text books, as well as copyrighted educational materials distributed by ContinuEd and MedBridge. Debi has consulted with Scholastic Books as a sensitivity reader for diverse publications, was mentioned in the book “Inventology” (by Pagan Kennedy), and is a subject in the “We Design” exhibit of Design Museum, that opened October 3 in Boston, MA.


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