COVER STORY
BUILDING a Dream Facility The importance of patient-centric design in the O&P clinic
he orthotic and prosthetic profession has often been described as clinical care at the intersection of science and art. O&P clinicians must balance the needs of individuals living with limb loss, limb difference, and other mobility challenges with respect to both form and function. The level of customized care offered by many O&P providers imposes unique requirements for the physical space a clinic needs to operate. Patient-care rooms share walls with labs where prosthetic sockets are fabricated and components are assembled to create a truly custom device. Gait rooms with parallel bars and ramps create a safe space for patients to explore their new mobility. The ultimate delivery of a device is just one aspect of an expansive set of services provided in O&P facilities. In this article, a diverse group of representatives from O&P practices across the country share their approaches to creating the ideal environment for the provision of O&P care. Each description offers a different take on the idea of a “dream facility,� but all share a common theme: The patient comes first.
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O&P News | July 2018
