Prosthetics & Rehabilitation

Matthew Hughes, Managing Director of Dorset Orthopaedics, discusses the importance of keeping the patient at the forefront, and how we can redefine mobility in this new decade.

QHow can we combine clinical expertise and advanced prosthetic tech innovations to redefine mobility?

AThe world we function in, is constantly changing and evolving – organisations of all sizes and niches are developing with problem solving solutions. In the last twenty years, the advancements in prosthetic achievements have come on in leaps and bounds. However, continually developing these products and then bringing them to the market as commercially available, has resulted in a significant cost rise. So, in order to ‘redefine mobility’ we need to focus less on what the prosthetic can do and more on how it can change the patient’s life. There has been a considerable emphasis on not just providing the most up to date products, but about providing the most appropriate product to the patient and justifying why they need it. We need to be sure the products are going to make a difference. We need to test them and collect quantitative data to show the product does allow a patient to walk more easily, with less energy and with less chance of falling. Then, we can assess the differences these products and services make, compared to the condition the patient first came to us in. Q How can we make sure excellent mobility and wellness go hand-in-hand to ensure that we keep the injured person at the forefront of the process?

AIt comes back to measuring what we’re doing; ensuring each decision and action has a reason, we’re doing it because it brings increased independence and ability to that individual person. Every treatment and process needs to be bespoke – patients need to trial components to understand what makes a difference to them, then they need to be given the skills and training to get the most out of their prosthesis. We need to ensure they have the appropriate physiotherapy and occupational therapy, as well as any other services required. We also need to be sure we monitor their process, if they hit a plateau or a setback, we get them back in to provide updates and adjustments. Rehabilitation is not a one-off thing. It is an ongoing process – a journey that never truly stops.

So, in order to ‘redefine mobility’ we need to focus less on what the prosthetic can do and more on how is can change the patient’s life

QHow can we ensure that this level of care and rehabilitation is continued, to deliver an amazing customer experience every time?

AFrom a legal perspective, the only way we can ensure this happens is to provide a good service from the very beginning. If we do this, patients will come back to us. In the sector we work in, in terms of medical negligence and personal injury law, once a patient has settled their case or claim, that money is theirs and they can utilise it however they want. The don’t have to spend their money on a new prosthesis, or the prescriptions and recommendations we may have made. However, if we have already provided a good service during the initial rehabilitation process one would hope that as and when they need future input they will return to build on what has already been achieved when rehabbing them - there’s trust built up there. Then they will come back, and they will continue to benefit.

Everything I have discussed is about doing the right thing. As clinicians – as people providing a service – one of the most important things to understand is what the patient wants to achieve. What the textbook tells them they should be doing, and what they want to do are sometimes two different things.