******NOW HIRING******

ORTHOTIC ASSISTANT/TECHNICIAN-

Entry level position with outstanding career potential. Opportunity leading to the position of practitioner, for the highly motivated professional minded individual. The position is open for the individual seeking to become a Certified Orthotist.


PREREQUISITES:
-Mechanically inclined, skilled with hand tools, strong anatomy background, artistic and ambitious.

-The position is open for the individual seeking to become an orthotic practitioner or Certified Orthotist.

-Bachelors degree preferred and will consider individuals possessing knowledge of lower extremity, spinal anatomy, and a passion to make a career in this medical profession.

-Experienced with various types of tools and equipment and be mechanically minded.

-Possess artistic ability and have a desire to work with their hands and mind.

-Has excellent written and interpersonal communication skills.

-Able to grasp new information quickly and eager to study independently.


POSITION DESCRIPTION:
-This Opportunity involves working with children and other medical professionals in a team approach.

-Assisting orthotist and technicians with patient care and fabrication of pediatric orthotics including casting, fabrication, fitting and follow-up care

-Working with various hand tools and shop machines in the design, production and maintenance of custom orthotics.

-Working in a team atmosphere with co-workers to continue the efficient, friendly, professional care to our patients and their families.

-Teaching patients and families the use and care of the orthotic devices.

-Providing written and verbal communication with Therapists, Physicians and co-workers.

-Addressing complex challenges with design and fabrication of orthotic devices.

-Assisting technicians with fabrication of custom orthotic devices, maintenance of lab, lab machinery, supplies, and components.

Pay and benefits will be based on successful applicant's experience and abilities.

Please fax or email resume, references and cover letter to:

Gabriel Beversluis, CO
Pediatric Orthotic Specialists
email to Gabe@ortho4peds.com
or fax to 616-956-1990

N.C.O.P.E. ACCREDITATION GRANTED 08/2008

N.C.O.P.E. (National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education) has granted Pediatric Orthotic Specialists approval as an accredited residency site for orthotics education.

Residency programs contribute to the continuing education of future O&P professionals. These programs provide students with a 12-month, structured experience by complying with the established standards and guidelines. It is during the residency program that individuals gain the clinical training and experience needed to balance their primary education with experience to generate the best practitioner possible.

NCOPE carries out its accreditation mission by serving as the deliberative body through which standards for residency programs as well as procedures for accreditation are established.

NCOPE's accreditation process is a valuable service to students, the education and residency programs, the profession and the public.

WEDNESDAY EVENING HOURS OFFERED

We understand the importance of maintaining school, work, and family schedules. We are now offering Wednesday evening hours (by appointment only) to help ease schedule worries and disturbances.

Our Wednesday hours for patient appointments are from 8:30am-7:00pm. Please call our office to schedule your appointment.

Our office

AS of June 19, 2006, we moved into our new office! If you are new to us, or have not visited since our move please visit the "directions" tab on our web site for complete directions and a user friendly map. Thank you!

U.S. PATENT GRANTED

**March 2005**
Pediatric Orthotic Specialists is granted a U.S. Patent for the D-DAFO.

After 4 years with the “Patent Pending” status, a U.S. Patent was issued to Pediatric Orthotic Specialists for the D-DAFO design.

The design was first conceived by Grant Meyer, CO., in collaboration with pediatric Physical Therapists and Physicians in West Michigan in 2000. Mr. Meyer, who has treated thousands of children in his career, was not satisfied with the functionality and quality of the lower extremity designs available.

The D-DAFO is designed to provide optimal results with the dynamic design and dynamic materials. Every aspect of each orthosis (including plastic thickness, padding, posting, trim lines and strapping), is tailored to the unique needs of each patient. Each one is engineered to provide the correction and alignment needed through total contact, pressure redistribution and ground reaction forces. D-DAFO's are also designed to produce stability, tone reduction and a positive effect on more proximal musculature and joint alignment. All while keeping the patient very comfortable.

“We begin with a thorough evaluation of the patient's lower extremities and body mechanics. We then utilize our specialized Pediatric Corrective Casting techniques along with meticulous cast modification and orthotic design. All of which are done by the treating Orthotist in order to maintain the highest standards and continuity of care. All orthoses are completely fabricated in our lab in Grand Rapids and all fabrication is closely supervised by the Orthotist as well.”

"It is very gratifying to be able to help children and families who have, in the past, been plagued with problems due to pressure areas, discomfort, loss of function, etc.
Many people have assumed that chronic problems with AFO's are inevitable, when actually, proper techniques and application of design can usually eliminate those problems. The D-DAFO has been an outstanding addition to our selection of available orthotic designs."

2006 Patient Satisfaction Survey Results

As part of our ongoing Quality assessment and improvement program, Pediatric Orthotic Specialists conducts annual Patient Satisfaction surveys of our patient's parents and guardians. Our goals with the surveys are to insure that we are providing the best possible service to our patients and their families.
In the Summer of 2006, we mailed out surveys to the parents of every patient that we treated between April 2005 and April 2006. 23% of the surveys were returned to us completed or partially completed.
The parents were asked to rate their treatment from the orthotist and office staff, the information and instructions they were given, and the quality and function of their child's orthosis, with a response of excellent, good, average, below average, or poor.
The answers were given a score as follows:

Excellent = 5
Good = 4
Average= 3
Below average = 2
Poor = 1

All of the answers were tallied and the average score was calculated to be 4.778!

**Also, for the 2nd year in a row, 100% of parents stated that they would refer a friend with a child in need of orthotics to Pediatric Orthotic Specialists.**

2005 Patient Satisfaction Survey Results

"Job well done... Keep it up", to all the staff!


2005 Patient Satisfaction Survey Report

As part of our ongoing Quality assessment and improvement program, Pediatric Orthotic Specialists conducts annual Patient Satisfaction surveys of our patient's parents and guardians. Our goals with the surveys are to insure that we are providing the best possible service to our patients and their families.
In the spring of 2005, we mailed out surveys to the parents of every patient that we treated during 2004. 38% of the surveys were returned to us completed or partially completed.

The parents were asked to rate their treatment from the Orthotist and office staff, the information and instructions they were given, and the quality and function of their child's orthosis. They were given the following options for responses: excellent, good, average, below average, or poor.

We rated the responses with a scoring system as follows:

Excellent = 5 points
Good = 4 points
Average = 3 points
Below average = 2 points
Poor = 1 point


All of the answers were tallied and the average score was calculated.
The average score for all questions answered was 4.8!

Additionally, 100% of the respondents stated they would refer others to us!

Many people filled the comment sections on the surveys as well. We at Pediatric Orthotic Specialists greatly appreciate all of the input, suggestions and encouragement that our patient's parents have given us.

This survey is now available through this web site. If you are the parent of a patient of ours, please go to the “current patients” section to find the survey.

Pediatric Orthotic Specialists at John Ball Zoo

Pediatric Orthotic Specialists was invited to be a part of a special Muscular Dystrophy Association event on On Saturday, October 14, 2006. The 'Stride and Ride' was held at the John Ball Zoo in Grand Rapids. It was a was lots of fun in spite of the cold weather.

The Stride and Ride event was a huge success. The MDA raised over $18,000 to help local families and send local children to the MDA summer camp.

Thanks to the MDA for all you do...And for letting us be a part of this special event.