BOC Adds to Certification, Accreditation Programs
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 The Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification has begun implementation of a strategic plan designed to grow the organization in a four-tiered way: • Addition of a fifth certification – pedorthics -- to its offerings. Since its founding in 1984, BOC has certified thousands of orthotists, prosthetists, orthotic fitters and mastectomy fitters; the addition of pedorthics “makes perfect sense, because the practice of pedorthics is a growth arena in the allied healthcare field,” says Jim Newberry, BOCPO, L PO (Fla.), who has spent the past year as BOC’s interim executive director. • Adoption of a “cross-credentialing” program through which BOC can recognize practitioners from other healthcare specialties who wish to add to their credentials. • Creation of a new “BOC Pathways” program which allows individuals to build their skills from entry-level to master’s level. The “Pathways” program combines academic study with supervised experience to equip practitioners with career skills. • A stepped-up Facility Accreditation Program. Since BOC was named one of the ten accreditation organizations recognized nationally by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), BOC has trained more than 30 individuals as site visit specialists, able to conduct on-site inspections of facilities applying for accreditation. “To serve both practitioners and the public, every certifying organization needs to do two things: maintain rigorous standards, and be willing to grow as patient needs grow,” says Teresa Alpert Leibman, B.O.C.O., C.Ped., C.O., chairwoman of BOC’s Board of Directors. “BOC has responded both to what practitioners and prescribers are telling us will be of most benefit to their patients.” Pedorthic Certification The pedorthics examination was developed by an invited group of certified pedorthists who met in St. Louis in Spring 2007. They included C.Peds who had previously served as directors of the original U.S. pedorthic certification entity, The Board for Certification in Pedorthics, which last year decided to merge into The American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics, as well as other certified practitioners with experience teaching pedorthics and supervising its practice. BOC’s first pedorthic certification examinations were given in multiple cities during May 2007. Cross-Credentialing The new cross-credentialing program allows BOC to recognize certain healthcare practitioners whose previous education and experience can exempt them from some current certification requirements, as well as practitioners whose education and achievements were earned outside the U.S. For example, BOC acknowledged the legitimacy of the Canadian pedorthic certification process, which requires candidates to earn a 4-year-college degree before sitting for the certification exam, by granting cross-certification to a Canadian-certified pedorthist who moved to the U.S. and sought to practice here. More than 50 practitioners have been granted credentials under this option since the program began earlier this year. BOC Pathways Program Designed to advance individuals into and through the OP&P professions, BOC’s Pathways program clearly defines the road to certification as one that can be achieved by a combination of experience and academic study, rather than by education alone. Through Pathways, individuals interested in certification engage in specific studies to learn the fundamentals they need to understand as healthcare providers, and then must gain experience in providing patient care under the supervision of a certified practitioner. The experience pathways vary, depending on the candidate’s background and experience, but patient care experience includes a minimum of 2,850 hours (roughly one and a half years’ working experience). The Pathways program also takes into account whether the candidate practitioner is in a state that requires licensure. Areas of study in the BOC Pathways program include required studies, recommended studies and optional studies, all of which are offered as part of the Associate degree requirements for OP&P at higher education institutions including Baker College, Century Community and Technical College, Grossmont College, Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma State University at Okmulgee, Spokane Falls Community College and other schools. Facility Accreditation BOC is one of only ten organizations nationwide that CMS recognizes as providers of accreditation, a designation required for any supplier that serves and bills Medicare patients. “Facility accreditation” means the supplier meets CMS standards for clinical and business quality of the items and services offered. This CMS requirement essentially means an accredited facility meets the federal standard in areas of patient management, quality of care, assessment, evaluation and safety; the standard is a “floor” qualification reflecting a required level of competency and quality. The accreditation program, established several years ago, is recognized not only by CMS but also by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, which is the credentialing arm of the National Organization for Competency Assessment. It covers not only facilities at which OP&P are practiced, but also establishments that provide home medical equipment (HME & DME), such as oxygen, hospital beds, ambulatory aids, nutritionals and other products. BOC facility accreditation assures prescribers, insurance companies, patients and their families that a facility meets uniform national standards and state licensure requirements. Standards that accredited facilities must meet address administration, financial management, physical requirements, laboratory/repair areas, insurance, quality assurance, and compliance. The accreditation fee is affordable, and the training of nearly three dozen site inspectors makes the process streamlined, according to Newberry. In addition to implementing the four-tiered strategic plan, BOC has beefed up staffing to provide for: • “EZ News Monday Mornings,” a brief weekly email to certificants that updates them on industry information. • Continuing Education reviews that support additional credentialing programs. As do most credentialing organizations, BOC committees work with education providers to review Continuing Education programs for their relevance to practitioner education. Education providers submit program details to BOC, which evaluates the programs and determines how many points they merit. Education providers are granted leeway in determining how they wish to verify attendance; generally, practitioners are required to submit copies of certificates of completion to BOC to be credited with appropriate points. Executive Director Search The Board of Directors anticipates hiring a full-time executive director before the end of the summer. Its Search Committee began work in late 2006, with Newberry’s assistance, developing the job description, a list of desirable criteria and experience, and then undertaking a national informational campaign to begin recruiting potential candidates. Newberry will help to mentor the new executive director during his or her initial months. “I’ve gained a unique perspective on BOC,” he says, “first as a practitioner, then as a Board member and now as interim executive director. It has allowed me to experience BOC in ways that are unique. I look forward to helping our new executive and our governing Board in any way I can.” “Additional credentialing and accreditation options make it likely that more people will become interested in entering the field,” says O&P consultant JR Brandt, CO, BOCO, RTO, a former chairman of BOC’s Board. “Increased interest will translate into more practitioners, which will ultimately be good not only for the professions of orthotics, prosthetics and pedorthics, but for the patients we serve.” For further information on BOC’s programs, or to request or download application forms, contact BOC online at www.bocusa.org; by telephone at toll-free 877-776-2200; or via email at info@bocusa.org.
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