Josh Sundquist, CNN Hero

CNN recently profiled Josh Sundquist, creator of the online amputee network "Less than Four," or <4. The website provides a place for amputees to meet, talk about their prostheses or other interests, and create a blog about themselves. According to CNN, it has over 200 members and 10,000 viewers, but judging by the number of calls we've received from people who saw the clip, it might have many more soon.

The Fastest Man on No Legs

Robotic Prosthetics

IBC Rootbeer Commerical

She Glides on Ice

Earlier this year, P&O Care did a profile in The Care Digest on Janetta Roggers. Since then, these two videos of Janetta have been viewed over 16,000 times online. Always adventurous, Janetta is continuing to experiment with new activities, the latest being soccer.

The Walks the Mall

The Amputee Network: After losing leg to speeding car, Chandler man walks tall as prosthetist

The Amputee Network: After losing leg to speeding car, Chandler man walks tall as prosthetist

Virginia Parity Push

Here's a great article on the push for prosthetic parity in Virginia.

http://www.roanoke.com/business/wb/wb/xp-132817

In Missouri, by contrast with Virginia, the effort to get a prosthetic parity law on the books is being led by a committee of amputees, rather than a prosthetic company like P&O Care. The Missouri Coalition for People with Limb Loss will, of course, eventually raise money from prosthetic companies to hire a lobbiest, and it's only right that we help. But patients who have been denied coverage by their insurance companies are leading the push here.

We would also take issue with the characterization of prosthetic parity as a traditional "mandate." Limb loss is a tragic, sudden (even when caused by diabetes) medical condition, the kind of thing that health insurance exists to cover. No one will cut their limb off to benefit from "mandated" prosthetic coverage. We will simply see more amputees going back to work and fewer depending on Medicaid for their prosthetic coverage. Less than ten years ago, insurance policies used to all cover prosthetics on their own. Why not now?

Late Morning

It's almost 10:00 am and our Fairview Heights crew is just getting into the office. They didn't over-sleep. Police set up a perimeter, blocking off our office, in their man-hunt for an individual who shot and killed his estranged wife and the step-father of his girlfriend yesterday in Georgia. Early this morning, he fired at Fairview Heights police and hit a patrol car.

Eventually, they found him in a corn field between our office and another building which houses the local IRS office. Unfortunately, the suspect shot himself before he could be apprehended. More information can be found at http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=129883.

The delay has postponed a few patient appointments at our office and at some local nursing homes where we frequently travel.

What Happens in Vegas...

Next week, the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA) hosts its anual National Assembly in Las Vegas at the Venitian Resort, Hotel, and Casino from September 17-20. P&O Care will be represented by the three amigos, Jim Weber, CEO; Jon Wilson, CPO and Clinical Director; and Dennis Richards, CO and Orthotic Team Leader. Also attending will be our super-talented office manager, Wanda Stephans, and our (currently single) Director of Fabrication, Mark "Doc" Woodson.

AOPA's National Assembly is the largest gathering of prosthetists and orthotists in the U.S. each year. It offers a chance to swap ideas, network with colleagues all over the country, take in a few continuing ed courses, and schmooze with vendors.

Watch Us on TV (Hi, Mom!)

Just a reminder, P&O Care will be covered on a special “news” program tonight, September 6, on KMOV 4 at 6:30. Instead of Entertainment Tonight, American Health Front will profile 11 St. Louis-area health care groups that are improving technology and patient care. Yes, it is (technically) an advertisement, and no, we are not above doing a half-veiled infomercial. Two real patients are featured in our two-minute clip, and no actors were harmed during filming. Let us know what you think, whether it’s cheesy or fantastic.

Practitioner Profile: Maggie Ware-Smith

P&O Care's newest prosthetic resident is the super-talented and friendly Maggie Ware-Smith. Maggie graduated this year from Northwestern Medical School in Chicago with graduate certificates in both prosthetics and orthotics. After growing up right here in Clayton, she attended the University of Virginia where she graduated with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering in 2006.


This past July, Maggie started her year-long prosthetic residency, seeing patients and building limbs with P&O Care's Jon Wilson, CPO. She plans to do an orthotic residency after she gets her ABC certification in prosthetics next year. Maggie hopes to practice someday as both a prosthetist and an orthotist, capable of providing the same patients with artificial limbs and custom bracing. P&O Care is lucky to have such an ambitious rising star.