A prosthesis is an invaluable device for those missing a limb, which makes choosing the suitable prosthesis for you a big decision. Because of this, it only makes sense that you want the best prosthetist helping to walk you through this process so that when it comes time to get your prosthesis, you know it is the best fit for you.

Just like when choosing a prosthesis, selecting a prosthetist involves finding one that is a good fit for your needs.

When completing an initial search for a prosthetist, you will want to consider factors such as:

– office location
– prosthetist credentials
– reviews
– word-of-mouth recommendations

Location, in particular, is vital because you will be making many trips to the prosthetist, and you will want to ensure that you choose an easy and feasible location to travel to. Additionally, at Lawall we schedule follow-up appointments after receiving your prosthesis, this helps to ensure you are progressing properly, which is why a convenient location is an important factor.

Credentials are another important factor. Both American Board of Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) and Board of Certification are Medicare recognized credentialing boards that certify both practitioners and their offices. This certification ensures that the practitioners and their offices have achieved and maintained essential standards of care.

Once you have chosen a prosthetist based on the information gathered above, it is time to schedule your first appointment. During this time, your prosthetist will discuss what you are looking for from your prosthesis and what to expect from the process.

In addition to this information, the appointment will also provide time for you to examine the character and capability of your prosthetist to determine if they are a good fit before continuing with them. As stated previously, you will see your prosthetist a lot, and their work will significantly impact your life, so you want to make sure you have an excellent rapport.

Your prosthetist should understand your needs and wants. Your activity level prior to an amputation, the activities you enjoyed performing, your work and home environment are all contributing factors when selecting the most appropriate componentry for a prosthesis. However, the prosthetist can’t know this information and thus choose the best prosthetic if these conversations don’t occur.

When meeting with your prosthetist, you will want to make sure that they are taking the time to ask you what you are looking for from your prosthesis, what hobbies you have, and what activities you want to continue being able to do. They can then balance this information with the various types of prostheses, and their prices, to help you find the best fit.

It is natural to have questions such as, how do prostheses work, how are they fabricated, what prosthetic will work best for you, and what it will help you achieve. Whatever questions you have, you want to ensure that your prosthetist can answer them.

First, you want to be confident that your prosthetist is knowledgeable enough to answer any questions you have about the process and the prosthesis—competence in your prosthesis stems from your prosthetist’s ability to help you use it correctly.

Second, you want to feel as though your prosthetist is willing to take the time to answer all your questions without making you feel like you are asking too many. At Lawall, we are more than happy to answer all your questions until you feel confident in us and the prosthesis we match you with.

In addition to being willing to answer all your questions, you will want a prosthetist who can adequately communicate everything you need to know about your prosthesis. This ensures that you use your device correctly. You will want to make sure you fully understand your wearing schedule in the beginning, because it will take time for your limb to acclimate to the new prosthesis. Also, you will want to know how to clean the prosthesis and charging instructions, if applicable.

In addition to how your prosthetist interacts with you, this communication can also be seen in how they convey instructions or talk with their teammates. Receiving a prosthetic is a group effort, and you want to know that your prosthetist can communicate effectively with all members of this team, yourself included.

The prosthetists at Lawall are highly skilled at their jobs and prioritize exceptional patient interactions to answer any of your questions, choose the best prosthetic, and explain how to use it.

What sets the prosthetists at Lawall apart is our desire to continue to follow up with you, even after the initial fitting. We look forward to a long term relationship with our patients and we see ourselves as an integral part of your care team. At Lawall, your time with us does not end with receiving your prosthesis. We look forward to seeing you in your physical therapy sessions and follow up appointments, as well as events we hold several times a year!

Contact us to learn more about our team if you’re looking for the best prosthetist.