Your First Appointment

Prosthetics: Step-by-step Initial evaluation post amputation

1.         Patient enters office and greeted by our friendly and professional staff

2.         Patient may be asked if they have a prescription from their M.D.

3.         Patient may be asked to fill out paper work, patient demographics/information and insurance information, HIPPA compliance information sheets.  These can be pre-printed from “New Patient Forms” section of website.

4.         The practitioner will be notified the patient is ready and the Practitioner will come into the lobby, greet the patient and family and ask them to come back to a patient exam room.

5.         Patient and family or care providers are escorted into an exam room and dialog is presented about what the patient is being seen for.

6.         A question and answer session may take place for any initial questions the patient may have to put the patient’s curiosity or anxieties at ease.

7.         If patient is well healed the practitioner may manipulate Pt’s residual limb to determine tenderness, pain, or other anomalies that might be present with the limb. Also to check the suture line to ensure it is well healed it is without drainage

8.         Patient’s limb is then tested for range of motion and strength as well as the sound side limbs and upper extremities. Pt. may even be asked to stand in a walker or parallel bars to evaluate strength.

9.         Measurements will be taken to track pt’s limb shape and volume as over time the limb will reduce in size/swelling

10.       Patient will then be fit with a residual limb shrinker sock to prevent swelling and encourage limb volume reduction and shaping for prosthetic fitting.

11.       If the patient is still new and prosthesis is several weeks into the future, patient may be fit with a post-operative protective device that is made from plastic and has foam padding for the bottom end. This device encourages knee extension to prevent “flexion contractures” and protects the limb from any external trauma..

12.       Patient will be educated on the future prosthetic fitting process, educated on wearing and caring for the post-operative protective device and the residual limb shrinker socks.  Patient is provided reference materials on prosthesis.

13.       Any further questions will be asked and answered at this time.

14.       Patient will be encouraged not to hesitate to call if any questions arise and will be provided a business card for reference.

15.       Patient will then be asked to sign for receiving the items provided to them.

16.       Patient will be scheduled for a follow-up appointment to track progress with residual limb volume and healing.