Client-centric prosthetics and orthotics practice model in technology management

Innovation in technology has changed the way we interact, collaborate and conduct business. In the next 10 years, there will be a lot of changes in how we, as patients, clients and healthcare workers, experience healthcare. As they consider how to adapt medical and clinical specialists who focus on devices, such as prosthetists and orthotists, are presented with both an opportunity and a challenge. Less focus is placed on engineering and business abilities in the current prosthetic and orthotic education and practice, and more emphasis is placed on clinical skills. However, each of the three is important for a prosthetics and orthotics business to be successful and last for a long time. Furthermore, the latter two will have a significant impact on how prosthetics and orthotics look in the future. It is unclear how contemporary prosthetic and orthotic professionals can respond most effectively. In this editorial, one option is to rebalance their professional character so that the three most important parts are given equal weight. As a result, a Clinical Prosthetic Orthotic Technology Management Professional would practice their profession in a way that is client-centred, functionally grounded and incorporates eight professional traits: professional, advocate, scholar, leader, communicator, collaborator, assistive technology expert and business justification specialist.