Currently, there are more than 2 million people living with limb loss and limb difference in the U.S., and by 2050 this number is expected to be 3.6 million. In addition, nearly 2 million Americans use an orthosis to assist with mobility, a number that will only increase as the nation ages. However, there are only 13 universities in the country that offer the graduate-level O&P programs required for clinicians to be able to deliver the care these individuals need. Clearly, a larger workforce is necessary to meet the needs of this growing population.
The Wounded Warrior Workforce Enhancement Act (HR 8687) addresses this need by awarding grants to colleges and universities to establish or expand O&P Masters’ degree programs. It also establishes a Center of Excellence in Prosthetic and Orthotic Education to help faculty incorporate the latest techniques into their classrooms. The Wounded Warrior Research Enhancement Act (HR 8686) delivers evidence-based research that improves results and reduces costs by funding studies that evaluate patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care, materials used in orthotic and prosthetic devices, and innovative O&P technologies.
Ask your Member of Congress to support O&P education and research https://p2a.co/3cfuqej
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