Importance of developing a relationship with your Lab

Developing and maintaining a relationship with your Orthotic Laboratory is critical in relation to achieving the best possible clinical outcomes for your patients. When prescribing Custom made Orthotics, it is important you have the confidence that your Lab is providing exactly what you are asking for. This is a major reason why we prefer to conduct an orientation session with all podiatrists before they commence the orthotic prescribing process.

When developing a relationship with your lab, it is important that you are able to access the lab to see the facilities and identify how your patients Custom Orthotics are manufactured.
We have witnessed first hand on many occasions, the benefit podiatrists obtain by visiting the lab and by developing genuine and open lines of communication with us.

Developing an in-depth understanding of how we utilise our digital orthotic manufacturing software is critical if you are wanting to achieve the best clinical outcomes for your patients and to ensure your orthotic prescribing experience is as satisfying and smooth as possible.
With recent developments of digital technology in the realm of orthotic manufacturing, it is also equally as important that you are able to develop an understanding of how your method of foot capture affects the manufacturing process of the device and therefore your clinical outcomes.

When discussing patient outcomes, one key area to cover with your lab is orthotic prescription. When bringing a new client through an orientation session at Alliance Orthotics, we have an emphasis on biomechanics assessment techniques and how results translate into the prescription form. It is easy to be overwhelmed when looking at a new prescription form, however, ensuring you understand every aspect of the device and how you can apply this to your patients devices is paramount.

Through developing a strong relationship with their orthotic lab, podiatrists are able to develop a comprehensive knowledge of how custom orthotics are manufactured in the digital landscape. Podiatrists become confident and fluent in explaining the orthotic manufacturing process directly to their patients as well as how exactly the orthotic they are prescribing will be able to treat the condition that it is being prescribed for.
Podiatrists also develop the confidence to troubleshoot during a consultation with their patient to resolve any minor issues the patient may have on the spot rather than having to send devices back to the lab etc - which has a major impact on patient satisfaction.

Like all relationships, the most important part of developing and maintaining a relationship with your Orthotic Lab is communication.
Knowing who you are speaking with and being able to access a team member in sufficient time is important. As podiatrists we understand the importance of time. When prescribing with Alliance Orthotics being allocated a staff member's contact details is all a part of the initial relationship phase. Our goal is to develop a relationship with you where you feel comfortable speaking with us or asking for our advice in any situation you are presented with.