Sports Medicine Doctor at Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care of Burnsville - Assignment Example

 Sports Medicine Doctor at Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care, Burnsville Statement of Purpose As one of the leading healthcare facilities, Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care, Burnsville strives to offer the best orthopedic care to people of athletic ability and people of all ages (Fairview Health Services para 1). It is one of the centers of Fairview Health Services, a health company that offers a wide spectrum of services that include primary care clinics, hospitals, as well as a broad range of specialty services such as senior services and home care. Its sports medicine and orthopedic providers treat conditions for professional athletes, recreational athlete, and any patient who experiences injuries. In addition, the facility works with patients to manage chronic conditions that are related to joints, bones, and muscles (Fairview Health Services para3). In the light of increased customers’ expectations on service delivery and the need to remain competitive, how can Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care, Burnsville realize its goals? The facility should continue blending the best in conservative and modern approaches in sports medicine. It is also important that its commitment to help the patients to get back to sports and other activities as safely and quickly as possible should be visible to existing and potential clients. It is for this reason that it should continue upgrading in terms of staff and equipment. Considering the need to fast track the recovery of patients from injuries in order for them to resume their activities, I recommend that the clinic should purchase state-of-the-art equipment known as the Computerized Gait Analysis equipment. Other than the Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care Chief Operations Officer, the other people I perceive as the audience in making this proposal are the organization’s top management personnel who include: Charles Mooty, Interim Chief Executive Officer; Brent Asplin, Chief Clinical Officer; Terry Carroll, Chief Information Officer; Daniel Fromm, Chief Financial Officer; and Mark Hansberry, Strategy, Marketing and Communications Officer. This audience will use this information for the specific purpose of deciding on whether they will agree to my proposal and acquire the Computerized Gait Analysis equipment. In a bid to develop a viable proposal on the need to acquire this equipment, various sources/resources will be used in gathering information. In particular, books and journals that have detailed information about this equipment will be used. Also, books and journals that have information about the benefits and some negative effects of this equipment will be used. Based on the information gathered from these resources, a conclusion will be made on why it is important to acquire this equipment. This project recognizes further needs or considerations to be anticipated. In recommending the purchase of Computerized Gait Analysis equipment, it is appreciated that it is costly equipment whose benefits is worth the cost. Since it is expensive equipment, it will be important for the organization to make provision for insurance to cover it in an event of damages as a result of accidents such as fire or in case of technical problem. Also, it is recognized that adequate time needs to be allocated in shopping for this equipment and the materials that need to be used with this equipment. Equally important, is the appreciation of the need for qualified personnel to operate this equipment and help clients while they are using it. Available data indicate that the safety of this equipment is high and no serious safety concern can be associated with it. Gait analysis is defined as the systematic study of an individual’s motion, using the observer’s brain and the eye, augmented by instrumentation for measuring muscles activity, body mechanics, and body movements. This is a process that is used in assessing, planning, and treating individuals with conditions or abnormalities affecting their ability to run or walk (Kirtley 32). Commonly, it is used in sports bio-mechanic and physical therapy in helping athletes to not only run more efficiently, but also in identifying movement-related and posture-related problems in individuals with injuries (Nick et al 1). Gait analysis systems are specifically designed for a sports medicine facility medical practice, running sports, or physical therapy requirements. The available cameras capture a patient’s gait movement in ultra-slow motion and therefore the gait analysis software provides a sports medicine doctor with a real time data for assessing a patient’s running or walking gait (Erhardt and Joes 19). The mechanics of the ankle and foot and their impacts on the body as a whole and particularly on the lower extremity are very intricate. These complexities have been presenting significant challenges to the staff at the clinic because they are required to visually demonstrate or verbally explain abnormalities to the patients on what is exactly taking place during the gait cycle (Tan 12). Sports medicine doctors and biomedical engineers have been trying to develop and utilize many methods and techniques of gait analysis in order to conquer this challenge. Although some of these techniques and methods have been successful for sports medicine doctors in gaining an appreciation of more precise measurements, the methods often required advanced mathematics knowledge and as such, there were difficulties in translating the results in a way that patients can easily read and understand it. The Computerized Gait Analysis equipment is an extremely useful tool that can be used to provide solution to this problem in the clinic (Nick et al. 3). The Computerized Gait Analysis utilizes a noninvasive method where a paper-thin pressure sensor is placed into the patient’s shoe. A paddle or a small connector is attached to an ankle cuff is then placed around the ankle connected to the sensor (Kirtley 44). The paddle is connected to thin sensor wires, and a waist belt is used in keeping the sensor wires out of the leg’s travel. The sensor wires are connected to a device (usually a computer) that has advanced specific software to capture and process data regarding the gait. After a few minutes of back and forth walk on a treadmill or in the testing area in order for the patient to get accustomed to the machine, the testing can start. The sports medicine physician calibrates the equipment testing to the weight of the (Tomie 56). Thereafter, the patient runs on a treadmill, or in the testing area, for about 20 seconds. In the process, the computer captures the distribution of pressure on the bottom of patient’s foot and the timing of those pressures. Once the thorough data analysis has been done, the doctor can consult with the patient in reviewing the test results; conduct an examination of the patient in order to confirm any suspicions of abnormalities as demonstrated by the machine’s test results. After that, the doctor either modifies or formulates treatment regimens for a patient (Whittle 93). A gait analysis facility has a number of cameras that are placed around a treadmill or walkway and are linked to a computer. Patients have markers that are located at various reference points of their body such as ankle malleolus, the knee condyles, and the iliac spines of the pelvis. A patient will then be required to walk down the treadmill or catwalk as the computer calculates each marker’s trajectory in 3 dimensions (Erhardt and Joes 30). Calculation of the movement is done using a model to obtain a total breakdown of each joint’s movement. Sports medical doctors and other staff members at the clinic will use the Computerized Gait Analysis systems, as well as video motion software to treat patients’ biochemical deficiencies efficiently and successfully (Whittle 103). Patients will just be required to spend a few minutes on catwalk or treadmill with high-speed cameras in order to capture their gait utilizing using excellent analysis software. This will provide sports medicine doctors and other personnel with real time data to diagnose accurately all gait related injuries, as well as in improving the sport performance of an athlete. This kind of an instant feedback between patients and clinic professionals is undoubtedly invaluable in preventing or discovering gait related injuries. By analyzing the biochemical movement of patients, their performance can be enhanced and injuries prevented (Nick et al 4). The Computerized Gait Analysis equipment provides more than simply watching a person running or walking. It should be noted that the practice of observational gait analysis has been in existence for over 100 years and it is the technological advancements that have helped computerized gait analysis to be available. Mathematical modeling and mechanical analysis of gait have increasingly become sophisticated as the technology using accelerometers, high-speed video, force platforms, as well as other powerful devices continue to advance (Langer 149). Although computerized gait analysis has not revolutionized the clinical setting, it has undoubtedly provided sports medicine doctors and physical therapists with opportunity to research for a better understanding of body movement of humans, and therefore becoming a more powerful and useful clinical modality for practitioners in the field of sports medicine(Tan 80). Computerized gait analysis techniques started to be utilized en masse in the 1990s in human performance and biomechanics research labs as the computer technology became more affordable and user-friendly (Kirtley 55). The continuing technological advancements and growing of the body of knowledge led to adoption of computerized gait analysis techniques in order to evaluate the movement pathologies better, aid in surgical planning for neuro-muscular disorders, and to provide a therapeutic progress via visual record (Langer 149). This equipment has been very important in the athletics setting where trainers and coaches have used it in evaluating and refining sport-specific skills, and therefore decreasing injury risk and/or improving performance (Tomie 98). Recent years has witnessed growing acceptance of the use of the Computerized Gait Analysis equipment in the rehabilitation and clinical sports medicine setting. Rehabilitation and sports medicine practitioners have increasingly used the Computerized Gait Analysis to help in therapy and evaluation of gait pathologies related to traumatic brain injuries. In addition, many athletics footwear retailers are now using the equipment to sell footwear, despite lacking formal biomechanics training (Whittle 111). It can also serve as an additional clinical tool to visual better patterns of movement and biomechanics to monitor treatment progress. Besides, the Computerized Gait Analysis provides visual information of improving communication with patients. Moreover, it has been used increasingly in evaluating a patient’s movement patterns in order to help in improving performance, monitoring therapeutic interventions such as orthoses or gait retraining, and diagnosing pathologies (Langer 149). So, how would Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care, Burnsville benefit from this machine? The clinic and the patients will significantly benefit from the acquisition of this equipment. It will help patients with biomechanical abnormalities and who require conservative care such as gait training, orthotics, and muscular re-education through target stretching or strengthening of various muscle groups. It will help the clinic to address the problem of patients with structural or biomechanical abnormalities requiring medical and surgical care (Kirtley 69). Using this machine, pre and post-operative studies can be performed on patients to assess the surgery results and post-operative surgery. In addition, if the quantity of weighbearing requires to be regulated after surgery, pre and post- operative studies would be valuable in achieving this goal (Tan 84). The Computerized Gait Analysis would also help the clinic’s sports medicine practitioners to address the problem of patients with mechanical abnormalities that are as a result of traumatic injuries, weakness, chronic instability, or chronic injuries (Erhardt and Joes 47). It is also important to highlight the fact that since Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care clinic not only seeks to address injuries, but also help athletes to improve their performance, this machine will be instrumental in helping athletes of all competition levels and age range who desire to have the highest performance at lower extremity. Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care will benefit significantly from acquisition of this equipment, as it will be able to focus on more issues that face athletes. For example, the clinic will comfortably help athletes who suffer from systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus or cerebral palsy, which may lead to biomechanical abnormalities (Nick et al 5). This equipment will also go a long way in helping patients who have not been responding well to their current treatment protocols particularly for lower extremity ailments. Patients who attend the clinic and are suffering from stress fractures, knee pain, lower back pain, muscular pain, hip pain, shin splints, and foot pain associated with poor feet mechanics will be provided with appropriate care to ensure that they recover from their injuries in order to resume their sporting and other activities(Whittle 173) . This will place Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care among the few sports medicine clinics in the United States that offer this state-of-the-art technology to their patients, as well as enabling their patients to experience the utilization of this evaluation tool often so as to prevent injuries and to enhance performance (Kirtley 85). The sports medicine clinics and practitioners have an important role in ensuring that their clients recover from injury and/or enjoy pain free mobility. The Computerized Gait Analysis can provide critical and valuable data to help achieve this goal. Prevention of injuries and enhancement of clients’ performance will be greatly facilitated through utilization of this equipment (Erhardt and Joes 79). It is expected that upon acquisition, the Computerized Gait Analysis equipment will provide biomechanical data regarding the efficiency of athletes and patients’ mobility. In addition, it will help in providing functional reasoning why a patient is having pain. The clinic and the sports medicine practitioners will also benefit from the data identifying the origin of a particular patient’s pain disorder and which cannot be explained by radiological imaging (Tomie 105). As has already been mentioned, the machine will help in defining treatment protocols. Since most patients desire to recover fast in order to resume their normal activities, this equipment will help in speeding up patients’ rehabilitation (Tan 91). More importantly, the clinic will benefit, as the equipment will provide objective monitoring of patients’ recovery. It will also make it easier for the sports medicine practitioners at the clinic to rule in or rule out orthotic prescription by identifying if a patient’s foot problem comes from faulty hip or foot mechanics. Recent developments in sports medicine have proved that Computerized Gait Analysis is an irreplaceable clinical tool in diagnosing verse and sport injuries. It is an important tool in helping to maximize patient’s performance, improving patient’s strength, and in eliminating biomechanical deficiencies (Whittle 140). There are some primary criticisms that have been leveled against the Computerized Gait Analysis. Its critics have argued that it has limited usefulness and reproducibility of data and can sometime lead to subjective observations. A number of researches on the repeatability and reliability of computerized gait analysis and other orthopedic measures indicate low to good inter-rater reliability and in most cases better variability with observers who are more experienced (Langer 150). Certain studies have indicated good reliability in rehabilitation settings with patients who are hemiplegic. It should be noted that some of the studies were done without the capability of stopping or slowing down the computer for a more detailed examination, and which may likely contribute to less than optimal outcomes (Tomie 88). This challenge is, however, being addressed by new high-speed analysis software that allows observers to magnify, stop, and slow down the video so as to have a more detailed examination of the patient’s movement. The software also includes tools for calculation of angles and obtaining of other measurements. Studies that have been conducted recently using this software have shown higher inter-rater reliability compared to standard software that lacked these tools (Langer 150). Sports medicine doctors have come up with various proposals on how to address some of the weaknesses of the Computerized Gait Analysis considering that it is an irreplaceable tool and therefore it can only be improved and not discarded. Some sports medicine doctors have advocated for standardization of the Computerized Gait Analysis using summary assessments tools such as the Physician Rating Scale (PRS) (Kirtley 90). This tool classifies six gait variables on a scale of 2 to 4 points. When some variables such as knee position are tested on the PRS, they have been found to have good to excellent reliability but on moderate accuracy only. This study seems to suggest that the more variables observed from a patient, the less accurate the observations would be (Whittle 159). Formal Gait Analysis techniques such as the Observational Gait Scale and Visual Gait Assessment Scale appear to improve the judgments’ reliability, but they do not necessarily affect the accuracy. Researchers of gait analysis tend to agree that standardized gait methodology and analysis training would likely improve the outcomes. The fact that human movement patterns are unique and tend to be affected by a large number of variables such as body composition, sex and age cannot be ignored (Tan 43). This challenge is further complicated by how humans respond to systemic ways to orthotic, footwear, bracing and other biomechanical interventions. Nonetheless, the Computerized Gait Analysis has proved to be effective in helping patients recover from injury, enhancing their performance and assisting them to enjoy pain free mobility. Undoubtedly, Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care, Burnsville will benefit significantly from acquisition of the Computerized Gait Analysis equipment as it strives to offer the best orthopedic care to people of athletic ability and people of all ages. As has been noted, this equipment utilizes gait analysis methods that entail systematic study of an individual’s motion, using the observer’s brain and the eye, augmented by instrumentation for measuring muscles activity, body mechanics, and body movements. It also entails assessing, planning, and treating individuals with conditions or abnormalities affecting their ability to run or walk. This equipment will help patients with biomechanical abnormalities and who require conservative care such as gait training, orthotics, and muscular re-education through target stretching or strengthening of various muscle groups. It will also help the clinic to address the problem of patients with structural or biomechanical abnormalities requiring medical and surgical care. . It is expected that upon acquisition, the Computerized Gait Analysis equipment will provide biomechanical data regarding the efficiency of athletes and patients’ mobility. Moreover, it will help in providing functional reasoning why a patient is having pain. The clinic and the sports medicine practitioners will also benefit from the data identifying the origin of a particular patient’s pain disorder and which cannot be explained by radiological imaging. While there have been noted criticisms against this equipment, it has also remained clear that it is an irreplaceable tool that cannot be discarded in the sports medicine practice. Its critics have argued that it has limited usefulness and reproducibility of data and can sometime lead to subjective observations. However, considering that it is indispensable equipment in the contemporary sports medicine practice, sports medicine doctors have advocated for standardization of the Computerized Gait Analysis using summary assessments tools such as the Physician Rating Scale (PRS) in order to address some of its defects. Recent developments in sports medicine have proved that Computerized Gait Analysis is an irreplaceable clinical tool in diagnosing verse and sport injuries. It is an important tool in helping to maximize patient’s performance, improving patient’s strength, and in eliminating biomechanical deficiencies. Therefore, it is recommended that Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care, Burnsville purchase this new, expensive, state-of-the-art equipment in order to achieve its goals, mission, and vision. Works Cited Erhardt, Jonathan W, and Joes B. Williams. Comparison of Observational, Video, and 3-D Computerized Gait Analysis Using the Tinetti Gait Assessment Tool on One Hemiplegic Ambulator. , 1997. Print. Fairview Health Services. Fairview Sports and Orthopedic Care – Burnsville. 2013. Web. 13 Jun, 2013. Kirtley, Chris. Clinical Gait Analysis: Theory and Practice. Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone, 2006. Print. Langer, Paul. “Video Gait Analysis in the Podiatric Sports Medicine Clinic.” Podiatry Management, (2011): 149-154. Nick Caplan, et al. "Post-Operative Gait Analysis In Total Hip Replacement Patients—A Review Of Current Literature And Meta-Analysis." Gait & Posture 36.1 (2012): 1-6. Tan, Junjay. Advancing Clinical Gait Analysis Through Technology and Policy. , 2009. Print. Tomie, Jo-Anne. Computerized Gait Analysis in the Rehabilitation of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Spina Bifida. Edmonton: Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, 1997. Print. Whittle, Michael W. Gait Analysis: An Introduction. Oxford [u.a.: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2002. Print. Read More