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McCarty Center
PT Earns New Certification
Amy Laizure, a physical
therapist for the J. D. McCarty Center for children
with developmental disabilities in Norman, has
just earned her assistive technology professional
(ATP) certification from the Rehabilitation
Engineering and Assistive Technology Society
of North America.
ATP's work with therapists
to help match the best piece of adaptive equipment
to meet the patient's goals and skills. ATP's
help to assure patient follow-up and training
of the patient in the use of the adaptive equipment.
Assistive technology includes
wheelchairs, augmentative communication devices,
electronic aides to daily living, sensory aides
for vision and hearing, environmental accommodations
for job and school and adaptive eating utensils.
ATP's are particularly involved in the selection
and setup of high-level power mobility chairs.
From these chairs, patients can remotely open
doors, turn lights off and on and do other functions.
"Amy's pursuit of
this certification is just another demonstration
of our staff's interest in gaining more expertise
and providing another level of service to our
patients," said Sue O'Hare, director of
physical therapy. "Having an ATP on staff
will help us in getting advanced or unusual
adaptive equipment recommendations approved
by insurance payers. It helps to have this resource
on staff instead of having to depend on an outside
source for it."
In order to become an
ATP Laizure had to become an expert in not only
adaptive equipment commonly used by physical
therapists, but also equipment that are use
in the area of occupational therapy and communication
disorders. Currently, Laizure will need to complete
10 continuing education units per year to maintain
her certification. Beginning in 2011, that number
will increase to 20 hours.
Currently there are 38
ATP's in the state of Oklahoma. Laizure is the
only one in Norman at this time.
The J. D. McCarty Center
is Oklahoma's center of excellence in the care
and treatment of children with developmental
disabilities. Founded in 1946, the McCarty Center
treated only one thing…cerebral palsy.
Today, the McCarty Center has treated more than
70 different diagnoses in the developmental
disability category.
The McCarty Center conducts
an adaptive equipment clinic on Wednesday mornings.
It is open to anyone with adaptive equipment
needs. Call 405.307.2800 for an appointment.
For more information about
the J. D. McCarty Center visit www.jdmc.org.
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