Editor's perspective on health economics in prosthetics and orthotics

Abstract

There is a scarcity of literature exploring Health Economics in Prosthetics and Orthotics (P&O). The P&O sector has, over the past decades, moved to a Bachelor's or Masters Degree level as the requirement for entry to practice and, with that, there has been a growing body of research and knowledge generation focusing primarily on clinical aspects and engineering advances. No corresponding body of research has emerged on the economic aspects of P&O, creating a fundamental weakness in both technical and clinical research efforts to advance this field within an economically sustainable framework. This weakness will become critical as data driven engineering advances (e.g. exoskeletons, mass customizable prostheses) and clinical improvements (e.g. osseointegration, diabetes treatments) will make reimbursement for devices ever more complex and challenging. The tension between what is possible and what is fundable will increase unless what is possible also drives down costs. Finding the right balance in Prosthetics and Orthotics will be a challenge, as this sector already struggles to justify current standards of care. This Special Edition takes a snapshot of stakeholder perspectives and opinions on the topic of Health Economics in P&O and is organized around the following stakeholder groups: End-user, Researcher (Engineering and Clinical), Prosthetic and Orthotic Practitioner and, of critical importance, four papers describing an interdisciplinary project on the Health Economics of Osseointegration that was led by a payor. Each author was also asked to provide a "Call to Action" in which they identify one or more key areas that need to be addressed in order to move forward with the barriers or opportunities they have identified in their paper. The intent of the Special Edition is to generate discussion and encourage more in-depth research on this topic.