AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23, 2022 – Hanger, Inc. recently announced clinical practice guidelines for the prosthetic rehabilitation of those with upper limb amputations to help facilitate improved healthcare for this specialized patient population. Produced by the Hanger Institute for Clinical Research and Education, the guidelines were released simultaneously with the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) newly updated recommendations.
Addressing the more than 40,000 Americans who have upper limb loss, the two guidelines showcase different but complementary strategies. The VA’s guidelines provide information about interdisciplinary rehabilitation across the entire care continuum, including surgical and pre-prosthetic care, while the Hanger Institute guidelines focus on providing detailed recommendations related specifically to prosthetic design and clinical care. Collectively, the two documents provide helpful guidance to clinicians who may not treat this population with tremendous regularity.
“This important patient base requires an individualized approach to care that needs to be informed by expert clinical experience,” said James Campbell, PhD, Hanger Chief Clinical Officer. “The latest recommendations combined with the call for further high-quality research underlines the importance of the Hanger Institute’s work in this focused area and helps build a solid foundation for future studies.”
The Hanger Institute findings were compiled through a combination of evidence and subject matter expertise, with input from nearly 20 prosthetists and two occupational therapists with an average of 21 years of clinical experience. The recommendations resulted from a Delphi consensus in which each panelist was anonymously asked to vet evidence-informed statements gathered from available systematic reviews – resulting in the establishment of 40 care standards. The full publication can be found in the Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8724973/.
The VA findings reinforced 14 recommendations from prior clinical guidelines, including three new recommendations related to surgical and pre-prosthetic aspects of care: two that relate to psychosocial considerations and one that includes clinically oriented resources. The comprehensive resource also includes a research priorities section, along with toolkit materials for providers and patients. The complete guidelines can be found at https://www.healthquality.va.gov/.
"The strength and validity of this new guideline are founded on a stringent development and external peer-review process," says Dr. Joseph Webster, VA Physical Medical and Rehabilitation Physician and one of the VA workgroup members for the VA/DoD clinical practice guideline. "Through the combined efforts of an interdisciplinary work group of subject-matter experts, we're able to improve the quality and consistency of amputation-related care services for Veterans. This new guideline allows for more informed clinical providers and stronger direct education for Veterans and others who need upper limb amputations."
More information on the latest upper limb clinical practice guidelines can be found on the Hanger Institute’s website: https://hangerclinic.com/blog/for-professionals/upper-limb-prosthetic-clinical-standards-of-care/.
About Hanger, Inc. – Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Hanger, Inc. (NYSE: HNGR) provides comprehensive, outcomes-based orthotic and prosthetic (O&P) services through its Patient Care segment, with approximately 875 Hanger Clinic locations nationwide. Through its Products & Services segment, Hanger distributes branded and private label O&P devices, products and components, and provides rehabilitative solutions. Recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best Employers for 2022, and rooted in 160 years of clinical excellence and innovation, Hanger is a purpose-driven company with a vision to lead the O&P markets by providing superior patient care, outcomes, services and value, aimed at empowering human potential. For more information on Hanger, visit News.Hanger.com.
About the Department of Veterans Affairs – The Department of Veterans Affairs is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with a mission to fulfill President Lincoln’s promise: “To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan” by serving and honoring the men and women who are America’s veterans. VA fulfills its commitment to Veterans and their families through its Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, National Cemetery Administration and its Fourth Mission. The Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated health care network in the United States, with more than 1,200 health care facilities serving approximately 9 million enrolled Veterans each year. For more information on VA, visit va.gov.
Krisita Burket, Hanger, Inc.
904-239-4627, kburket@hanger.com
Meghan Williams, Hanger, Inc.
512-777-3701, megwilliams@hanger.com