NCOPE has partnered with the Center for Health Workforce Studies to Conduct an Updated Workforce Demand Study

Purpose of the O&P Workforce Study: The focus is on having the right people with the right skills in the right places at the right time. The workforce study aims to identify benchmarks for orthotist-prosthetists, assistants, fitters, and technicians based on workflow and demand for services.

How the data might be used:

1. Workforce planning and forecasting: Clinics can use the benchmarks for strategic planning and adapt to changing healthcare needs.
2. Increase payment: Insurance reimbursement rates and Medicare/Medicaid policies have been adjusted based on workforce studies showing that certain specialties or geographic areas need financial incentives to attract providers. O&P professional organizations can use the findings from this study to advocate for O&P services.