Ask anyone who has ever met her, and they will say that her smile and infectious laughter absolutely lights up a room. Liz Hillen, M.Ed., CPO, LPO, has been in the O&P industry for over 20 years, first starting out with Hanger Clinic as a Clinic Manager in the Tampa Bay area, and then as a Clinical Specialist with Ottobock. Her experience has made her uniquely qualified to collaborate with suppliers and provide an overall comparative education to the clinicians SPS serves. We sat down with her to discuss her perspective on the changing dynamics between patients and clinicians in this digital age.
Interview lightly edited for clarity.
What is your role at SPS?
I am a certified and licensed Prosthetist Orthotist and a Clinical Consultant for SPS. My primary responsibility is to support all clinical technologies and devices from all partner suppliers that we collaborate with. I also provide CEU training and education, which can include casting techniques or overviews on how to program devices. In addition, I help clinicians determine whether their patient is a proper candidate for certain technologies.
How have patient expectations evolved in this digital age?
Well, with social media, patients can see what is available regarding O&P technology. Because information is now more accessible, patients are approaching clinicians today and saying “Hey, I read about this online. Could you tell me about this technology and can I try it?” These expectations are pushing clinicians to understand the differences between offerings. Our job is to educate those clinicians so they are on top of their game.
What do you see as the value of digital education?
I think it is a great way to give clinicians who are super busy an opportunity to continue their education and their commitment to maintaining their certification with ABC or BOC. Our customers may not be able to attend outside CEU courses. With digital education, like SPS Online CEU Courses, they can maintain their CEUs without having to travel and at no cost to them.
Have you heard any feedback about our online CEU courses and remote clinical education?
Yes, I have a friend of mine that’s a CPO in Hawaii and she looks forward to taking these online courses because flying to the mainland is very expensive. Even our customers in Alaska—they appreciate our Remote Webinar Training because it’s like Sam and I are in their office instead of just on a computer. We’re able to provide help to the clinician wherever they are, and it works out great.
Why should a clinician take advantage of SPS Clinical Services?
Like I said earlier, Sam and I really come from an unbiased position. It’s our job to understand the different technologies and clinical solutions that's available for specific patients in mind. We’re able to help clinicians in the field make more informed decisions. Sam and I have worked with multiple technologies so we can provide an unbiased direction regarding which devices are appropriate for different patients.
Any final thoughts?
It’s an exciting year for sure. We’re really upping our digital game with CEUs. We’re connecting with a lot of customers remotely and educating them on all the great products we offer. Sometime a clinician may not think about different solutions until they are truly educated about all products available.
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