Throughout the last several months, these blog posts have wound their way through our lovely, state-of-the-art clinic here in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. This blog comes to you from our Durable Medical Equipment (DME) store located between our Main Clinic and our Physical Therapy department. Upon first glance, it resembles a gift shop, but in reality it is a space chock-full of nifty medical devices our board-certified physicians prescribe for our patients and their different pathologies. As mentioned in the casting blog, treatment of fractures and acute injuries is not quite as conservative as twenty years ago, so removable medical equipment is popular.
If your doctor determines that you are in need of some kind of knee brace for sustained ligament damage, a wrist brace to help you transition out of your cast, or a walking boot to help recover from an achilles tendon repair, we have you covered. You need not have to find your own product somewhere on the internet or at your local drug store. Your doctor will provide a prescription, and one of our lovely medical assistants will walk you down to meet our fabulous Fitting Team in the DME store. They will not only do the insurance leg work for you, but also fit you appropriately with the product and educate you as to the proper usage. They will guide you through the velcro straps, buttons, clips, buckles, and occasional wing nut.
One of the benefits of receiving your durable medical equipment from us is that we have a manufacturer’s warranty on our products which typically lasts between three and six months. If a strap breaks on your knee brace or your pneumatic walking boot quits holding air, you can bring it to us for further examination, and the warranty can be used if necessary. We also provide the specific products our board-certified physicians prefer for certain injuries. We have slings specific to different surgical procedures and different knee braces for different pathologies. We also carry ambulatory aids such as crutches, canes, walkers, and knee scooters. Compression fracture of the spine? No worries! We have a myriad of back braces too!
Our DME store accepts every insurance that OAW takes as a clinic. They will do their best to get your prescribed product covered under insurance. Some limitations do exist per insurance policies. Most insurances will only allow one item to be dispensed per injury or body part over a course of time. The lesson? Don’t lose or toss those items! When your doctor tells you that you no longer need to utilize a product, tuck it away safely in a closet just in case. A handful of our products are not laterality specific and others are appropriate for a myriad of pathologies. You never know when that ankle boot for your right ankle fracture will be just as beneficial for some left achilles tendinitis down the line.
In addition to our prescribed products, we also have items available for cash pay such as over-the-counter orthotics, simple slings, compression stockings, and cast bags for showering. These items cannot be billed to your insurance, but are significantly less expensive than the larger-ticket items. We are happy to provide you with all of the items that accessorize your orthopedic injury, so if you need more than just an evaluation, come see us at Orthopaedic Associates of Wisconsin today for some one-stop care!
This blog is written by one of our very own-Morgan. She is a certified athletic trainer working as a medical assistant with our providers each and every day in our clinic. She obtained a bachelor's degree in athletic training from Carroll University in Waukesha and a master's degree in Kinesiology from Michigan State University. She is excited to bring you updates and information about the happenings at OAW.