Practice Analysis: The Service Delivery and Domains of Prosthetic and Orthotic Practitioners in Malaysia

Abstract

Malaysia has a database for physiotherapist and occupational therapist, however, the statistic for manpower in Prosthetic and Orthotic (P&O) practitioners are yet to be reported. The aim of this research is to establish the database of P&O practitioners in Malaysia according to the Standards of Prosthetics and Orthotics of service delivery and domains using Practice Analysis (PA). PA is a strategy or technique used to explore and expand the content and description of the profession P&O practitioners. A total of fifty-one (51) respondents were selected in this research by using purposive sampling via hospitals and private practices companies in Malaysia. This number of respondents are divided into two which were twenty-one (21) Certified Prosthetists Orthotists (CPOs) and thirty (30) technicians. The data is collected using a questionnaire adapted from American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Orthotic. The findings of the questionnaire are analyzed and interpreted via descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequency. Prosthetic Fabrication (PF) has recorded the highest total frequency of CPOs and Technicians with 48 practitioners. The result of this study showed that the top three domains are patient assessment (Domain 1), implementation of the treatment plan (Domain 3), promotion of competency and enhancement of professional (Domain 4) were the most domains performed by the practitioners. These elementary findings of this study are useful for higher education and training providers in planning for a proper clinical and technical programme for future and existing practitioners as well as serve as a support evidence for the policy maker in ensuring the high quality of P&O service provision. This study has concluded that, P&O Practitioners have practiced the PA according to the Standards of Prosthetics and Orthotics of nine primary service delivery based on the four main domains