Florida Board

[Jerry Levitt]

    Governor Jeb Bush has recently submitted the name of Mr. Hugh 
 Panton for possible appointment to the Florida Board of Orthotists 
 and Prosthetists.  This is very peculiar.  Mr. Panton has not been 
 an advocate of state license.  During  his tenure as a director 
 of the Florida Association of Orthotist and Prosthetist he was instrumental 
 in writing a proposed bill which if passed would have 
 allowed anyone with a heartbeat to become a licensed prosthetist/orthotist 
 regardless of the persons education and training.  This is one of 
 the reasons he was removed as a director of FAOP.  After the 
 new leaders of FAOP succeeded in passing a bill requiring that prosthetist/orthotist have an education and training before they could practice, Mr. Panton began voicing his opinion that the rules should be structured so 
 a company would only need one licensed practitioner somewhere within 
 a 100 MILE radius to supervise the incompetents that could be hired 
 for substandard wages.  He has never expressed the idea that the 
 patient must be protected, only that the rules be fashioned in such 
 a way as to allow large business owners an avenue to hire cheap labor.
 If this is not bad enough, placing Mr. Panton on the Board will 
 stack the Board in the favor of a single large corporation, Hanger 
 Orthopedic Group.  The Chairman of the Board, who is subordinate to Mr. Panton, is a Hanger employee.  If Mr. Panton is appointed who will really chair the Board, and more importantly who will protect the people of Florida against those whose only interest is the bottom line.
      The citizens of Florida have the best practice act in the country, requiring practitioners demonstrate a minimum education, training, hands on experience, and passing of a comprehensive examination before they are licensed and allowed to treat patients.  If you believe patients deserve the protection of having their prosthetist/orthotist meet a minimum standard you need to act now.  I urge you to call or write the Governor's office as well as Mr. Joe Baker, the Executive Director of the Board, and voice your opposition to this appointment.  Mr. Panton's appointment will be  bad for the Board and worse for the patients of Florida.

This is not just for Florida practitioners and residents, everyone concerned with having standards of practice that protect of individual patients should voice their opinion.  If you are a Florida resident or practitioner make sure that is stated in your message.

Do it TODAY!

    Write, phone, FAX, email:            
                      Governor Jeb Bush
                      The Capitol
                      Tallahassee, FL
                      32399-0001
                      Telephone:
                      850/488-4441
                      Fax: 850/487-0801
                      FL_governor at myFlorida.com    or
                      Jeb at jeb.org
                      
Mr. Joe Baker
Executive Director, Board of Orthotists and Prosthetists
4052 Bald Cypress Way
Bin #C07
Tallahassee    FL     32399-3257
(850) 488-0595
joejr_baker at doh.state.fl.us



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