The ROHO Group to Unveil New Wheelchair Back at the International Seating Symposium

The ROHO Group will unveil the new ROHO^® AGILITY™ Back System at the 2012 International Seating Symposium in Vancouver, Canada.

With the unveiling, The ROHO Group will offer International Seating Symposium attendees a firsthand look at the new ROHO AGILITY Back System. The unveiling will take place on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, at 10:40 a.m. at The ROHO Group Booths 65 and 66 in the exhibit hall located at the Westin Bayshore.

The unveiling will begin with an introduction by The ROHO Group’s President, Tom Borcherding, and followed with a presentation by The ROHO Group’s Sr. Director of Training and Education, Darren Hammond, MPT, CWS. Following the presentation, attendees and media will be able to have hands-on experience with the new product.

“The International Seating Symposium is rapidly becoming the premier global conference for professionals around the world with a focus on seating, positioning and mobility, making it the ideal event for the ROHO AGILITY Back System unveiling,” The ROHO Group’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Business Development Pat Chelf said.

Don’t worry if you can’t attend the International Seating Symposium. You can still sign up to receive the latest scoop on the product at agility.therohogroup.com.

The ROHO Group will also be posting updates from the unveiling on their Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/therohogroup and on their Twitter account at @TheROHOGroup.

The International Seating Symposium features the latest developments in the areas of seating, positioning and mobility. Topic areas include product development, research, outcomes and service delivery. More information about ISS can be found online at www.interprofessional.ubc.ca/iss.

 

For more information, contact:
Danielle Boenisch
eMarketing & Support Surface Product Coordinator
The ROHO Group
800-851-3449 ext. 2220
mediarelations@therohogroup.com
TheROHOGroup.com

Why there is such a big price difference in medical products that look so similar?

Guest Blog Post by Bob Vogel

Evaluating a product by price alone can be confusing and misleading. Why do two cushions that “look” similar have significantly different prices? This is an important question, especially when it comes time to order your next cushion. In order for a DME (durable medical equipment) cushion to be sold as a medical device in the US it must comply with a specific set of rules and tests set forth by the FDA. These rules and tests are a good thing — I want to be sure that the cushion under my butt has been tested and proven to protect my skin.

However, there is a big difference between doing the minimum required to meet regulations and doing the maximum to ensure that wheelchair users have the best skin protection possible.

The first expense is research and design costs associated with making a cushion before it can be submitted to the FDA for approval to be sold. Companies like ROHO (and other market leaders) spend a tremendous amount of money in this area, while other companies that might make similar looking products spend very little in this area. ROHO continually invests money in research and design in an ongoing effort to make the best product for consumers. Research costs include a prototype tool for every research cushion — something that is very expensive with no guarantee that it will ever reach the consumer — laboratory studies, clinical studies, and support papers for the research. Examples of published ROHO papers and research can be viewed here: http://www.therohogroup.com/roho institute

The FDA has a specific set of rules and tests it requires for DME complex rehab cushion to be sold as a DME product in the US. The manufacturer has to be registered with the FDA and pay associated fees on an annual basis and must meet FDA quality system regulation (QS) manufacturing requirements for designing, purchasing, manufacturing, labeling, storing and servicing medical devices (in this case, cushions). The manufacturer has to have traceability of the product (cushion) and report if there is any kind of recall or adverse event with the product.

The FDA inspects manufacturing facilities and if an inspection or an FDA audit finds there isn’t compliance with its rules, the FDA can shut down the plant.

ROHO takes quality control much further than the FDA model with its quality management systems’ being certified to two ISO standards — ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 13485:2003, which is a medical device quality standard. Manufacturing all ROHO cushions, except the PostureLITE™ by ROHO Cushion at its plant in Belleville, Illinois, ROHO is able to maintain the highest levels of quality control in every aspect of every cushion.

An example of ROHO quality control is the neoprene used to make its cushions. Instead of relying on an outsourced compound, ROHO compounds and mixes its own neoprene and every batch is tested to ensure each cushion maintains the highest standard. To further enhance quality control, each ROHO cushion has a unique serial number that ties it back to the specific date that it was made and processes under which it was manufactured in order to pinpoint any issue regarding quality if needed.

Each and every ROHO cushion goes though multiple layers of quality inspection to ensure each cushion performs to specification before it is shipped.

Another important thing to consider when ordering a new cushion is warranty return policy and customer service — a manufacturer expense that ROHO feels is of vital importance. If you have a problem with a ROHO cushion you call customer service and give them the serial number of the cushion and tell them the problem. Customer service will be able to immediately tell the manufacture date, exact model and size of cushion and warranty information. If it is under warranty, they will send you a new cushion right away, and have you send your old cushion back in a pre-paid shipping box. This enables ROHO to examine the cushion, document the problem and further enhance quality control by gaining knowledge to take steps to work on eliminating problems and improve cushions.

An example of this is, years ago ROHO identified an area of wear on the cushion where the cell met the base of the cushion. To address this, ROHO Engineering spent a great deal of money to redesign the cushion so the cushion cells had a more gradual taper. The redesign meant great expense for re-tooling for all cushions, but the end result was a longer wearing cushion for the customer.

When it comes to qualifying for reimbursement for a DME cushion, most insurance companies follow Medicare guidelines — the product has to meet a Cal-117 Fire safety test, the cushion must have minimum of an 18-month warranty and show that the cushion will pass a Simulated Immersion Laboratory test — a test that measures a cushion’s ability to allow cylindrical devices (meant to simulate a human pelvis) to sink 40 mm into a cushion with a 31-pound load without bottoming out — about 18 months of use. 40 mm is the goal because it simulates immersion of the entire pelvis.

Unfortunately, the Simulated Immersion Laboratory test does not measure pressure, meaning you could end up with a cushion that passes all of the tests, yet puts tremendous pressure on bony areas of the pelvis and puts the user at risk of a pressure ulcer.

Which brings us to another example how ROHO goes the extra mile for consumer safety. ROHO, in conjunction with Sunrise Medical, has spent considerable time and a huge sum of money to develop a superior Simulated Immersion Laboratory test device — one that is in the shape of a pelvis, designed to address the most difficult seating/pressure challenge. The device has eighteen sophisticated pressure sensors imbedded in the indenter at typical pelvic pressure points so you can see the actual pressure readouts on the pelvis. The device is designed to measure all 18 points when immersed at 40 mm in the cushion — the goal is equal pressure distribution on all areas without any high pressure points. An analogy is a scuba diver under water — they have a ton of force applied to them but it is equally distributed so they don’t develop problems.

To make seating safer for all consumers, ROHO and Sunrise have done all of the testing and research on their Simulated Immersion Laboratory test device, and are offering the research and plans for the device to testing agencies for free to try and raise the bar and make seating better and safer for all consumers.

When looking at your next cushion, do your research:
• Where is the cushion manufactured?
• How long is the warranty? (ROHO cushions’ warranties are 24-months and 36-months depending on model).
• What is the warranty policy?
• Is the manufacturer continually improving the product?
• Does the manufacturer include research papers about its product on its website?

The bottom line of all this is, there are a lot of cushions that “look” like a ROHO but cost less — performance, seating and positioning and how a cushion protects your skin, how a cushion protects your bottom, should be the bottom line on cushion choice. And as always, it is vital to ask and make sure the exact make, model and size of cushion are included on all therapists’ and physicians’ prescriptions as in “ROHO^® Quadtro Select^® High Profile^® Cushion, 16″ X 16″.

 

___________________________________________

Bob Vogel, 51, is a freelance writer for the ROHO Community blog. He is a dedicated dad, adventure athlete and journalist. Bob is in his 26th year as a T10 complete para. For the past two decades he has written for New Mobility magazine and is now their Senior Correspondent. He often seeks insight and perspective from his 10-year-old daughter, Sarah, and Schatzie, his 9-year-old German Shepherd service dog. The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are those of Bob Vogel and do not necessarily reflect the views of The ROHO Group. You can contact Bob Vogel by email at online.relations@therohogroup.com.

Gift Ideas for the Holidays

The holiday shopping season can be a little intimidating, especially when you’re trying to find the perfect gift for the person who has everything. We’ve compiled a few ideas for an assortment of interests to help inspire your wish list and gift giving this year. Now, we aren’t endorsing these products, nor have we tested them. We just thought that they looked pretty cool.

 

Children

Wheelchair Pals

Wheelchair Pals are fun and practical by covering the armrest for extra comfort while adding personality to the wheelchair. ($29.95)

 

 

 

 

Build-A-Bear with Wheelchair

Gift the gift of a personalized stuffed animal from Build-A-Bear that’s perfect for any kid. You can customize the animal’s clothing and accessories to match the interests and personality of the child.

 

 

 

 

 

Convertible Sled & Wagon

Enjoy more outdoor adventures with the kids in the snow and sun. The kids will love this wagon from Mountain Boy Sledworks during the summer months that easily converts into a sled during the winter months. ($279.99 US, $299.99 CAD)

 

 

Explorer™ Learning Game: I SPY® super Challenger!

Enjoy the game of I SPY from your own childhood while using logic, language and math skills to solve 50 riddles and 4 arcade-style games. ($24.99 from LeapFrog)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tech Geeks

Speech Recognition Software

Speech recognition software or speech-to-text software can be a lifesaver for anyone with limited hand dexterity. The software allows for you to control a computer by voice such as surfing the internet or typing an email and it has increasingly improved over the past few years. There are several different software options but the best are Dragon by Nuance ($99.99 to $199.99) and Windows Speech Recognition. Apple has also just released Siri on the iPhone 4S that allows you to make phone calls, schedule meetings, send text messages and more just by your voice.

 

Tablet

Tablets make reading magazines, books or newspapers a lot easier and more convenient. Not only do you eliminate fumbling through pages, you can also surf the web, check your email or even play a game of Angry Birds. With the growth of the Android operating system, new tablets have appeared on the scene. A few of the most popular are the Apple iPad 2 ($499 and up), Amazon Kindle Fire ($199), Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 ($629.99), HTC Flyer ($299 and up), HP TouchPad ($99.99–$149.99), BlackBerry PlayBook ($199 and up), Motorola Xoom ($199.99) and the Barnes & Noble NOOK ($99–$249).

 

TV Show Seasons on DVD

Catch up on a few of the missed episodes or seasons of your loved one’s favorite TV shows. Or, why not expose them to one of your favorites. A few of my favorites to consider are Friends, Dexter, Arrested Development, The Office or Law and Order.

 

 

 

Fashionistas

3E Love Gear

3E Love’s International Symbol of Acceptance (the wheelchair heart logo) drives the company’s mission to “provide the tools for others to embrace diversity, educate society, and empower each other to love life.” The company has both an amazing back story and cool gear. They have a wide selection of apparel and accessories on their store including t-shirts, sweatshirts, necklaces, tote bags and more.

Adaptive Clothing

There are several companies that specifically make clothing to fit the needs of wheelchair users that provide both comfort and style. A few of the modificationsA few of the more popular brands are Lega Wear, Versa Access Wear, AG Apparel and Rollin’ Wear.

 

 

 

 

Touchscreen Gloves

Now you can keep your hands warm while still being able to use your touchscreen gadget. ($17.99 and up from Agloves)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Active Lifestyle

Fishing Pole Holder for Wheelchairs

The Fishing Pole Holder for Wheelchairs clamps your fishing pole onto your chair for one-handed use. ($39.95)

 

 

 

 

Adaptive Sports Equipment

If there’s a sport or activity that you enjoy, chances are that there’s an adaptive chair or equipment for you. Whether it’s a handcycle, snow chair that easily convert to an outdoor wheelchair ($1995), tennis wheelchair, wheelchair for hunting or camping and more. You can find more products on USA Tech Guide’s list of adaptive sports equipment.

 

 

 

Bowling Ramp

The bowling ramp can be easily placed at the front of the lane and can be used while sitting or standing. The bowler just gives the bowling ball a slight push to roll it down the lane. ($188.20)

 

 

 

 

Nikon COOLPIX® AW100 Camera

The Nikon COOLPIX AW100 Camera has a built-in GPS, survive in up to 33 feet of water and is freeze-proof. It can take 16-megapixel photos and has a 1080p HD video camera. Take a camera along that can survive all of the adventures. ($379.95)

 

 

Pocketknife

Every outdoor adventurer needs a pocket knife. Find the perfect pocket knife for your love one’s activities whether it’s hunting, camping, cycling or basketball.

 

 

 

Gamer

Evil Controllers Game Controllers

Evil Controllers is a company that specifically designs accessible controllers for gamers. They offer standard products, but can also custom build controllers for an individual’s specific needs. A couple of these include a six-button programmable controller, one-handed controllers, Thumb-Stick Click Mods and a Sensitive Controller .

 

 

My Golf Game featuring Ernie Els

“My Golf Game featuring Ernie Els” is a one-switch golf game for PC can be played using touch-screen, joysticks, speech recognition and other accessible equipment. ($34.95)

 

 

QuadJoy

QuadJoy is an orally-controlled mouse for those unable to use a hand-held mouse. The inventor of the product, Tom Street, was quoted saying, “It might not open doors, but it will open many Windows.” ($800 for the complete basic unit)

 

 

 

Trabasack Connect

No more worrying about dropping the expensive controller on the floor. Trabasack is a bean bag laptray that allows you to mount switches, consoles and adapted controllers to the soft velour surface using ‘hook’ tape to provide a secure and comfortable mount. Not only that, but it can also be used as a backpack for easy transportation. (£34.95–£44.95)

 

 

 

 

 

MattVision Card Holder

Unlike other card holders on the market, the MattVision Card Holder uses mirrors to let the player see their own cards while preventing other people from sneaking a peek. There are two versions, a 2 Card Viewer ($75) and a 13 Card Viewer ($80).

 

 

Foosball Game

Adventure back to dorm-room days when a rec-room classic.

 

 

 

 

Traveler

ROHO Cushion for Travel

Gift the gift of a travel cushion for the car, plane, construction or farm work or the office. You happen to be in luck because The ROHO Store is having a special sale for the month of December. The Black Ultra Leather® Cover LTV® Seat Cushion and the AIRHAWK™ Truck Seat Cushion System are both $20 OFF.

 

 

 

Travelon® Smart Tubes

Travelon Smart Tubes are perfect for airport travel. They’re spill and leak proof, dishwasher safe, and easy to open and close. ($24.99)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Takeout-Menu Organizer

Alright, so this one might have more to do with staying in than going out, but we still think it’s a great idea. Give the gift of a little organization. ($21 from Knock Knock)

 

 

 

 

Online Music Gift Card

Gift the traveler in your life the gift of music to pass the time on a 10-hour flight. A few options are gift cards to iTunes, Amazon or Spotify.

 

 

 

Wheelchair Accessories

ROHO Cushion

Why not add a back-up or travel ROHO Cushion to the list this year? Protect you or a loved one while providing extra comfort.

 

 

 

Umbrella Holder for Wheelchairs

The Umbrella Holder for Wheelchair easily attaches to the wheelchair, walker or even a stroller. It not only holds the umbrella while it’s in use, but it can also hold it folded. ($42.95)

 

 

 

 

 

Wheel Covers

Wheel covers are great for helping keep the home and office floors clean. The wheel covers are especially great during the winter to prevent dragging snow, ice and slush indoors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Host(ess) Gifts

Wine Sampler

Why give the host(ess) just one bottle of wine when you can give a sample of six. You can choose from several different collections like Napa’s Hidden Gems ($39.99) or make your own from Tasting Room. Right now they’re running a special that you can save $10 any sampler if you sign up for their email list.

 

 

Chocolate Assortment

Who doesn’t love chocolate during the cold months? You can buy the gift from a local candy shop or find shop online.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you have other ideas that you think would be great to add to the list? We’d love to hear your suggestions.

How to Keep Your Equipment Clean

Guest blog post by Bob Vogel

One of the perks of being a journalist is having the opportunity to attend many wheelchair events — like the Abilities Expo. One of the things that puzzles me — you may have noticed it, too — are wheelchair users who have a disconnect between how they dress and how they care for their mobility equipment. I could never figure out how somebody takes the time to be clean and dress well, but neglects cleaning their chair. A quick reminder — spending a few minutes wiping down your chair with a damp cloth or having your personal care attendant clean it for you — does wonders for your appearance.

People DO notice whether your chair is clean — or not. My wife — now ex-wife, good friend — said one of the things she noticed about me when we first dating was that I kept my chair clean. To her, this is a sign of self-confidence and comfort with my disability. She found this attractive.

Even more important than keeping your chair clean is making sure to keep your cushion clean! Keeping a cushion clean is something I rarely hear mentioned, but it is important — a cushion can get pretty funky if you don’t clean it now and then. We get used to our own odor, so if our cushion starts smelling rank, we probably won’t notice it. However, other people do notice the odor. To make matters worse, it is unlikely that even your close friends and family will tell you because there doesn’t seem to be a polite way to say it. Here is a hint — if people seem to give you a lot more personal space than everybody else, you may want to do some cushion cleaning.

The first step in avoiding cushion odor is to wash your cushion cover on a regular basis. After all, we change our underwear every day — I hope. I have two cushion covers and I change mine every couple of days. Standard size ROHO cushion covers can be purchased at authorized online retailers or The ROHO Store. Cushion covers can also be purchased at your local DME dealer. I find washing the covers on the “gentle” cycle and hang drying them helps them last much longer.

To purchase a cover for a custom size ROHO cushion, call customer service at 800-851-3449. The average cost of a custom cushion cover is around $70. Be sure to have the serial number of your cushion handy when you call. It’s printed on the white tag on the bottom of the cushion.

The next step to avoiding cushion odor is cleaning your cushion on a regular basis. With a ROHO cushion this is a quick and easy process. I give my cushion a quick clean every week or two when I’m in the bath or shower. I grab my cushion (still inflated with the valve closed) remove the cover and take it into the tub or shower with me. I clean it with a washcloth and soap — I use Irish Spring — by gently scrubbing around all the air cells, rinse thoroughly, especially around each cell and then towel dry around each cell. The process takes about 3–5 minutes total.

In-depth cleaning instructions can be found on The ROHO Group’s website at Cleaning and Disinfecting ROHO^® DRY FLOATATION^® Products.

For stubborn odors, like dreaded bladder or bowel accidents, go to the section on deodorizing under Cleaning and Disinfecting ROHO® DRY FLOATATION® Products.

Here are the directions:

• Deflate the cushion and close the valve(s). Make a mixture of one tablespoon of baking soda per quart of water (25 gm/l) or a solution of 1 part vinegar in 10 parts water — make enough to soak the cushion in deep wash basin.
• Soak the cushion in the basin for several hours, rinse and let dry. For really stubborn odors you may need to repeat the process.

I find using some type of weight — I use a small barbell — keeps the cushion immersed in the solution. It helps if you have an extra cushion — see “How Often Should You Replace Your Cushion?” — to sit on while the other one is being cleaned.

Remember to keep your mobility equipment clean. Here is to hoping that a significant other — or potential significant other — notices the effort!

 

___________________________________________

Bob Vogel, 51, is a freelance writer for the ROHO Community blog. He is a dedicated dad, adventure athlete and journalist. Bob is in his 26th year as a T10 complete para. For the past two decades he has written for New Mobility magazine and is now their Senior Correspondent. He often seeks insight and perspective from his 10-year-old daughter, Sarah, and Schatzie, his 9-year-old German Shepherd service dog.

 

Why You Need to Ask for Your Cushion by Name

Guest blog post by Bob Vogel

In my experience with DME (durable medical equipment) dealers, competition leads to quality. I was injured in 1985 — a T10 complete paraplegic — my first cushion and wheelchair were covered by Medicaid and provided by a local DME dealer. In the 90’s I worked as a sales rep for a wheelchair manufacturer, selling to and working with DME dealers. After that I worked as a sales rep for a DME dealer.

In my experience, a good DME dealer has the knowledge and takes the time to properly fit and provide the best cushion, wheelchair, etc., to meet their client’s needs. DME dealers strive to provide the best service and best products to meet our needs because it’s the right thing to do, and because it’s good business. We have the power to take our business to another DME dealer and word of mouth — good or bad — is powerful when it comes to business.

Unfortunately, because of competitive bidding, this paradigm is changing. The CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) competitive bidding program has DME dealers bidding to see who can provide equipment in a certain category for the lowest price — for you and I this category complex rehab, from cushions  and wheelchair backs to manual chairs and high-end power chairs. Round I of competitive bidding is already in place in 9 regions. Round II of competitive bidding is looming on the near horizon with 91 regions including the largest cities in the country.

Under competitive bidding, instead of Medicare beneficiaries having five to ten Medicare providers to choose from that compete based on the quality of the products and service they provide, we may only have one in our region — eliminating the competition and the need to provide quality products and service. Have a local DME dealer who didn’t win the bid that you have been going to for years? Tough. Don’t like the way the winning bid DME dealer does business? Tough. It’s not just Medicare — Medicaid and many private insurance companies have track records of following the Medicare competitive bidding guidelines.

The way competitive bidding is set-up encourages DME dealers that are only concerned with profit to underbid DME dealers that are truly concerned with providing the right product for their client. As an example, let’s take a look at a common type of cushion. Let’s say your skin and seating requires a ROHO^® HIGH PROFILE^® Single Compartment Cushion — the government HCPCS (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System) code for this type of cushion is E2622. Now let’s say there is a dealer who is only in it for profit, winning the bid, and becoming the only game in town. Medicare’s Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding (PDAC) for E2622 includes 915 different cushions. According to this data, every cushion on the list will protect your skin just the same. If dealer only who is in it for profit carefully goes through the list they will find some real “bargains,” including a layered foam cushion with a 1/4″ gel cover that retails for $39. But hey, it fits into the code so it “should” protect your skin just like a ROHO HIGH PROFILE Single Compartment Cushion — right? Wrong!

When I left rehab in 1985, my therapist sent me home on a memory-foam cushion saying it “should” protect my skin just as well as the ROHO HIGH PROFILE Single Compartment Cushion I had requested. Despite regular weight shifts, I developed a tiny pressure ulcer within 3 months. Regular mirror-skin checks enabled me to catch it right away — I got the ROHO Cushion and was able to heal at home, feeling like I had dodged a bullet.

A dealer only interested in profit could submit a lowball bid of say $250 for this category — win the bid and start shoving $39 cushions under clients while collecting $250 per cushion from Medicare.

This is why it is vital that you, working with your clinician, request the exact cushion that you need on a doctor’s prescription/documentation. Because even if you are in an area that already has competitive bidding, there is a clause in competitive bidding that says if a doctor’s prescription specifies the make, model and product, then the winning bidder — the DME dealer — has to provide that cushion, or find another winning bidder DME dealer that will provide the cushion. As competitive bidding looms, it is more important than ever for each of us to advocate for our proper seating. Make sure your prescription includes exactly what your seating needs are, for example ROHO® HIGH PROFILE® Single Compartment Cushion (4″). Make sure the size of the cushion needed is included on the prescription, for example 16″ x 16″.

In addition, there is still time to phone, email, or write your representative and senators and tell them you do not want competitive bidding. Explain that while competitive bidding may save money in the short term, the wrong cushion risks life threatening pressure ulcers that will cost taxpayers in excess of $50,000 per occurrence in hospitalization alone.

So what can you do to change the outcome?
1. Send letters to your representative and senators. It’s OK if you don’t know what to write, we have a letter already written and all you have to do is fill in the blanks.
2. Go to competitivebiddingconcerns.com and fill out a form to record your personal struggles with getting mobility equipment.

To view the list mentioned in this blog, go to the Medicare Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding list (PDAC) https://www.dmepdac.com/dmecsapp/do/search. Next, scroll down to the green bar that says “Search DMEPOS Product Classification List.” Under the green bar to the right, type in E2622 and click on the purple GO button and all 915 cushions that meet the criteria for this code will appear.

___________________________________________

Bob Vogel, 51, is a freelance writer for the ROHO Community blog. He is a dedicated dad, adventure athlete and journalist. Bob is in his 26th year as a T10 complete para. For the past two decades he has written for New Mobility magazine and is now their Senior Correspondent. He often seeks insight and perspective from his 10-year-old daughter, Sarah, and Schatzie, his 9-year-old German Shepherd service dog.

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