FAQs
What happens when I visit Mitchell Prosthetics and Orthotics?
During your assessment, we will ask detailed questions pertaining to your injury or condition, and gather medical history and information about your daily activities. Keep in mind what goals you have for your orthotic/prosthetic treatment, and be sure to share these goals with your clinician. We will perform a full biomechanical assessment, which includes assessing joint ranges of motion, muscle strengths, and proprioceptive and sensory testing as required. Through observational gait analysis, we can determine if any functional deficiencies exist during your gait, and incorporate that information into the design of your orthosis/prosthesis. Once the design is determined, we capture the shape of the appropriate limb using plaster of Paris or fiberglass casting tape. Our turn-around time for most devices is 2-3 weeks, and your fitting appointment will be booked at that time.
What should I bring to my first appointment or fitting appointment?
If you are coming to an initial assessment, any documentation provided by your physician should accompany you (ie: prescription/referral, x-ray reports if performed off of Vancouver Island). It is ideal to wear or bring shorts or loose fitting pants that can be rolled up to expose the knees. Please bring shoes that you would like to wear with your orthosis or foot orthotics, and your current or most recent device, if applicable.
Do I need a referral?
You are not required to have a referral in order to be seen by a clinician. However, a current prescription is required by most insurance companies in order to be reimbursed.
Do I require an appointment to be seen?
We do request that you make an appointment in order to be seen by a clinician. This ensures that you are able to be seen promptly. If you have been referred via the NRGH Emergency Deparement or Cast Clinic, we have services available on a walk-in basis but you may be asked to wait for an available clinician.
Is there any provincial coverage for these items through the Medical Services Plan (MSP)?
There is no coverage for any orthoses for adults through MSP. Children under 18 have coverage for custom orthoses required to meet basic mobility through Fair Pharmacare. Children and adults have coverage for prosthetic devices through Fair Pharmacare.
What are the foot orthotics made of? How long do they last?
Your foot orthotics will be custom designed for you based on your needs. Foot orthotics generally last between 2-5 years (not accounting for growth in children). For detailed information on foot orthoses, please refer here.