New Casting System Increases Comfort

Receive Your Leg in One Visit

Getting You Back to… LIFE!

  • In Home Fittings

    At MedEast our certified, licensed clinicians want to simplify prosthetic legs and feet for our Philadelphia and tri-state patients. They will evaluate, cast, measure, and fit your temporary prosthesis with-in your own home. We know that as a new amputee getting in and out of your home, negotiating transportation and getting to the prosthetic office can be difficult. We strive to ease that burden by seeing you in your home environment in order to make the transition back to walking as smooth as possible.  Some adjustments and future prosthetics may require office visits for optimal outcomes.

  • From Fitting to Rehab to LIFE!

    After being fit with your prosthesis, it is essential for safe prosthetic use to get physical therapy for gait training and to learn how to manage your skin and fit within the prosthetic socket. Learning proper fitting tips and techniques is extremely important to mastering life with a prosthetic leg or foot from our Philadelphia company. Your MedEast prosthetist will be there for support and will assist you from fitting, through the rehab process, and will continue to work with you on accomplishing your goals and getting you back to living life.

  • Quick Turnaround Times

    At MedEast we understand that getting back to life is at the forefront for your goals. Therefore we strive to make this transition from hospital bed to home and life as quick and painless as possible. We are diligently working to change the industry standard of care for faster turnaround times in fabrication as well as for repairs and adjustments. With preauthorization and prior approval, MedEast will have you come to our New Jersey or Philadelphia office, measure you for your prosthetic leg or foot in the morning, fit a diagnostic test socket before lunch, and have you walking in the afternoon. This service dramatically reduces the time to receive a definitive prosthesis.

  • Certified

    MedEast’s facilities and clinicians are certified through the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC), and all clinicians are licensed in NJ and PA.

  • Outcomes Oriented

    At MedEast our mission is to get you to accomplish the goals you and your family set for yourself. Losing a limb is life changing, it does not have to be life ending. We strive to help you keep moving forward in life with the best quality prosthetic leg or foot in Philadelphia and across the tri-state, adapting to the ups and downs we all face. It is our aim to provide you with the most optimal componentry and technology to ensure your success and facilitate achievement of your goals. We support YOU. You have a choice with us! It’s all about YOU!

Watch our new video series: “Understanding the Prosthetics Process Video Series”

Prosthetic Process

1. Non-healing Wounds

Most amputations are performed on people who have poor blood flow to their feet. This results in non-healing wounds. Non-healing wounds are susceptible to gangrene and other infections that threaten a person’s life.

non-healing wound
transtibial limb

2. Amputation Performed

In order to save a life, an amputation is performed.

3. Consultation and Education

MedEast will hold an informative session for patients and families to reassure them that there is life after amputation. Our experienced team will guide you through the prosthetic process and help arrange a peer visitor to speak to the patient and family.

prosthetist with patient
MedEast Shrinker

4. Shrinker Application

After amputation when the wound is healed and the sutures come out, a prosthetic shrinker is applied to reduce edema in your limb and shape the limb.

5. Measuring for the Prosthetic Socket

Usually after two weeks of wearing a shrinker, the limb is ready to be measured and molded for the prosthetic socket.

prosthetic socket
alignment changes

6. Diagnostic Socket Fitting

A diagnostic (test) socket is used to assess the fit of the socket. Socket comfort is the best predictor of successful prosthetic use.

7. Prosthesis Alignment

Walking in parallel bars allows the prosthetist to dynamically align the prosthesis so the patient is safe and stable. The socket is now ready for lamination to finalize the prosthesis. The patient would now get Physical Therapy to learn how to use the prosthesis safely.

dynamic alignment
Surf Fishing

8. BACK TO YOU

Our goal at MedEast is to
GET YOU BACK TO BEING YOU!

Frequently Asked Questions

At MedEast we care about you and understand that you may have questions about the prosthetic process. We hope you find this list of frequently asked questions helpful. Please contact us with any additional questions or concerns you may have or if you would like any additional information.

The prosthetic process starts when your doctor clears the amputation site for weight bearing for lower limb amputations and pressure tolerance for upper extremity amputations. Therefore the start date is dependent upon each individuals healing time. Dysvascular patients typically heal slower than patients who have no vascular problems. Step one is to have a shrinker sock applied to help shape the limb, reduce swelling of the limb, and to get the patient to start handling their limb. For most new amputees, their first prosthesis is measured, fit, aligned, and delivered in their home. After about two weeks the limb is ready for measuring. The prosthetist will take your mold and make a diagnostic test socket. Once the socket fit is comfortable the test socket becomes the mold for the prosthetic socket. When the socket is finished the prosthetist will come back to your home with your components (foot and or knee) attached to it. The prosthetist will now get you standing and possibly walking that day depending upon each individual’s capabilities. If all goes well, the prosthesis is ready for delivery, and the patient is ready to be trained by a Physical therapist. From shrinker fitting to delivery it is usually around 6 weeks for new amputees. This time frame can be drastically reduced to about one to two weeks for experienced prosthetic wearers.

You can start the process as early as you like, pre or post amputation. We recommend speaking with different providers before ever getting your limb. Once you are comfortable with your prosthetist, the process begins. MedEast will perform an in-depth evaluation of your goals and your physical capabilities. Based on our findings, we will recommend various components, and suspension systems. As long as your wounds are healed and you are permitted to weight bear through the limb, you are ready to start walking.

Most insurance policies cover prosthetics. The out of pocket costs, deductibles, and copays vary greatly. MedEast participates with most insurance companies in the tristate areas. In order to be 100% sure, we recommend contacting our billing team and they can give you a definitive answer specific to your policy.

The right prosthetist is the one you are most comfortable with. It is an important decision since this will be a long term relationship because prosthetic care is lifelong. Prosthetic facilities and the prosthetists they employ can vary greatly. At MedEast we offer no obligation consultations to amputees that wish to learn more about our approach to prosthetic care and customer service and to meet our team.

The rehab process can last as long as you continue to set goals and achieve them. If your goal is simply to walk around your home, your rehab process will be of shorter duration as opposed to someone whose goal it is to return to work as a carpenter or to run a 5K race.

Once your prosthesis is completed, you should attend physical therapy to learn how to use it to avoid injuring yourself. For new amputees it is imperative that they receive PT. Physical Therapists will teach patients how to properly put on and remove the prosthesis, how to adjust the fit using socks, and how to properly clean the prosthesis and supplies. They will teach new patients how to negotiate walking on level surfaces, uneven surfaces and ramps and stairs, and any other goals a patient may have. PT’s are also usually the ones that will notice a problem and will call the prosthetist to adjust the prosthesis.

The standard set by Medicare guidelines is for a prosthesis to last 3 to 5 years. But this is only a guide. A prosthesis or its components can be replaced more frequently as determined by a physician when there is a change in functional activity level, a change in the residual limb, when a component is broken and out of warranty, or if there is any other medical necessity which requires a new part or limb. It is imperative for amputees to see their physician regularly so that when a situation arises that requires a prosthetic change there are sufficient clinical notes to justify medical necessity. If something is not medically necessary, it will be denied by the insurance company.

This is completely determined by your insurance company’s reimbursement rates. For specifics please contact our billing team. Self-pay rates are available on an individually based determination.

The American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) under which our practitioners and facilities are certified, requires all services provided by out practitioners to be prescribed by a certified physician. We will work with you to get the proper paperwork need to get services covered by your insurance carrier.

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