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Chronological Events with NovaCare

This document has come to fuition due to my frustrating and currently unsuccessful quest for a reasonably decent and functional prosthetic device.

As documented in the attached record, my experience with Sabolich and its affiliated Novacare organizations, speaks differently from the corporate image so carefully hand fed to the media. It is time that the public at large, and especially the amputee community and their immediate families and others involved in paying for the prosthetic devices, (Insurance Companies, Federal Government, Tax Payers, Private Organizations etc), know the reality.

It seems that what is being experienced appears to be a result not from technical ability, but rather from an attitude where a commitment for taking responsible ownership for the end results has somehow vanished. Too often public relations has been replacing a professional sense of responsibility and true professionalism.

Only when the embarrassing truth is finally made known, can responsible reform happen.

The following is a quote from the Novacare-Sabolich website:

"You can put all types of advanced components on artificial limbs of above knee amputees," says John Sabolich, NovaCare's National Director of Prosthetics, "but if the socket doesn't fit, the amputee will probably be too uncomfortable to wear it." Lower-limb amputees who don't wear a prosthesis may develop health complications from poor body balance and inactivity. This, he says, "leads to inefficient use-or waste-of limited health care dollars." The above knee amputee who wears the Sabolich Socket, however, almost always enjoys unprecedented opportunities for a more active lifestyle.

How come the "advanced components" break in a very short time, like the knee subsystem?

I suffer from all of the above, Too uncomfortable to wear, Health complications from poor body balance and inactivity, and inefficient use-or waste-of limited health care dollars, and I went to Novacare Sabolich Prosthetics.

I thought I was paying for a sabolich socket, as a matter of fact the original proposal submitted to Crime Victims states that is what I was to receive. Now 2 1/2 years later I am told by a Novacare prosthetist that I do not have the sabolich socket but have what is commonly called the quad socket. I (crime victims paid) was charged for a sabolich socket, Paid for a sabolich socket, and received a quad socket. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I do not have unprecedented opportunities for a more active lifestyle!

Maybe at the Oklahoma City office this hype becomes reality but not likely at the satellite locations. It appears that Novacare Sabolich has problems with their satellite locations and is not willing to admit that the quality of the products and patient service is not what patients expect from the Sabolich reputation.

Chronological Listing of Events November 1994 - August 1997 (information taken from Novacare Sabolich records)

November 7, 1994 - November 18, 1994 - Joni spent 2 weeks in Edison New Jersey for fitting of an above knee prosthesis at Novacare Sabolich Prosthetics. - Prosthetist Rob Stone
NOTE: At this point Novacare Sabolich was given authorization to bill Crime Victims for the prosthesis. We have also included a copy of the proposal presented by Rob Stone to Joni stating the products she would be receiving for $24,500.00. She also received a statement from Crime Victims stating that the bill was paid.

January 25, 1995 - Joni spoke with Marc Ridgely, Novacare Prosthetist temporarily in New Jersey, concerning the fit of her above knee prosthesis.

May 4, 1995 - Joni saw Kevin Carroll in New Jersey for pain in the medial proximal trim line of the prosthesis, also the Otto Bock knee was making noise and was determined to be defective and sent back for repairs. A loaner knee from Otto Bock was placed on the Prosthesis at this time.

May 5, 1995 - Joni went back for recheck of prosthesis and complained of continued pain in the medial proximal trim line of the prosthesis.

June 20, 1995 - June 23, 1995 Joni went to Edison New Jersey and stated that socket has never fit right since it was originally made. Kevin Carroll began making a new socket.

July 25, 1995 - July 28, 1995 Joni went to Edison New Jersey for continued fit of her prosthesis. Adjustments were made throughout the week.

September 28, 1995 - Joni went to Edison New Jersey to correct problems which are giving her pain when walking and sitting. Prosthesis was adjusted.

February 23, 1996 - Joni went to Edison New Jersey for follow up and adjustments on the socket. They made some alignment changes.

October 1, 1996 - Joni went to Edison New Jersey because the socket material was beginning to pull. She was advised by Diana Van Beek that the charge for this service would be 1105.00. Joni did not sign their paper but a new socket was made by Kevin Towers along with a new frame.

November 14, 1996 - Joni went to Fredricksburg Virginia office of Novacare Orthotics and Prosthetics at the recommendation of Kevin Carroll. She saw Joe Miller, a prosthetist for Novacare. He stated that the attachment of the socket and knee had stripped and would have to be replaced. In order to find the cause of the problem he was required to cut the covering off the prosthesis. He gave us a letter stating what he felt should be done to the prosthesis and agreed to repair the existing one and after the first of the year 1997 to begin work on a new prosthesis at no charge to Joni.

January 16, 1997 - began work on new prosthesis in Fredricksburg office with Joe Miller.

March 5, 1997 - Joni called the Fredricksburg office to inquire about new prosthesis - was told she was now working with Jonathan. They talked for about 1.5 hours. He suggested that she make arrangements to come to Fredricksburg for 2 -3 days for fitting.

March 10, 1997 - Joni went to Fredricksburg for fitting process for new prosthesis for one day since Jonathan stated that he did not have time in his schedule for 2 - 3 days.

March 20, 1997 - Joni went to Fredricksburg office for continued fitting of new prosthesis.

April 4, 1997 - Joni went to Fredricksburg office for continued fitting of new prosthesis. She still has not received the prosthesis for wearing. Given a test socket to try to fit her self into by continually rapping her residual limb.

April 7, 1997 - Jonathan called Joni at home to ask how the fitting process is going. She tells Jonathan that she feels the rigid socket is a much better fit.

April 21, 1997 - Joni calls Jonathan to find out how the manufacture of prosthesis is going and is informed that Jonathan has quit. She is also told that Joe's schedule is too full to take her on as a patient at this time.

May 12, 1997 - Joni went to Fredricksburg to see Carl Fillhour (SP?), a novacare prosthetist (We Think) from Tennessee. He was not really aware of what we were there for I don't believe. The prosthesis they had there for Joni to try did not fit her at all, she was at least 1 inch from fitting into it.

Since this time we have contacted NovaCare Sabolich Prosthetics in Oklahoma City OK. We have scheduled to fly out there on June 7th for the week in order that Kevin Carroll can remake the prosthesis.

June 7, 1997 - June 13, 1997 Began the fabrication of a new Above Knee prosthesis. Kevin Carroll made the casting on Sunday, June 8, 1997, and made the test socket on Monday. We left on Friday with a prosthesis but made no statement concerning the fit as this was the first Joni had worn a prosthesis since January of 1997.

Three weeks later the knee began to lock up. It would bend only if Joni forcibly bends it. We contacted Kevin Carroll. He suggested we check the locking mechanism which we did. Kevin made arrangements with Seattle Knee for Joni to Test one of their knees to see if she liked their knee better then the Otto Bock and arranged to have a new knee sent to Fredricksburg overnight. We contacted Joe Miller the next day to determine the time that Joni could go down there to have the knee replaced. Joe informed Joni that the knee had not arrived. Joe called back at 3:30 in the afternoon and told Joni that the knee had not arrived in the second shipment of UPS for the day. Joni informed Joe to send her leg back by overnight with the old knee so that she would have a prosthesis to wear.

Joe contacted Joni on Monday to tell her that the knee had arrived and to send the leg back to him. She told him that she would wait until he got back from vacation because there were other fitting problems with the socket and she could not truly test the knee out while the leg was causing pain.

Joe Miller is to return from Vacation on the 28th so Joni has an appointment to go to Fredricksburg on Monday the 28th.

July 28, 1997 - Joni went to Fredricksburg VA. Joe replace the Otto Bock knee with a Seattle Knee. He also decided to leave the covering off of the prosthesis until all adjustments were made.

August 6, 1997 - Joni called Fredricksburg VA to make an appointment to have Joe check the knee as something in the prosthesis is making a "clunking" noise... They gave her an appointment for Monday August 11, 1997.

August 7, 1997 - Joni called Fredricksburg VA to talk with Joe about when the socket work can be done as the socket is causing sores on Joni's hip, inner and outter thigh, and the socket is also beginning to "Stretch".. Joni was told that Joe is no longer with Novacare Sabolich.

I would like to state that all of the above trips, visits, stays have been at my own expense that includes travel expenses, child care expense, hotel stays, food, and valueable vacation time of my husband which could have been used for family time spent together.

Now at this point I would like for you to answer one question - Is this how Novacare "Makes life a little better"?

Before you answer that question please keep in mind these items taken from Novacare's website:

CREDO: "Helping Make Life a Little Better"
PURPOSE: To effectively meet the rehabilitation needs of our patients through clinical                          leadership.
BELIEFS: Respect for the Individual
                   Service to the Customer
                   Pursuit of Excellence
                  Commitment to Personal Integrity