Dr. Herring working with a patient.

Jan 11, 2018 / General News

Mentorship Program: Families Educating Families

At Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, we provide the best care possible to our patients. Throughout the patient’s treatment journey, even into adulthood, our hospital staff is invested in their lives to make sure they have the resources to be successful. 

One resource that is unique to Scottish Rite Hospital is the mentorship program provided to patients contemplating an amputation. The mentorship program involves current and past families whose child have one thing in common – the potential need for an amputation. 

What is the amputation/prosthetic clinic?
  • A clinic for patients who need a prosthesis or artificial limb.  
  • When Chief of Staff Emeritus J.A. "Tony" Herring, M.D. first starting working at the hospital, he was asked to take over the amputation/prosthetic clinic. Over the years, the hospital’s amputation clinic has become one of the largest in the world. 
Who comes to the amputation/prosthetic clinic?
  • A patient whose limb was damaged in an accident.
  • A patient who was born with an abnormality. 
  • Patients who have had other surgeries to correct their abnormality, but were unsuccessful. 
  • Patients who realize that their current leg isn’t working very well and begin thinking about an amputation as an option. 
What is the purpose of the mentorship program?
  • The mentorship program is meant to connect families to discuss and learn about the amputation process. The hospital will bring in a family who has the same abnormality to speak with the parents and patient who are thinking about an amputation.  
  • What our specialists have found is that the parent and patient who have gone through the process are the best people to explain the procedure – what to expect before and after, the struggles, the positives, etc. 
  • After meeting with the family, it helps the other family determine the best option for their child. 
The process:
  • Although amputation is one of the options and the purpose of having the mentorship program, our staff will educate the family on all of their options. 
  • Potential amputee patients meet with other surgeons who specialize in limb lengthening and reconstruction. 
  • The patient will also meet with the hospital’s trained psychologists. The communication with the psychologist helps our orthopedic staff better understand where the child and family are in the decision process. 
Our hospital staff understand that this is not a decision made in a day. We want the patient and family to look at all the treatment options and then make an educated decision for what is best for the child. We hope our mentorship program can help a family with this decision and answer any questions. 

Watch to learn more about our mentorship program. 
 
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