Mobility Management: Creating a Great ATP

Mobility Management: What Makes an ATP Great?

In our March 2020 issue, Mobility Management is asking what qualities make an ATP (Assistive Technology Professional) successful. For this survey, an ATP clinician is an Assistive Technology Professional who has a clinical degree (such as an Occupational or Physical Therapy degree) and works in a clinical capacity, such as by performing wheelchair evaluations.

An ATP supplier is an Assistive Technology Professional who provides (recommends/sells/fits) the seating and wheelchair equipment.

You do NOT need to be an ATP to answer the survey.

We ask your name and other details to sort the survey’s responses. But at the end of the survey, you can ask us to keep your name and identifying details, such as your credentials or years in the industry, confidential. If you choose that option, we will use your responses, but we will not reveal your name or personal details.

Thank you for sharing your experiences and observations with us. We appreciate your time. — Editor

Question Title

* 1. Your name

Question Title

* 2. Your academic credentials and/or professional position (e.g., ATP, OT, PT, CDRS, funding specialist, service technician, manager/leadership position, wheelchair user)

Question Title

* 3. Your current or most recent employer in the complex rehab technology (CRT) or mobility industry is/was:

Rehabilitation hospital, hospital or medical center (not affiliated with Veterans Affairs)

Hospital or medical center within Veterans Affairs (VA)

CRT provider or mobility dealer

CRT or mobility manufacturer/distributor

University or educational entity

Industry organization (e.g., advocacy, standards, non-profit)

I'm a clinician in private practice

Long-term care, assisted living or similar facility

I’m a wheelchair user not employed within the CRT or mobility industries

Other

Question Title

* 4. On a scale of 1 to 5 with 1 meaning “Not important at all” and 5 meaning “Extremely important,” how important is each of these qualities to the success of an ATP clinician (ATP working as a clinician)?

	Not at all important	Somewhat important	Important	Very important	Extremely important
Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy)	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy) Not at all important	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy) Somewhat important	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy) Important	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy) Very important	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy) Extremely important
“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Not at all important	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Somewhat important	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Important	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Very important	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Extremely important
Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Not at all important	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Somewhat important	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Important	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Very important	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Extremely important
Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Not at all important	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Somewhat important	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Important	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Very important	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Extremely important
Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc.	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Not at all important	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Somewhat important	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Important	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Very important	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Extremely important
“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Not at all important	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Somewhat important	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Important	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Very important	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Extremely important
Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Not at all important	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Somewhat important	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Important	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Very important	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Extremely important
A commitment to continuing education	A commitment to continuing education Not at all important	A commitment to continuing education Somewhat important	A commitment to continuing education Important	A commitment to continuing education Very important	A commitment to continuing education Extremely important
Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees)	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Not at all important	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Somewhat important	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Important	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Very important	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Extremely important

Question Title

* 5. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “Not important at all” and 5 meaning “Extremely important,” how important is each quality to the success of an ATP supplier (ATP working as an equipment provider)?

	Not at all important	Somewhat important	Important	Very important	Extremely important
Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering)	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering) Not at all important	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering) Somewhat important	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering) Important	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering) Very important	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering) Extremely important
“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Not at all important	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Somewhat important	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Important	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Very important	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Extremely important
Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Not at all important	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Somewhat important	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Important	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Very important	Clinical knowledge of seating/wheeled mobility and function Extremely important
Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Not at all important	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Somewhat important	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Important	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Very important	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Extremely important
Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc.	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Not at all important	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Somewhat important	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Important	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Very important	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, processes, etc. Extremely important
“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Not at all important	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Somewhat important	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Important	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Very important	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families and colleagues Extremely important
Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Not at all important	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Somewhat important	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Important	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Very important	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Extremely important
A commitment to continuing education	A commitment to continuing education Not at all important	A commitment to continuing education Somewhat important	A commitment to continuing education Important	A commitment to continuing education Very important	A commitment to continuing education Extremely important
Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees)	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Not at all important	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Somewhat important	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Important	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Very important	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Extremely important

Question Title

* 6. Of the following qualities, please choose the three most important, with 1 being the most important; 2 being the second-most important; and 3 being the third-most important. If a quality is not within your top 3, mark it as "Not one of the top 3 qualities."

	Most important (#1 quality)	Second-most important (#2 quality)	Third-most important (#3 quality)	Not one of the top 3 qualities
Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering, etc.)	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering, etc.) Most important (#1 quality)	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering, etc.) Second-most important (#2 quality)	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering, etc.) Third-most important (#3 quality)	Formal education (e.g., degree in Occupational or Physical Therapy, engineering, etc.) Not one of the top 3 qualities
“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Most important (#1 quality)	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Second-most important (#2 quality)	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Third-most important (#3 quality)	“On-the-job” knowledge gained through personal experience Not one of the top 3 qualities
Clinical knowledge regarding seating/wheeled mobility and function	Clinical knowledge regarding seating/wheeled mobility and function Most important (#1 quality)	Clinical knowledge regarding seating/wheeled mobility and function Second-most important (#2 quality)	Clinical knowledge regarding seating/wheeled mobility and function Third-most important (#3 quality)	Clinical knowledge regarding seating/wheeled mobility and function Not one of the top 3 qualities
Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Most important (#1 quality)	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Second-most important (#2 quality)	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Third-most important (#3 quality)	Knowledge of current seating and mobility equipment choices Not one of the top 3 qualities
Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, funding process, etc.	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, funding process, etc. Most important (#1 quality)	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, funding process, etc. Second-most important (#2 quality)	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, funding process, etc. Third-most important (#3 quality)	Knowledge of funding and documentation requirements, funding process, etc. Not one of the top 3 qualities
“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families Most important (#1 quality)	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families Second-most important (#2 quality)	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families Third-most important (#3 quality)	“Emotional intelligence” when working with clients/families Not one of the top 3 qualities
Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Most important (#1 quality)	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Second-most important (#2 quality)	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Third-most important (#3 quality)	Flexibility/adaptability during procurement process Not one of the top 3 qualities
Trouble-shooting abilities during procurement process	Trouble-shooting abilities during procurement process Most important (#1 quality)	Trouble-shooting abilities during procurement process Second-most important (#2 quality)	Trouble-shooting abilities during procurement process Third-most important (#3 quality)	Trouble-shooting abilities during procurement process Not one of the top 3 qualities
A commitment to continuing education	A commitment to continuing education Most important (#1 quality)	A commitment to continuing education Second-most important (#2 quality)	A commitment to continuing education Third-most important (#3 quality)	A commitment to continuing education Not one of the top 3 qualities
Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees)	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Most important (#1 quality)	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Second-most important (#2 quality)	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Third-most important (#3 quality)	Industry participation (e.g., participation in advocacy events, consumer events, standards committees) Not one of the top 3 qualities

Question Title

* 7. Are there any other important ATP qualities not listed here? What are they?

Question Title

* 8. Number of years you’ve worked in the complex rehab or mobility industry:

Question Title

* 9. Can we use your name in the survey story?

Yes, you can use my name and the identifying details I provided (credentials, etc.) in your story.

No, do not use my name or identifying details in your story.