SpineCorä Accreditation Training Programs


SpineCorä Treatment Provider Accreditation Training

The SpineCor Treatment Provider Accreditation Training Programme consists of two phases.  

Phase I Training: covers the SpineCor treatment principles over a two-day program (click link for program schedule) including written examinations and practical exercise appraisals. This phase is normally conducted at a central training location for an average of six delegates.

Once registered for Phase I Training each delegate will prior to training be provided with the following material: 

  • SpineCor Training Manual

  • SpineCor Standard Treatment Protocol

  • SpineCor Assistant Software V3.0 CD-Rom including 1 month licence.

  • SAS Users Guide

  • Delegate Pack

Part of the Phase I Training Program involves software training requiring the use of a laptop computer with the SpineCor SAS V3.0 software installed.

All delegates should install the SpineCor Assistant Software V3.0 on a laptop computer according to the SAS Users Guide instructions, obtain a user code to activate the software and bring this with them to the training. It is strongly advised to operate the program to test there are no conflicts with your computer and to familiarize themselves with it’s operation. Delegates who do not have a laptop available for training should inform The SpineCorporation Limited so arrangements can be made to provide a computer for the training.

System minimum requirements for SAS v3.0 installation:

  • Pentium ® 200 MHz or higher

  • Windows ® 98 , Windows ® 2000 or Windows ® XP

  • CD-Rom drive

  • 128 MB Ram or higher

  • 100 MB of hard disc space available

  • True Colour display adapter with 1024 x 768 resolution

Phase ll Training: After completing Phase I Training, Phase II Training will be organised at the delegate’s Hospital/Clinic/office and ideally be within 6 weeks.

On-site Phase II Training is designed to reinforce the treatment principles taught in Phase I Training developing the delegate’s clinical assessment and brace fitting skills during fitting of on average four SpineCor patients with the assistance of a SpineCor Trainer.

It is therefore necessary to recruit patients for treatment prior to booking phase ll of the accreditation program.

The following guidance notes are provided to assist in the organisation of SpineCor Phase II Training at your Hospital/Clinic/Office. 

PATIENTS SELECTION CRITERIA

The Phase II training involves the treatment of a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 patients.

Ideally the patients treated in this training phase should meet the following criteria:

  • Idiopathic Scoliosis diagnosed and confirmed.

  • Cobb angle equal or below 35º.

  • Risser: 0, 1 or 2.

  • Girls: pre-menarchial.

  • Boys: no voice change.

  • Patients who have had no previous treatments except for Physiotherapy or shoe lift.

  • Preferable single curves. We strongly suggest avoiding double curves at the beginning and treating those cases when some experience is achieved.

It is necessary to allow a minimum of 2 hours for each patient treatment during training.  When making patient appointments time allowance also needs to be made for taking of x-rays, pre-brace x-ray should be available at the beginning of the patients 2 hour appointment, the in-brace check x-ray needs to be taken approximately 1 hour – 1¼ hours from the start of the appointment.

Accredited SpineCor Treatment Providers

All SpineCor treatment providers have received two days of theory and practical training in the SpineCor treatment principles and brace fitting, followed by further training/supervision during their first patient treatments.

Accreditation status is only provided to professionals who have demonstrated competency in providing SpineCor treatment.  Subsequent to accreditation, all SpineCor treatment providers must use the SpineCor clinical assistant software (SAS V3.6) to guide them in the assessment, classification and brace fitting process.  The SpineCorporation make it very clear to all accredited providers that the software is a clinical assistant tool to guide them but cannot make clinical decisions for them.

Not all patients will have a clear fit with one of the SpineCor scoliosis classifications and therefore brace fittings.  In all such cases they should seek expert advice if they are at all unsure on how to proceed with treatment. 

Ultimately the treatment provider is responsible for the treatment he/she provides.  The SpineCorporation accept no responsibility for inappropriate brace treatment provided by accredited SpineCor treatment providers not following SpineCor treatment protocols.

RADIOLOGICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

X-rays required for initial curve classification must be less than 1 month old:

  • PA x-ray without brace
  • Lateral x-ray without brace
  • AP Prone x-ray (recommended)

Although it is not recommended, if a patient has been previously treated with a rigid brace the first x-rays prior to any brace treatment are also required for the initial curve classification.

It is advisable to collate all the patients x-rays in date order to establish the evolution of the curve over time.

CLINICAL MATERIAL

The organisation of a SpineCor Phase II training requires the purchase of a SpineCor: Clinic Starter Kit a minimum of two weeks prior to the training date to ensure all materials are delivered in time for training.  SpineCor: Clinic Starter Kit comprises:

  • SpineCor Brace Components Kit including accessories and SpineCor bodysuits.

  • SpineCor Assistant Software V3.0.

  • SAS V3.0 users guide.

  • Patient Manuals (10 units).

  • Clinic and x-ray foot templates (2 units).
     

  • Clinical bag including:
    Scoliometer
    Goniometer
    Plumb Line
     Measuring tape
    X-ray pencils
    Anatomical marking pencils (make-up pencils)
    Hypo allergic make-up remover
    Clinical shoe lifts in three different heights: 0.5, 1 and 1.5 cm.
     

  • Training Fees.

The SpineCor Assistant Software must be installed on a laptop or desktop computer at the training location ready for use. It is not possible to treat patients with out using the SpineCor Assistant Software.

On satisfactory completion of phase ll training each delegate will receive their official SpineCor Accreditation certificate.

After successfully completing the accreditation program, practitioner’s names and clinics of practice will be listed on the SpineCor Web Site as Accredited SpineCor Treatment Providers.  Treatment prescribers will also be listed on the website.

The public are advised only to accept treatment from individuals named on the SpineCor Web Site. 

For Practitioners/Clinics to maintain their listing on the SpineCor website following accreditation they must fulfil the following criteria:

a)       Maintain their SpineCor Assistant Software Licensing (renewable free of charge each year for active customers.

b)      Purchase all SpineCor components from the official SpineCor distributor in their territory.

c)       Follow an approved the SpineCor treatment protocol.

d)      To fit a minimum of six braces per year. (Practitioners treating less than six patients per year are not considered to maintain a sufficiently high skill level to treat patients effectively).

e)      Agree not to modify or manufacture any SpineCor Components.

Practitioners not satisfying all these criteria may be removed from the accredited practitioner list.


SpineCorä Physiotherapy Accreditation Training Program

The SpineCorporation Ltd. has designed a training program for those physiotherapists treating patients braced with the SpineCor® System

The SpineCor Physiotherapy Accreditation Program has been designed to complement the action of the brace and reinforce the principles of the treatment.

It is then essential that all physiotherapists working with patients treated with the SpineCor® System follow a specific SpineCor Physiotherapy Training Program, in order to learn the treatment principles and understand the new treatment approach, to be accredited as Authorized SpineCor Physiotherapists.

The SpineCor System Physiotherapy Training involves two training phases:

 Initial SpineCor Physiotherapy Training:

It teaches the physiotherapy treatment program as well as the SpineCor brace treatment principles, involving a 1 day training program.

After completing the Initial Physiotherapy Training with a sufficient level of competence, delegates will be authorized to treat patients braced with the SpineCor System in order to build the necessary experience to attend the Advanced SpineCor Physiotherapy Training towards becoming an Accredited SpineCor Physiotherapist.

Advanced SpineCor Physiotherapy Training:

After a minimum of 3-4 months treating SpineCor System patients, delegates will be accepted to attend the Advanced Spinecor Physiotherapy Training.

This training course has been designed to reinforce the principles and exercises involved in the physiotherapy treatment program and to evaluate the individual experience of each delegate treating patients, necessary to become an Accredited SpineCor Physiotherapist.

Only after successfully completing both training phases physiotherapists will be accepted as Accredited SpineCor Physiotherapists and a Certificate will be issued to such effect.

INITIAL SPINECOR PHYSIOTHERAPY TRAINING CHECKLIST

The following material will be required to carry out an Initial SpineCor Physiotherapy Training:

Each delegate attending to the Initial SpineCor Physiotherapy Training will be provided with the SpineCor System Physiotherapy Program Reference Manual and the Physiotherapy Training Manual.

Morning session:

  • Projector for SpineCor multimedia presentations.

Afternoon session:

  • SpineCor brace components
  • SpineCor foot templates (1 per group)
  • Therapy mats
  • Exercises balls
  • Elastic therapeutic bands (“Thera-Band” or similar)
  • Sand bags and Velcro belts
  • Non-scoliosis models (1 model for every 4- 5 delegate’s group).
    It would be also possible to work on delegates constituting each group, exchanging physiotherapist and patient roles.

ADVANCED SPINECOR PHYSIOTHERAPY TRAINING CHECKLIST

The following material will be required to carry out an Advanced SpineCor Physiotherapy Training:

Morning session:

  • SpineCor foot templates (1 per group)
  • Therapy mats
  • Exercises balls
  • Elastic therapeutic bands (“Thera-Band” or similar)
  • Sand bags and Velcro belts
  • Non-scoliosis models (1 model for every 4- 5 delegate’s group).
    It would be also possible to work on delegates constituting each group, exchanging physiotherapist and patient roles.

Afternoon session:

  • Projector for delegate’s patient revision presentation.

If you would like to find out more about SpineCor training opportunities, please contact us