COVID-19 Resources
& Updates

 

We continue to monitor the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and are doing everything we can to assure that our programs and services are minimally affected. The safety and well-being of our employees, certified individuals and candidates, accredited businesses and other constituents is very important to us. We know this is a time of anxiety for you, your coworkers, families and patients. As more information becomes available, we will continue to update this page. ​

​If you have any questions or concerns, please call or email us at 703.836.7114 or info@abcop.org​.

Accredited Facilities & Provider Applicants​

The Accreditation program has fully resumed onsite surveys and our surveyors are currently conducting surveys while following CDC safety protocols.  

​​​​​​​IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ANSWERED​​​​​

Will vaccines be made available for O&P providers? ​The CDC has added orthotists and prosthetists to its list of frontline workers who should be first in line for vaccination. However, CDC guidelines only serve as suggestions for states. Check with your state health department for information on your specific state’s vaccination plan.​ For additional information, view AOPA's Guidance on Acquiring COVID Vaccines.

Should I still apply for accreditation? ​Yes, we encourage you to continue to apply or reapply​ for accreditation. We are still accepting and processing applications as usual.

Does ABC's accreditation standards address infection control? Review your Infection Control and Emergency Preparedness policies to see if any revisions or additions are necessary to enhance your compliance and protect yourselves, staff and patients. Specific ABC Accreditation Standards that address these areas are:  PS.3PS.11.1PS.11.2FS.3FS.5 and  FS.5.1

​How can my business utilize telehealth to continue patient care? View ABC's Statement on Telehealth in Orthotics and Prosthetics for further guidance.​

Are O,P&P businesses considered essential healthcare services?  Learn more here​

Where can I find financial assistance for my business? ​​ 

A second round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will be administered by the Small Business Administration's (SBA) network of lenders, making $285B in funds available to small business with fewer than 300 employees and that have suffered revenue declines of more than 25 percent in any given quarter this year compared to last year.

Additional Details

If you already have a PPP loan: You can apply for a "second draw" through your lender if you can show a 25 percent reduction in gross receipts in the first three quarters of 2020 relative to the same 2019 quarters.

Available loan amount: Loans can be for 2.5 months of average monthly payroll costs plus an additional 25% of that amount up to a maximum of $2M.

Loan Forgiveness: Loans will be forgiven if certain conditions are met with a choice of an 8 or 24-week forgiveness period. Eligible small businesses will be able to deduct expenses paid for by PPP funds - consult your tax advisor.

Get more detailed information here.

Apply Now
Apply through any existing SBA lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Access approved SBA lenders here.

Download a sample PPP application here. How you apply (online, in person) will vary by lender.​​

Is O&P included in the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund? Eligible O&P facilities are included. Information can be found on the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services​ website​.  ​

​​​​​For additional guidance, please refer to the CDC's specific  resources for healthcare facilities​.
Questions? Please email our accreditation team​ or call (703) 836-7114.  

CMS RESOURCES​​​​

Continuing Education

While many tradeshows and conferences have been canceled with future events subject to change, there are now more eLearning opportunities than ever from which to choose. 

You can find these opportunities through the ABC Pre-approved Course Search Tool​. We encourage you to continue to earn continuing education credits during this time and we are happy to help in any way we can.

We will continue to update our online course listings and event calendar​​ as we learn of any changes. ​

 

Certification Exams

Exam candidates are still encouraged to  apply for ABC certification​.​ For the most current dates and deadlines, view the entire schedule here​.​​

Testing Center Safety
Our third party testing vendor, Prometric, has reviewed all test center operations and continues to reinforce maximum safety protocols at all test centers in order to mitigate the risk of spread of the virus at these locations. Procedures include cleaning high-touch surfaces (e.g. test stations, keyboard keys, mouse, etc.) before opening, in-between each candidate and at the end of the day. In addition, Prometric provides the necessary PPE, cleaning supplies and training to their staff on all new cleaning protocols. For more information about Prometric's test center ​policies and testing site updates, please visit the Prometric website​.

 

COVID-19 Impact on ABC Stakeholders Survey Report

As the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) continues, our Board of Directors is studying the impacts on all our stakeholders. In order to get a clear picture of the impact the emergency has had, a preliminary survey was sent in April 2020 to a small group of ABC certifees to set an early benchmark on how the pandemic was affecting the profession. 

We followed up with a survey in July 2020 to a much larger, diverse and representative subset of all ABC certified individuals. The survey goals were to ascertain the effects felt both at the height of the pandemic and identify the steps being made towards recovery. The July survey focused on identifying impacts on employment, patient volume and practice revenue.  

cover image of ABC COVID-19 Survey 2 ReportJuly 2020
Click​ here​ to view the 
updated survey report 

cover image of COVID-19 Impact Survey Report

April 2020
Click here​ to view the 
preliminary survey report

Resources from other OP&P Organizations