To Whom It May Concern:

Patient   X has a neuromuscular condition which affects their muscle strength, balance, ambulation, and ability to transition easily from one place to another.  They are therefore at an increased fall risk.  They do require physical therapy services and equipment to improve their overall independent ambulation as well as reducing fall risks during transitioning from one place to another.  I am recommending a Wingman Harness System to reduce fall risk during therapy and ambulation as well as to help in their muscle strengthening which also reduces fall risk.

The ultimate goal of therapy is to improve ambulation.  Falling is a major hazard in this process.  The benefits of this harness system include the ability for the caregiver or therapist to reduce falls during ambulation.  This system allows improvement in ambulation and activation of the muscles in settings to include outside areas normally not accessible with standard walkers.  This system also allows for in home training over the treadmill with added security, thus reducing the risk of a fall.  In research studies use of this system has shown an improvement in the gross functional movement score of patients over the improvements gained by the control patients in their regularly scheduled therapy sessions, which also reduces the fall risk.

Financial benefit for insurance providers would be that the cost of this system is hundreds to thousands of dollars less than an urgent care or ER visit for a fall evaluation and certainly less than the cost of treatment from any morbidity from a single fall.  Additional financial benefits of the Wingman Harness System would include improved ambulation and fall reduction over multiple years as the system adjusts with the patient as they grow (in the case of a child).  Also cost savings of improved outcome of therapy and less time in therapy to achieve desired results due to more stable patient experience, potentially saving significant long term cost of overall therapy.

Caregivers/parents/therapists can actually provide support and fall reduction the patient's needs to allow them to strengthen their muscles and improve their balance and develop strength on both sides of the body equally.  This will allow the patient to use their legs and torso thereby strengthening the core muscles which are required for ultimate balance as well as which are required for body support and ambulation and reducing risks for falling when transitioning from one location to another.

                                                                                    Sincerely,

                                                                                    _____________________________

                                                                                    Dr.