Sully wrote:My opinion is because of the WCJ--Mark's of the world, who have the limelight and the ear of a manufacturer and Legislators who say; "what we have today, is all just fine". Us, "We" are just voices crying out in the wilderness, no one hears us... I did like Mark at one time, but he disappointed and frustrated me, he is simply a shill for Pride.
What puzzles me about Mark is that, on one hand, he seems to grasp the fact that innovation in the power chair industry is virtually nonexistent; yet on the other he pretends that the cosmetic fripperies that get added to "new model" chairs every year is actually substantive innovation. Look at his response to my question about "Real Innovation":
http://www.wheelchairjunkie.com/forums/ ... #Post67227According to Mark, innovation has been stifled due to:
- Manufacturers' Lack of Consistent End-User Focus as the Gold Standard
- Providers Basing Business Models only on Acquisition Costs
- Complex Rehab Manufacturers Can't Take Risks with Consumers' Lives
- Insurer Funding and Consumer Purchasing Power Inhibits Innovation
- Consumers Complain but Don't Advocate
It's a bit of a mixed bag, a combination of genuine insights into the inertia, bureaucracy and collusion at the heart of the mobility industry, sprinkled with a liberal dose of victim blaming. But what comes through is a reasonably clear understanding that the state of the industry is not good. He even says explicitly, "I don't know a single person who's serious about complex rehab technology -- in the industry or as a consumer -- who thinks it's as advanced as it could or should be to best empower users' lives."
But, if you read the post he made on the New Mobility site (which prompted my question in the first place), there's this gem:
"
As a reader of this column, you might recall my writing last year that there were some innovative rumblings in the power chair marketplace. What none of us knew at the time was that those rumblings would hit the market in 2015 like a 8.0 magnitude earthquake of innovation. They would shake up the world of power chairs as we know them, featuring technologies that aren’t just captivating, but life-changing." http://www.newmobility.com/2015/06/new- ... er-chairs/Exciting!!! I can't wait! Let's look at these 'life-changing' innovations, shall we?
- "Omni-directional" casters
- Smartphone connectivity
- Sliding seats, elevating seats, stand up seats, flip-up arms
- 5.5mph, 10.6 mile range
Annnd, that's it. Some casters, some seat tweaks, and an app. Big hairy deal. "Life-changing" my ass.
The only conclusion I can draw from all this is that "Mark" is actually twins. One twin understands the power chair industry is shit. The other just says "New! Shiny!" over and over, like a hyper-caffeinated six year old on Christmas Day. Every morning, they flip a coin to decide which one gets to leave the house.