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The History of QT Boston / OAB Series - “In their own words”
CHAPTER III - Early Product Development, Failures and Successes
PARTNERSHIPS: MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, APPLIANCE DEVELOPERS, OAB MEMBERS.
Today we all have relatively easy access to a wide variety of both ostomy equipment and practical advice from catalogues, convention displays, retail supply stores, WOCN / ETs, the Internet, and, of course, personal contact at meetings; such was not always so. Edith Lennenberg put into perspective what pioneers in the ostomy movement faced more than a half century ago: "I have always been impressed with that early cooperation and interaction among surgeons, the suppliers themselves, and the patients," she says.
"The doctors knew how to perform the surgery but were understandably little experienced in providing rehabilitation and continued care thereafter. The truly enlightened and humanitarian surgeons were grateful that there were both patients willing to test equipment and experiment with techniques and pharmaceutical pioneers to listen and "tinker" with their findings. The cooperation was truly inspiring."
Most of those who worked on ideas for better equipment were very personally and intimately involved: Either they themselves had ostomies or they were concerned about a family member or close friend who did. And certainly MDs cooperated, too; several brought ideas that were very beneficial.
Edith continues:
"Those years (the 1950's) were unique in the strides made in appliance and material development."
Florence Cohen agrees:
" Many an appliance makers had access to practicing surgeons through the Association.
They did not have to resort to knocking on doors but could go to regional meetings--where maybe both they and the doctors were speakers--and have time to share ideas."
The founder of Atlantic Surgical Company, Leon Berger, appreciated these early professional connections and commented on them in his publication The Essentials for Starting a Mail-Order Medical / Ostomy Supply Business :
"Whether you rent a booth at the United Ostomy Association convention or
whether you merely introduce yourself and your product to exhibitors (competitors), the convention could be a doorway to the 'big time.' Opportunities for product promotion and networking are ideal. This is where deals are made, ideas are suggested and information is obtained. Catalogs, price schedules, and samples are often available. Seminars, meetings, and socializing provide insight and information helpful to the ostomate."
QT worked closely with these early appliance inventors for obvious reasons: They all wanted improvements in appliances. Ostomates would gladly pass along a new idea to someone who could make it a reality for them . . . and then they would later give feedback on their personal "field trials." One such " field report" ( Note: Less graphic than some!) by Florence Cohen read, "Lots of cement. You had a can of cement and you put the cement on a hard plastic disc and the cement on you (and) then you held the two cements together until they dried and then you wore a belt and then you had a hard plastic bag . . . In those days we had elastic bands on the bottom and of course, if it didn't fit well, it leaked all the time."
A comment on the above report was made by Dr. Rowbotham: "Skin irritation and odor--In the old days, of the two, odor was the worse. Skin irritation was only the person's (problem), but the odor of the stoma and the appliance could pervade an entire house and affect family and friends. It was the old rubber bags that would retain odor, especially for colomostates, and eliminating it would be the greatest benefit on a social basis. Helping the skin irritation would be a side benefit, but the appliance was not serviceable for that if it could not contain the effluvient."
One of the more interesting activities of QT was just such product testing. Members had good relationships with the several companies, but they were also honest and certainly not uncritical. Some quotations from an early "Samples Report" are very telling:
"Manufacturers supplied QT Boston with sample products throughout the year.
Since only a small number of each sample was available, not many reports are at hand. Grateful acknowledgment is here made to all companies for their interest in our problems."
"Re: Appliances--Mr. Nicholas Pappas kindly made an adapted version of his colectomy conditioner for our trial. Mr. L. Fenton of the Marlen Co. sent one of the appliances that company manufactures for trial by one of our members. Due to the fact that each of these bags could be tried only by one person, we do not feel that we can publish a report of their efficacy."
"Re: Appliance Cleaners-- Deo-Kleen: 3 reports--one "fairly good," two "good."
G271: 3 reports--all "not successful."
Torbot: 3 reports--one "very good," two "poor."
Cement--Mahady Body Cement--3 reports--all "good, especially for sensitive skin."
Such testing was beneficial both to ostomates--who received better products--
and to the appliance suppliers--who had access to invaluable advertising and thereby could establish "ongoing" markets; consequently, suppliers were amenable to giving away free samples, to subsidizing the cost of publishing manuals, and to contracting for paid ads in the Ostomy Quarterly, several right up through the 1980s. (A few distributors actually even considered their "advertisements" their "current catalogues".)
Leo Cohen, an OAB president in the early 1970s, was most aware of the important role at meetings played by suppliers of ostomy products: "In our regional gatherings, they would appear and support the whole meeting. They would promote their individual products, but no one supplier ever achieved a monopoly. We raised funds through their paid attendance and booth rentals; they would pay to come and speak to us."
And during those early years surgeons and nurses were ever, our partners, too; they understood that trusting only lay persons with all facets of rehabilitation was not only too much to expect but also too dangerous to recuperative health. It is remarkable that they were so numerous and so available to help and advise QT / OAB: In 1955, for example, there were 232 doctors on the QT mailing list.
Again, a comment by a former president, Dr. John Rowbotham, is most telling: "People don't live in hospitals; people live at home and people have concerns and problems which they may either be not aware of or be too afraid to bring up immediately following surgery. Problems can arise six months later -- even sixty years! Self-help groups like OAB are always most helpful."
The early dedication and contribution to OAB of yet another medical professional, Dr. Harry Shapiro, is also worth mention. He and Florence Cohen agreed that if he would become "Honorary President," she would be his "Vice President." Records and minutes testify that their collaborative leadership was successful for years.
Partnerships among medical professionals and OAB members have been essential to the success of the Association. As mentioned above, doctors Harry Shapiro and John Rowbotham were presidents, as was Dr. Eve Rowell. "Outstanding Service" plaques have been awarded to Carolyn Tamer, RN / ET; Donna Loehner, RN / ET; and Diane Bryant, RN / ET.
And such exemplary collaboration has "flowed" in both directions, with two ostomates first serving as presidents, then becoming ET's--Edith Lennenberg and Dolly Johnson.
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