Our Practice
Why Choose a Family-Owned Prosthetics & Orthotics Practice?
By the South County Artificial Limb & Brace care team · · 5 min read
Prosthetic and orthotic care is not a transaction — it is a relationship that lasts years, often decades. Where you choose to receive that care shapes everything: who you see, how quickly adjustments happen, and whether your goals stay at the center of every decision.
What does family-owned mean for your care?
It means continuity. The clinician who casts your socket is the one who fits it, adjusts it, and greets you by name three years later. Our practice has been family-owned since 1976 — founded by Robert and Lois James and led today by Clinical Director Joshua R. James — and many of our patient relationships span generations of both families.
It also means decisions are made in the exam room, not a corporate office. When something about your care needs to change, the person who can change it is standing in front of you.
Why does in-house fabrication matter?
When fabrication happens on site, your feedback travels a few steps — not through a shipping label. Sockets and devices are shaped by the same hands that examined your limb, and many adjustments happen while you wait instead of over weeks of back-and-forth with an outside central facility.
That control over the whole process — cast, modify, fabricate, fit, adjust — is the difference between a device that is close enough and one that truly fits.
What does treating patients like family look like in practice?
It looks like appointments that are never rushed, because we schedule by the person, not the quarter hour. It looks like emergency and after-hours support when your device fails at the worst possible moment. And it looks like honest recommendations — including telling you when a simpler, less expensive option serves you better.
What questions should you ask any O&P provider?
Wherever you go for care, you deserve clear answers to these questions:
- Who actually fabricates my device, and where?
- Will I see the same clinician at every visit?
- How are adjustments handled — and how quickly?
- Who handles my insurance authorization, and will you explain my costs before work begins?
- What happens if my device breaks after hours?
Frequently asked questions
- Can I switch to your practice if I already have a prosthesis from elsewhere?
Yes. We regularly welcome patients who already wear a device. Bring your prosthesis or orthosis to a consultation and we will evaluate the fit, service what you have, and plan next steps together.
- Do you only serve southern Rhode Island?
No — with offices in Wakefield and Woonsocket, we serve patients across Rhode Island and nearby communities.
- How do I get started as a new patient?
Call either office or send us your information through the contact page. We will help coordinate your physician's prescription and schedule an unhurried first visit.