Navigating Change: Jeff Kessler on the Pressures and Possibilities in O&P
Published in
Orthotics & Prosthetics
on October 21, 2025
By Theresa Flaherty, originally featured in HME News
As a prosthetic user himself, Jeff Kessler, who was recently named director of the Orthotic and Prosthetic Group of America (OPGA), understands the mission of the industry on a personal level.
“That connection motivates me to come alongside our members and partners and help them grow their capacity to care for more patients and serve their communities in a bigger, more meaningful way,” he said. “We have some of the best clinical minds and business minds working in the space, and I get to learn from collaborating with them and focus on an industry that I love and to support those who are making a difference.”
Kessler started in his new role at OPGA after a dozen years in various roles at VGM Group.
HME News: What are some of your initial goals in your new role at OPGA?
Jeff Kessler: We already have an amazing membership group and incredible partners that support us, so my top priorities are making sure that they feel support from me and from our team of experts and resources. Not enough of our members are fully aware of everything that we offer and all the value that comes with being part of OPGA. So, improving how we communicate is a big focus that starts with listening to their needs, understanding their challenges, and then continuing to increase what we can offer. Whether it's a new resource, better tools, or stronger connections, we want to help solve real problems and expand the reach and influence of our community.
HME: What are some of the biggest challenges facing your members right now?
Kessler: Reimbursement not keeping pace with rising costs is a tale as old as time. Shrinking margins force clinics that are already stretched thin to do more with less, but there's also a massive opportunity for disruption there, I think, especially as practice management technology continues to advance. AI-driven workflows will streamline operations, but the pace of innovation is overwhelming. We're also seeing continued consolidation in O&P and that mirrors trends across healthcare, which can bring challenges with consistency of care, and that's why we need both large organizations and independent clinics, so they push each other to improve.
HME: How will you be working with national O&P associations to further goals for the broader O&P community?
Kessler: Absolutely, this industry is big but also small. Collaboration is going to be key with not only our clinicians needing to do more with less, but across all these organizations that support the industry. That collaboration is key so we're not overlapping – so that we can do more with the resources we have and not duplicate efforts. We want to grow and do the best that we can, and collaboration is going to be part of what OPGA has in mind moving forward.
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- orthotics & prosthetics
- orthotics and prosthetics