Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems worldwide by implementing information on functioning in rehabilitation practice, quality management, and policy: 2018 status report

• Published in: Journal of the International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Vol. 1; no. 2; pp. 37 - 48
• Main Authors: Francesca Gimigliano, Melissa Selb, Masahiko Mukaino, Cristiana Baffone, Jerome Bickenbach, Julia Engkasan Patrick, Christoph Gutenbrunner, Jianan Li, Stefano Negrini, Gerold Stucki, Mauro Zampolini, Jorge Lains
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Health - Lippincott Williams Wilkins 01.01.2018
• Subjects: disability and health; international classification of functioning; policy; quality management; rehabilitation practice
• ISSN: 2589-9457; 2589-9457
• DOI: 10.4103/jisprm.ijprm_13_18

The link between rehabilitation, functioning, and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is nothing new. This is reflected not only in the numerous peer-reviewed papers on applying the ICF in rehabilitation but also in the indispensable role of functioning and the ICF in developing the conceptual descriptions of rehabilitation as a health strategy and of physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) as a medical specialty. Since the World Health Organization's (WHO's) Rehabilitation 2030 Call for Action in 2017, functioning and the ICF have gained an even more prominent role in rehabilitation. This paper provides an overview of the current efforts toward strengthening rehabilitation in health systems throughout the world by applying information on functioning in rehabilitation practice, Clinical Quality Management for Rehabilitation (CQM-R), and policy, using the ICF as a reference framework. These initiatives are led by rehabilitation and rehabilitation-related societies and academic institutions in various countries and regions of the world. This paper briefly describes them and puts them into the context of WHO's call for strengthening rehabilitation. It concludes by highlighting lessons learned from these initiatives, introducing Cochrane Rehabilitation as a conduit for promoting the use of ICF in evidence gathering and calling for collaboration from new partners who have not yet been active in promoting ICF implementation. This call for collaboration from the International Society of PRM strives to diversify the representation of contributors and experiences in implementing the ICF in rehabilitation practice, CQM-R, and policy.