Professor Guo Dan from Uekusa Gakuen University Proposes Four Key Efforts to Establish a Tiered Rehabilitation System

Nov 03, 2016 08:00 CST Updated 08:00

Dan Guo, Professor at Uekusa Gakuen University, Japan

Patients face not only the challenge of recovery but also a shared responsibility for rehabilitation that extends from the early-stage medical team to the rehabilitation-phase physicians and their families. We must establish a comprehensive, whole-course rehabilitation medicine model to address all of patients’ rehabilitative healthcare needs. Building a rehabilitation medical service system requires optimizing its layout and structure, coordinating rehabilitation resources, and gradually constructing a tiered, phased rehabilitation service framework. Establishing such a tiered rehabilitation system entails completing tasks in four key areas.

First, disease prevention should begin with leveraging big data to predict the progression of pathological conditions in individuals. To prevent the onset of such conditions, appropriate exercise and lifestyle modifications are recommended, with these goals achieved through public education and awareness campaigns.

Secondly, timely treatment after illness is crucial. Particularly for conditions prone to causing disability or impairment, rehabilitation measures should be initiated early to prevent secondary disability. Once vital signs have stabilized, it is advisable to begin motor recovery training as early as the second day. Through scientific rehabilitation training, unaffected body parts can be preserved from disuse atrophy, minimizing the extent of disability and optimizing the patient’s ability to return home and achieve self-care in the shortest possible time.

Third, transfer patients who cannot recover to a level suitable for returning home to rehabilitation hospitals, where they can receive concentrated rehabilitation focused on activities of daily living (ADLs), striving to achieve self-care and independence, thereby reducing the burden on families and society. Meanwhile, improvements should be made to the patient’s living environment to facilitate their daily mobility and prepare for long-term family care.

Fourth, upon returning home, develop a training plan with supervision to optimize your physical condition as much as possible.Maintain optimal levels. It is also essential to provide accessible outdoor venues to support patients’ mental health, thereby preserving physical function and improving psychological well-being, which helps prevent unnecessary diseases and disuse syndromes. In daily family life, avoid excessive disease-focused care and engage in moderate exercise to maintain the body’s optimal condition.

Establishment of a Tiered Rehabilitation System Can Provide Patients with Early, Systematic, Professional, and Continuous Rehabilitation Medical Services. Every link is crucial, and each must focus on preventing disuse syndrome and the subsequent development of other complications. To ensure patients live safely and comfortably, and to enable the normal functioning of families and society, rehabilitation services should be accessible at all stages.

The establishment of a tiered rehabilitation system imposes high demands on both community-based rehabilitation institutions and home-based rehabilitation. Community rehabilitation institutions should prioritize disease prevention for older adults in a sub-health state. By organizing activities and establishing senior universities, they can encourage healthy seniors to engage in physical and cognitive exercises outside their homes. Furthermore, there is a need for rehabilitation coordinators or consultants. These professionals must maintain comprehensive records of elderly individuals and persons with disabilities within the community and households, formulating reasonable lifestyle plans for them. To maintain optimal physiological function, they should promptly arrange hospital visits and day-care center activities as needed. Through home visits, these specialists provide supervision and guidance to patients on maintaining appropriate daily living routines. Additionally, these rehabilitation coordinators must engage in regular continuing education to enhance their competencies and deliver appropriate services to residents.

To further explore the development trends in technological innovation and translation within the healthcare industry, the China Association for Promotion of Rehabilitation Technology Translation and Development held the “2016 China Forum on Technological Innovation in Rehabilitation Industry & The 3rd Member Representative Congress of the China Association for Promotion of Rehabilitation Technology Translation and Development” at the Beijing National Convention Center from November 5–6, 2016.

Centered on the theme of “Focusing on Healthy China, Promoting Innovative Industries,” this forum will uphold its mission of “Learning, Communication, Discussion, and Exchange.” It will delve into key issues such as driving technological innovation in the healthcare industry and fostering deeper integration among industry, academia, research, and technology transfer. Additionally, the forum will interpret and discuss hot topics, policies and regulations, guiding principles, and development models related to the implementation of the national strategy of “Healthy China.”