Position paper on PRM and persons with long term disabilities.

Area of Science:

• Medicine
• Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

• Increasing prevalence of chronic health conditions and associated long-term disabilities.
• Growing need for complex, coordinated, and long-term care involving multiple health professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the central role and benefits of rehabilitation in managing chronic disabilities.
• To define the specific contributions of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) physicians within interdisciplinary rehabilitation teams.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of definitions related to long-term care, chronic disease rehabilitation, and PRM.
• Focus on the competencies and roles of PRM physicians in patient assessment, planning, and follow-up.

Main Results:

• Rehabilitation is an integral component of managing chronic disease and disability.
• PRM physicians play a key role in assessing medical and functional status, defining needs using ICD-WHO classifications, and developing tailored rehabilitation plans.

Conclusions:

• An interdisciplinary approach is ideal for effective rehabilitation.
• PRM physicians are essential for comprehensive rehabilitation planning, implementation, and follow-up care for individuals with long-term disabilities.