Event highlights
WHO answers a request from the Ministry of Health of Turkmenistan to boost the capacity of professionals in the effective organization of rehabilitation services
Rehabilitation and habilitation services are essential health services for optimizing functioning in individuals with health conditions, such as injuries and chronic illnesses. These services are crucial for health systems to provide integrated and comprehensive care. WHO is committed to strengthening rehabilitation within health systems using the ICF.
In an effort to enhance the organization and quality of rehabilitation services, a practical course for professionals working in the Ashgabat Rehabilitation Center was held by the WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan on 16–20 December 2024 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. This 5-day training was designed to equip the health-care workers with the skills and knowledge to effectively integrate ICF principles into their everyday practices.
The training aimed at familiarizing specialists with the principles of the ICF framework and its application in organizing rehabilitation services for diverse patient groups, including children and adults. It also focused on outlining the stages and core elements of the rehabilitation management cycle, emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach, as well as training professionals in effective methods for planning, conducting and evaluating rehabilitation activities based on the ICF framework in order to integrate rehabilitation services across all levels of health care.
Tools for rehabilitation
During the training course, participants learned about the best practices for maintaining accounting and reporting documentation in line with ICF requirements, national standards and WHO guidelines to understand current clinical documentation, coding practices and prospects, and data workflows. They also gained skills to effectively use documentation to monitor and assess the success of rehabilitation interventions.
“This course gave me an opportunity to gain deeper insights into the practice of rehabilitation and habilitation process. It helped me to better understand the role of the person being rehabilitated, the patient’s needs based on the ICF model. This course has changed my perception on rehabilitation, leading to a transition from a medical model to a biopsychosocial approach,” noted one of the participants.
Alexandr Shoshmin, the trainer, added, “It is worth noting that the specialists showed strong interest in tools for rehabilitation, in particular the WHO classifications as ICF and International Classification of Health Interventions. They were also particularly keen on applying the rehabilitation management information system in the organization process of rehabilitation services and providing assistance to children under the age of 3 and their families, based on the ICF. The ICF is a structural basis for the entire process, starting with the initial and in-depth assessment and ending with the assessment of effectiveness.”
This training course represents a critical step toward integrating ICF principles into clinical practice in Turkmenistan. The upcoming final report of the training prepared for the Ministry of Health will serve as a comprehensive overview of the training outcomes, offering valuable insights and recommendations for enhancing future training initiatives as well as further recommendations for putting ICF principles into practice.
Event notice
16 December 2024, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
The training course will introduce health-care workers to the principles of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and its use in organizing rehabilitation services for diverse patient groups. The course will outline the stages and core elements of the rehabilitation management cycle, emphasize the interdisciplinary approach, and provide training in effective methods for planning, conducting and evaluating rehabilitation activities based on the ICF framework to integrate rehabilitation services across all levels of health care.