Title
Optimizing Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities in North Africa: An Update from Tunisia and Morocco
Speaker
Sara Skalli Morocco
Type
Lecture
Short Description
Access to inpatient rehabilitation remains a major challenge in North Africa, where the demand for rehabilitation services far exceeds available resources. Bed shortages in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) departments, inefficient referral systems, and economic constraints create significant disparities in access to inpatient rehabilitation.
This session will explore strategies to optimize inpatient rehabilitation capacity in the region, focusing on an update between Tunisia and Morocco, while integrating insights from international models.
Tunisia and Morocco share similar healthcare challenges, including an insufficient number of dedicated rehabilitation beds, regional disparities in healthcare infrastructure, and financial limitations affecting both public and private sectors. However, variations in healthcare policies, social security coverage, and hospital organization have led to different rehabilitation pathways in these two countries.
By examining these differences, this session will identify best practices and potential strategies for improving inpatient rehabilitation capacity and patient outcomes.
Additionally, this discussion will draw comparisons with international rehabilitation models, particularly from European and Latin American countries, where structured referral pathways, specialized rehabilitation centers, and innovative approaches such as telerehabilitation have enhanced inpatient rehabilitation access.
Addressing these challenges requires a comprehensive approach, including policy reforms, improved coordination between acute care and rehabilitation services, and better resource allocation. By learning from both regional experiences and global best practices, this session will provide actionable recommendations to optimize rehabilitation hospital capacity in North Africa.”