Id 121
Topic Global Rehabilitation Approaches
Main Speaker Julia To Dutka USA
Co Speakers Peter Preziosi USA , Hazem Qannam Saudia Arabia , Beatrice Rey-Matias Phillipines

With 2.4 billion people around the world needing rehabilitation care1, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that a multidisciplinary approach offers the best likelihood for success in improving rehabilitation health outcomes worldwide. The integration of rehabilitation health workers from different professional disciplines, including nurses, allied health professionals, and assistive personnel, has been less intentional than warranted to effect change. The lack of access to formal education and competency-based training for health workers have made it difficult for countries to build a multidisciplinary rehabilitation health workforce. Instead, health workers learn rehabilitation care on the job, often without standardized, evidence-based frameworks. This session will explore the development and significance of global exam-based rehabilitation certifications designed to empower these professionals by assessing and validating their competencies through high-stakes certification and micro-credentials. Rehabilitation workforce development is not just a local issue – it is a global imperative. This need resonates across local communities worldwide.2 The World Health Organization (WHO) and its World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA) have continuously advocated for this seismic change in mindset by strengthening rehabilitation services as part of the WHO Rehabilitation 2030 initiative.3 With an increasing global demand for rehabilitation due to aging populations, chronic diseases, war, and conflict, there is an urgent need for competent, well-trained rehabilitation professionals, trained within a sound rehabilitation competency framework to undergird this localized worldwide effort.4 However, workforce integration challenges persist due to inconsistent educational standards and underfunding of rehabilitation services. In this session, we will share insights on developing these global certifications.5 We will also share exam data from the beta testing of these high-stakes examinations for Global Rehabilitation Nurse, Allied Health Professional, and Assistive Personnel. Session speakers will outline the areas of weaknesses needing additional investment and training to improve the competence of rehabilitation professionals and to recognize practice excellence. Additionally, presenters from the Philippines and Saudi Arabia, two countries in different strata of the global economy, will discuss how global certification can equally support professional development, workforce integration, and policy-level improvements in their local contexts. The lessons learned will offer models for rehabilitation health workforce development and care delivery.