Improvement of accessibility and efficiency of rehabilitation services in Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Hospital and Rehabilitation centre Razna Ltd

Latvia and Lithuania face common challenges of an aging population, a growing number of people with disabilities, high levels of social exclusion and poverty. In Latgale and Kaunas regions, the number of people in need of rehabilitation services is growing, but the availability of rehabilitation services is not sufficient and developed in these regions. Equal access is hampered by the poor material base, out-dated equipment and insufficient skills of specialists. The project aims to improve the availability and efficiency of rehabilitation services, increase the capacity of rehabilitation centres in the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Hospital and the rehabilitation centre “Rāzna” in Rēzekne. During the project, general competencies (managerial) and special competencies (professional development) trainings (10 general and 10 special trainings) will be carried out for specialists of rehabilitation centres (doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and others). The specialists of the project partners will go to the rehabilitation centre in Germany to take over the experience of the specialists of this centre in planning and organizing rehabilitation services. Both partners will purchase modern rehabilitation equipment (multi-sensory equipment, magnetic field, laser, light, hydro therapy devices, etc.) to provide more efficient rehabilitation procedures for patients. A methodological guide for rehabilitation specialists will also be developed, which will include the good practice of providing rehabilitation services collected during the project. The results of the project will be used mainly by specialists (about 100 specialists) and patients (about 1000 patients per year) of both rehabilitation institutions participating in the project.

Latvija un Lietuva saskaras ar kopīgām problēmām, kas saistītas ar sabiedrības novecošanos, pieaugošu cilvēku skaitu ar invaliditāti, augstu sociālās atstumtības un nabadzības līmeni. Latgales un Kauņas reģionos pieaug to cilvēku skaits, kuriem nepieciešami rehabilitācijas pakalpojumi, taču rehabilitācijas pakalpojumu pieejamība šajos reģionos nav pietiekama un attīstīta. Vienlīdzīgu piekļuvi kavē slikta materiālā bāze, novecojušais aprīkojums un nepietiekamas speciālistu prasmes un zināšanas. Projekta mērķis ir uzlabot rehabilitācijas pakalpojumu pieejamību un efektivitāti, palielināt rehabilitācijas centru kapacitāti Lietuvas veselības zinātņu universitātes Kauņas slimnīca un rehabilitācijas centrā “Rāzna” Rēzeknē. Projekta laikā, rehabilitācijas centru speciālistiem (ārstiem, medmāsām, fizioterapeitiem, ergoterapeitiem un citiem) tiks organizētas vispārējās kompetences (vadības) un speciālo kompetenču (profesionālās pilnveides) apmācības (10 vispārējās un 10 speciālās apmācības). Projekta partneru speciālisti dosies uz rehabilitācijas centru Vācijā, lai pārņemtu šī centra speciālistu pieredzi rehabilitācijas pakalpojumu plānošanā un organizēšanā. Abi partneri iegādāsies modernu rehabilitācijas aprīkojumu (multisensoriskas iekārtas, magnētiskā lauka, lāzera, gaismas, ūdens terapijas ierīces, utt.), lai pacientiem nodrošinātu efektīvākas rehabilitācijas procedūras. Tiks izstrādāts arī rehabilitācijas speciālistu metodiskais ceļvedis, kurā būs iekļauta vērtīga prakse rehabilitācijas pakalpojumu sniegšanā, kas tika saņemta projekta laikā. Projekta rezultātus galvenokārt izmantos abu rehabilitācijas institūciju speciālisti (apmēram 100 speciālisti) un pacienti (apmēram 1000 pacienti gadā). Latvija ir Lietuva susiduria su bendromis visuomenės senėjimo, augančios žmonių su negalia skaičiaus, didelės socialinės atskirties ir skurdo problemomis. Latgalos ir Kauno regionuose žmonių skaičius, kuriems yra reikalingos reabilitacijos paslaugos, vis labiau auga, tačiau šiuose regionuose reabilitacijos paslaugų prieinamumas nėra pakankamas ir išplėtotas. Vienodą prieinamumą mažina reabilitacijos paslaugas teikiančių įstaigų skurdi materialinė bazė, pasenusi įranga ir nepakankami darbuotojų gebėjimai. Projektas siekia gerinti reabilitacijos paslaugų prieinamumą ir efektyvumą, didinti reabilitacijos centrų pajėgumus Lietuvos sveikatos mokslų universiteto Kauno ligoninėje ir reabilitacijos centre „Rāzna“, esančiame Rēzeknėje. Projekto metu bus vykdomi bendrųjų kompetencijų (vadybiniai) ir specialiųjų kompetencijų (kvalifikacijos kėlimo) mokymai (10 bendrųjų ir 10 specialiųjų mokymų), skirti reabilitacijos centrų specialistams (gydytojams, slaugytojams, kineziterapeutams, ergoterapeutams ir kitiems). Projekto partnerių specialistai vyks į Vokietijos reabilitacijos centrą perimti šio centro specialistų patirtį planuojant ir organizuojant reabilitacijos paslaugas. Abi ligoninės įsigis modernią reabilitacijos įrangą (multisensorinė įranga, magnetinio lauko, lazerio, šviesos, vandens terapijos prietaisai ir t.t.), kad galėtų teikti efektyvesnes reabilitacijos procedūras centrų pacientams. Taip pat bus sukurtas metodinis vadovas reabilitacijos specialistams, kuriame bus patalpinta projekto metu surinkta geroji reabilitacijos paslaugų teikimo praktika.  Projekto rezultatais daugiausiai naudosis abiejų projekte dalyvaujančių reabilitacijos įstaigų specialistai (apie 100 specialistų) ir pacientai (apie 1000 pacientų per metus).

The aim of the project was to improve the accessibility and efficiency of rehabilitation services and to increase the rehabilitation capacity at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Hospital (Lithuania) and the Rehabilitation center “Rāzna” (Latvia). During the project leading partner Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas hospital and project partner Rehabilitation centre “Rāzna” organized 15 general skills on-line trainings (5 trainings of them were joint) for both partners’ rehabilitation specialists. The aim of these courses – to increase competence and quality of Lithuanian and Latvian rehabilitation centers and to share good practice among the rehabilitation centers in the field of 10 topics such as “Stress management”, “Conflict management”, “Time management”, “Leadership management”, Team work”, “Internal communication”, “Communication with patients”, “Strategic planning”, “Human resource management”, “Organization representation and image”. Both project partners organized 15 special skills on-line trainings (5 trainings of them were joint) for both partners’ rehabilitation specialists in the field of 10 topics such as “Peculiarities of physiotherapy / ergo-therapy of traumatological patients”, “Examination and treatment of the lumbar spine by manual therapy and exercise”, “Means of movement and their effects on endocrine disease control and prevention of complications”, “Muscle and muscle chain testing and correction”, “Muscle imbalance and effective muscle chain training”, “Examination and rehabilitation of the shoulder joint”, “Elastic resistance system and concept of functional exercises in physiotherapy”. In all, 30 general and special skills trainings with 632 participants in them were organized. Separately, 10 joint trainings were organized with 265 participants. Project partners Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Hospital (Lithuania) and Rehabilitation center “Rāzna” (Latvia) purchased and installed modern rehabilitation equipment for children and adults which enabled and improved the delivery and efficiency of these services and improved the recovery results after these services both for children and adults. Project partner Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Hospital has prepared the handbook for the provision of medical rehabilitation services, which contains the latest recommendations for rehabilitation specialists. The handbook provides detailed and clear practical recommendations based on scientific knowledge regarding the provision of rehabilitation services to patients after knee and hip arthroplasty, shoulder and back pain, stroke etc. The handbook is published in Lithuanian and Latvian languages as methodological material for rehabilitation specialists working in the institutions of project partners. At the end of the project 1-day international on-line conference on the topic “Modern methods of providing medical rehabilitation services” has been organized. Rehabilitation experts from Lithuania, Latvia and other EU countries have presented modern ways of delivery of rehabilitation services. 90 participants from both partners’ and other medical institutions took place in the conference for sharing knowledge and increasing the qualification of specialists.

Project addresses the Programme objectives as it is focused on joint partners activities and operates within the eligible area that encourage to improve efficiency of public services by strengthening capacities and cooperation between project partners institutions in Kaunas and Rezekne. It will strengthen cross border area economic and social base development increasing the competitiveness by establishing at regional level currently missing primary structures and capacities. The main project result is the development of new generation rehabilitation services which will be provided to the broader audience with higher efficiency improving the access to health care, education and partly participation in the labour market in the Programme area. The center will help to improve accessibility and efficiency of rehabilitation services as it coordinates development of the new generation rehabilitation services. It will also have a positive impact promoting a knowledge-driven economy development in the cooperation region by establishing the new network for rehabilitations services development. Such expierence will be attractive not only to the specialists working in the health care and social services areas but it also will let cooperate between young generation and elderly in both cross-border countries as it will include and disseminate usage of innovative technologies.