The Clinical Affairs Committee of the UEMS PRM Section focusses on Quality of Care in PRM practice.
The Clinical Affairs Committee of the UEMS Section of PRM (CAC) was set up in 2001, at the suggestion of Prof. Veronika Fialka-Moser (Austria). Its mission is to promote quality of care in PRM throughout European countries. Under the chairmanship of Prof. Bengt Sjölund (Sweden), the committee discussed different ways to achieve this ambitious goal.
Without resources from external funding source, the first development committee decided to develop an Accreditation process for PRM Programmes of Care based on volunteering contributions by UEMS PRM participants and other specialist reviewers. In the absence of a funded secretariat the UEMS PRM CAC accreditation review process is wholly dependent our Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine volunteers. CAC is very grateful for the generous contributions in time and clinical expertise offered by our accreditation reviewers. This current rehabilitation template owes much to the major contribution and developmental work over many years by our past CAC chairman Dr Georges de Korvin (France)
After refinement over several versions, the procedure has reached the current 2018 template driven approach. This accreditation process is based on peer-review of a thorough written description of your PRM Programme of Care. Applicants are asked to provide this comprehensive information using a common template, which can be downloaded from this website.
From 2018 it is kernel to the application process that each applicant should present their application in the first instance to the National Manager who is your nominated delegate at UEMS PRM. The National Manager should then provide written verification to confirm to UEMS PRM CAC that the programme content, staffing and resources are as described in the application template. This verification element of the CAC application process is essential because currently the CAC does not have the resources to conduct accreditation inspections to each applying programme.
Within the limitation of a paper based accreditation process the UEMS PRM CAC template has proven to be robust and can be applied to widely different clinical situations. CAC believes that the accreditation process is sensitive to the differences that exist within PRM practice in our member countries. Our accreditation process puts much emphasis on the medical contribution to rehabilitation care for the patient. The process begins with an accurate diagnosis followed by the appropriate treatment designed to achieve the best outcome from comprehensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation. The rehabilitation application should describe the programme structure, goals and content. The accreditation process will review the organizational aspects including the manpower and technical equipment required by the programme.
Before submitting your final programme for formal Accreditation, it is recommended that the applying PRM Specialist should arrange through your National Manager to give an oral presentation of his/her programme during a CAC workshops. CAC workshops take place twice a year during the General Assembly of the UEMS PRM Section. The venue for General Assemblies circulates around UEMS PRM member countries in European cities nominated by the member country. Presenting a Programme of Care to the CAC committee provides an excellent opportunity for the applicant to benefit from feedback from the CAC committee clinical experience. In our experience, CAC Committee feedback can help an applicant acquire better knowledge of the European standards for accreditation. It is generally helpful if new applicants are aware of the standards that were needed for other accredited programmes to achieve their accreditation within our European culture of PRM.
The UEMS PRM CAC is involved in other initiatives which support PRM programmes to develop quality of care. For example CAC is currently developing a patients rights and responsibilities paper and also a special topic about supporting the rights of patients with impaired decision making capacity.
UEMS PRM CAC is also pleased to cooperate with the European Society of PRM (ESPRM) to present at ESPRM congresses and to gather National PRM guideline recommendations which describe best PRM practice. CAC activities involving PRM programmes of care are regularly presented during special sessions of ESPRM congresses.
If you are interested in contributing to UEMS PRM CAC activities, please, contact the National Delegate of your country who can then make representation to the CAC Chairman or Secretary
Dr Anda Nulle and Dr Iuly Treger
Chairman and Secretary of the Clinical Affairs Committee – UEMS PRM Section