Evidence-based position paper on Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) professional practice for people with respiratory conditions. The European PRM position (UEMS PRM Section).
Aydan Oral, Alvydas Juocevicius, Aet Lukmann, Peter Takáč, Piotr Tederko, Ilze Hāznere, Catarina Aguiar-Branco, Milica Lazovic, Stefano Negrini, Enrique Varela Donoso, Nicolas Christodoulou
Author Information
Aydan Oral: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey - aydanoral@yahoo.com.
Alvydas Juocevicius: Department of Rehabilitation, Physical and Sports Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Aet Lukmann: Department of Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.
Peter Takáč: L. Pasteur University Hospital, Kosice Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Kosice, Slovak Republic.
Piotr Tederko: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
Ilze Hāznere: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Pauls Stradins Clinical University Hospital, Riga, Latvia.
Catarina Aguiar-Branco: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Centro Hospitalar de Entre o Douro e Vouga E.P.E, Porto, Portugal.
Milica Lazovic: Institute for Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Stefano Negrini: Clinical and Experimental Sciences Department, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy.
Enrique Varela Donoso: Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Complutense University School of Medicine, Madrid, Spain.
Nicolas Christodoulou: Medical School, European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Chronic respiratory conditions are among the top causes of death and disability. The aim of the paper was to improve Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) physicians' professional practice for people with chronic respiratory conditions in order to promote their functioning and to reduce activity limitations and/or participation restrictions. A systematic review of the literature and a Consensus procedure by means of a Delphi process have been performed involving the delegates of all European countries represented in the UEMS PRM Section. The systematic literature review is reported together with twenty-three recommendations resulting from the Delphi procedure. The professional role of PRM physicians having expertise in the rehabilitation of chronic respiratory conditions is to lead pulmonary rehabilitation programs in multiprofessional teams, working in collaboration with other disciplines in a variety of settings to improve functioning of people with chronic respiratory conditions. This evidence-based position paper represents the official position of the European Union through the UEMS PRM Section and designates the professional role of PRM physicians for people with respiratory conditions.
