Opinion/Feedback

Outpatients are referred by GPs to PRM specialists in order to solve an issue, rather than to give a simple diagnostic or therapeutic advice. Dealing with such an issue requires a specific expertise and also a relevant organization, i.e. functional assessment tools, cooperation with orthotists, rehabilitation settings, and quality network together with community-based professionals. Any daily activity in PRM can be defined as a “programme of care” with respect to the following elements:

– scientific and epidemiological foundations;

– target population;

– medical and functional goals;

– structured content;

– relevant means.

A consistent timeframe is a major feature of those programmes which cannot be limited to a single consultation, whatever its duration. During that period of time, responsibility for the patient is partially shifted to the PRM specialist; in the same way as it is shared with a surgeon for an operation or when the patient is referred to a PRM team during a hospitalization.

The recent “Law for Health” has opened a perspective for such cooperation between GPs and PRM specialist. We expect that it will be confirmed and valued by the new Medical Convention.