Integrated institution--community rehabilitation in developed countries: a proposal.

PURPOSE: To propose a system for the provision of comprehensive, coordinated rehabilitation services that would meet all the needs of persons with disability in a timely and cost-effective manner.
METHODS: Study of the literature pertaining to features of settings available for the delivery of medical rehabilitation in developed countries; presentation of the evolution of a tertiary rehabilitation centre into an institution practicing community-oriented rehabilitation. Review of various issues and implications of integrating institutional-based and community-based rehabilitation.
RESULTS: Rehabilitation settings differ in skills and resources and consequently, in the treatment, care and concern they are able to offer. It is essential to find the balance between medical, nursing and social needs of persons with disability and their requirements for skills and resources at a given time, and to provide rehabilitation, support and guidance in the setting most appropriate to these requirements and needs at the lowest cost possible.
CONCLUSION: The integration of the rehabilitation institution of a region with secondary and primary care of the region, into one functional entity for the purposes of providing the needed services, would enable finding the most appropriate setting, and facilitate addressing all needs, as well as increase the availability and accessibility of comprehensive rehabilitation at an affordable cost. This could be a viable way of providing rehabilitation in developed countries of Europe, where the need for it is expected to rise in excess of the population increase.