DIRECT Info

Background

Global need for rehabilitation is increasing. Globally 2.41 billion people would benefit from rehabilitation, but most people do not have access. Need is most urgent in low- and middle income countries.  WHO promotes rehabilitation as 21st health strategy and it is seen as an integral tool in achieving Universal Health Coverage. 

Covid-19 pandemic showed the vulnerability of the present system and need to build back better. Joint action and research are needed to have feasible, appropriate, meaningful, and effective solutions and digital rehabilitation model that directly empower people to manage their own health, well-being, and rehabilitation needs in different contexts globally. Integration of rehabilitation into the digital economy provide multi-billion opportunity for private sector.

Objectives and expected results

The overall aim of the joint action is to create new business opportunities globally through the evidence-based practice in use of digital-first rehabilitation in different service and cultural contexts. The expected results of the project are:   

1. Digital rehabilitation will be increasingly used and accepted in health systems in different locations especially in Eastern Africa and Southeast Asia.
2. Investments increase by local governments, international organizations, and other relevant stakeholders towards solving rehabilitation needs with help of digital rehabilitation.
3. Research evidence on feasible, appropriate, meaningful, and effective digital solutions will be made available and can be used to scale access to evidence-based rehabilitation in globally. 
4. Contributing towards wider acceptance, among international organizations, to leverage digital rehabilitation strategically to solve global challenges in rehabilitation.

Use of affordable digital technologies in rehabilitation will enable millions of more people globally access reha-bilitation.

Project consortium and partnerships

Project is a joint action of Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Physiotools Ltd. and CSE Entertainment Ltd. Jamk leads the consortium, presents it globally in relevant forums and implements the research activities in reference locations with the local university partners and related other stakeholders. The companies and Jamk aim to jointly develop digital solutions that are relevant to local systems in target locations. A digital rehabilitation conceptual model will be built together with the local governments in reference locations, which makes it possible for the companies to create solutions that respond to different system level needs.

Other important stakeholders for the project are WHO, UN and other international organizations who promote reha-bilitation. Evidence from the effectiveness of the solutions and services of participating companies and from digital rehabilitation, in general, will be distributed widely.

Schedule

The project will be implemented during 2022-2024.