Today we meet with the head of the Rehabilitation Medicine Center, Irina Pchelintseva.
- How does the department manage the heavy load of patients with pain and emotional stress?
The hospital's rehabilitation service has been expanding since the start of the war.
The Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the Sklifosovsky Municipal Clinical Hospital has been operating for one year since January 2, 2023, during which we have successfully provided assistance to 698 patients. Our patients undergo rehabilitation directions that are mainly focused on traumatological and neurological treatments. It is important to note that over 70% of our patients are military personnel. Among these patients, the highest percentage has consequences from mine-explosive traumas such as severe cranial traumas, contusions, diffuse brain injuries, subarachnoid hemorrhages, gunshot wounds, subdural hematomas, and defects of the skull and brain. Our patients had a range of injuries, including complete spinal cord injuries and various combinations of limb, brain, spinal cord, chest, and abdominal injuries.
We are confident in our ability to provide the necessary equipment to the department within the year.
- What is average the length of stay in the department?
- The average duration of the rehabilitation treatment is at least 14 days, but we will continue to provide assistance until we achieve the set goal.
- Did you manage to provide the department with the necessary equipment over the year?
Our department is well-equipped thanks to the assistance of the hospital administration, regional military administration, and the WHO. The WHO generously provided us with beds and a variety of computer equipment, including copiers, printers, and computers. This equipment has been instrumental in improving our work, as it allows us to easily print and copy important documentation such as directions, discharges, and individual rehabilitation plans. Additionally, the WHO provided us with rehabilitation beds, motomed machines, bars, and a ceiling lift, which have all been invaluable assets to our department.
United24 provided us with 2 verticalizers - balancers. The regional military administration confidently purchased robotic systems for walking called Walkbot, upper and lower limb trainers to improve joint movements and increase muscle strength.
Two weeks ago, the regional administration acquired an anti-gravity treadmill made in the USA and a traction table for spinal decompression in three planes. A specialist will visit us soon to teach us how to work with this equipment, as it has its own specifics.
- The hospital has brought together specialists into a single rehabilitation team. Does the department have enough specialists to meet these needs?
Our multidisciplinary team consists of three physical and rehabilitation medicine physicians, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, all with professional training and master's degrees. Rehabilitation nurses and assistants to physical and occupational therapists are also available, as required by the National Health Service of Ukraine. They work with each patient for at least three hours a day, and often more.
Our department is staffed with a team of highly qualified professionals, including psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and a speech therapist, who work tirelessly at the hospital's psychological assistance center. In addition, we have access to the expertise of a traumatologist, a neurologist, and an orthopedic specialist, all of whom are also based at the hospital. Thanks to the recent merger with the regional children's hospital, we have established a dedicated children's rehabilitation department within our institution. This department specializes in treating children with nervous system pathologies and injuries, and we are confident in our ability to provide the best possible care to our young patients.
Our 'Veteran' department, with 50 beds, is confidently undergoing major renovations.
Furthermore, our acute cerebral pathology department boasts a physical therapist and an occupational therapist on staff. Our specialists provide top-notch rehabilitation assistance in the neurosurgery department, and as soon as the patient's condition allows, they are promptly transferred to our center.
Due to the war, the areas providing rehabilitation services have expanded significantly. We have ample space and a growing need to serve the many patients who require these services. Our rehabilitation center offers comprehensive assistance to patients of all ages with a variety of injuries, illnesses, and traumas. We receive a high volume of patients who are transferred to us after receiving treatment in traumatology, surgery, vascular, or neurological departments.
- What are the current top priorities?
The department's top priorities include acquiring modern rehabilitation equipment and providing patients with comfortable functional beds in comfortable rooms. The department already has experienced staff and rehabilitation equipment for various recovery directions. However, to improve processes and accommodate the increasing number of patients requiring assistance, additional devices are necessary.
We will provide a range of rehabilitation equipment to improve patient conditions, including repairs and functional furniture such as beds, bedside tables, and wardrobes in patient rooms.
- Thank you. I want to express my gratitude for the informative interview and express my great respect to the entire hospital team who work tirelessly to save our fellow Ukrainians. Your dedication and expertise are truly admirable.
Vitaly Shevchenko