What departments can there be in a rehabilitation center, and for what activities do you need a license?

Rehabilitation centers play an exceptionally vital role in our country today, emerging as one of the most sought-after sectors in healthcare. The nation is currently grappling with war, and in these challenging times, numerous military personnel and civilians have sustained severe injuries, highlighting a substantial need for lifelong rehabilitation support. Undoubtedly, such medical facilities will significantly impact the lives of these individuals.

Our government is actively working to ensure that Ukrainians have access to high-quality medical assistance. Every effort is being made to provide doctors with the necessary tools and support, enabling them to offer patients the chance to lead a complete and content life in a free and independent country. These commitments are not mere rhetoric; a recent decision during a Cabinet of Ministers meeting reflects an increase in the state order for the training of psychologists, rehabilitologists, social workers, and others for the year 2023.

Consider that the state order for the specialization of "Therapy and Rehabilitation" has been expanded from 50 to 625 positions. Other related fields have also undergone significant changes. Additionally, through the initiative of the First Lady, Elena Zelenska, the implementation of the All-Ukrainian Mental Health Program "How Are You?" is underway. Presently, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, efforts are focused on ensuring maximum accessibility to psychological support for Ukrainians. Furthermore, specialized training for primary care physicians is being organized, allowing them to assist their patients at the primary level when a need is identified.

So, if you are genuinely interested in assisting your compatriots and are prepared to dedicate all efforts to help as many people as possible overcome their challenges, our article will prove valuable. Today, we aim to elaborate on the essential components of a rehabilitation center's proper structure and how to effectively organize its operations.

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Considerations in Organizing the Operations of a Rehabilitation Center in Ukraine

Obtaining a Medical License in rehabilitative medicine is no more complex than acquiring a license for any other medical specialty. However, rehabilitation centers often face specific requirements, which we will explore in detail in our article today.

So, where should one start?

Firstly, it is crucial to understand which institutions have the authority to be called rehabilitation centers. It is necessary to examine the specifics of each institution and accurately determine the focus of your future work.

The Ukrainian Law "On Rehabilitation in Healthcare" establishes a clear list of institutions of this type:

• Rehabilitation hospitals and rehabilitation centers: These institutions are considered the most serious, providing extended treatment and, if necessary, offering inpatient care throughout the entire rehabilitation period.
• Outpatient rehabilitation facilities: Similar to the first category, these institutions must have a professional team of doctors with various rehabilitation profiles to ensure patients receive a complete recovery course. The duration of such a course should be no less than 14 days.
• Centers for psychological rehabilitation and/or trauma therapy: Assistance to patients in such cases should be provided not by individual specialists but by a team of doctors, including a minimum of four individuals.
• Prosthetic and orthopedic enterprises: The primary goal of such enterprises is to manufacture prosthetics for people with disabilities and their repair. It is worth noting that they also hold a license for medical practice, as these enterprises have their own rehabilitation center, which is very convenient.

Legal recommendation: Currently, prosthetic and orthopedic enterprises are unfortunately in demand in our country. Due to the prolonged war, many of our soldiers are seriously injured, and most of them require the production of prosthetics for their specific needs, along with extended rehabilitation. In these challenging times, this type of medical institution can assist a vast number of people.

• Comprehensive rehabilitation institutions, including establishments for medical and psychological rehabilitation: This form of rehabilitation goes beyond medical care alone.

Comprehensive rehabilitation involves a multidisciplinary team consisting of doctors, educators, physical education instructors, and other specialists.

Selecting the Right Location for a Rehabilitation Center

As is well-known, finding a space that meets all norms and requirements is a crucial aspect of establishing any medical institution, and rehabilitation centers are no exception. Therefore, your initial task is to identify a suitable space for such a center. Let's be honest – this stage often raises many doubts and difficulties for our clients. That's why we are here to assist, helping healthcare professionals quickly determine the location for their operations and alleviate unnecessary concerns. The key factor here is that the premises for your rehabilitation center should not be in residential buildings and must comply with all norms outlined in the State Construction Standards of Ukraine (DBN) V.2.2-10:2022.

The requirements for arranging spaces in a rehabilitation facility are determined by a medical assignment, and the area specifications are outlined by a medical program, depending on the number of patients and the dimensions of the technological equipment. Therefore, a more accurate calculation of the space can be provided during a preliminary consultation with our specialist.

Hiring Physicians for a Rehabilitation Facility

This is always a crucial stage that demands your utmost seriousness. After all, doctors are the individuals to whom you must entrust the lives of your patients completely. The final lineup of medical staff to hire will depend on the specific services you plan to provide in the rehabilitation center. Therefore, it is important to initially determine the type of rehabilitation facility you want to establish. Typically, the classical list of specialties for a rehabilitation center includes doctors from the following fields:

• Physical Therapy
• Internal Medicine
• Physiotherapy
• Orthopedics and Traumatology
• Psychotherapy
• Functional Diagnostics
• Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine

It is important to note that if your enterprise is a legal entity, you must have a medical director. Additionally, in accordance with the list of primary specialties, a specialist with education in "Healthcare Organization and Management" will be automatically added.

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Obtaining a Medical License and Completing Necessary Documentation

The "icing on the cake," and essentially the final step in commencing your journey in the medical field as an independent medical institution, is obtaining a license for conducting economic activities in medical practice. At this stage, we strongly recommend entrusting the process to a healthcare legal specialist since obtaining such a license demands a considerable amount of time and meticulous legal work.

The documents required for the lawyer to initiate the license acquisition process are as follows:

• Sanitary and Epidemiological Conclusion (a document confirming the compliance of the premises with all sanitary norms and regulations).
• Extract from the Unified State Register of Legal Entities or an identification code (depending on your enterprise).
• Charter of the healthcare institution (if available).
• Lease agreement for the premises or a certificate of ownership.
• Floor plan of the premises.
• Work schedule of doctors.
• List of medical equipment.
• Documents confirming the metrological verification of measuring equipment.
• Diplomas of doctors and junior specialists.
• Certificates of specialist doctors.
• Certificate of qualification category assignment (if applicable).
• Certificate of a specialist doctor in the specialty of "Healthcare Organization and Management" (for the medical director).
• Certificate of qualification category assignment in the specialty of "Healthcare Organization and Management" (if applicable).
• Employment record of the medical director.
• Certificate of completion of advanced training for junior specialists.
• Information about the founding documents and structure of the healthcare institution – the charter of the healthcare institution (regulations) and a separate structural unit (if applicable).

After obtaining all the necessary documents, you can rest assured that our specialists will ensure the prompt issuance of your license.

What departments are typically found in multiprofile rehabilitation centers?

According to the Law of Ukraine "On Rehabilitation in Healthcare," rehabilitation departments and units include:

• Acute rehabilitation wards;
• Inpatient departments for post-acute and long-term rehabilitation in multidisciplinary intensive care hospitals or those established based on sanatorium-resort institutions;
• Outpatient departments for post-acute and long-term rehabilitation.

Specialists from any medical field can work in these departments. This includes both psychotherapists and rehabilitation specialists. The key is to ensure stable teamwork in the departments for the prompt recovery of patients.

By obtaining a Medical License, you not only secure legal protection but also gain access to qualified legal consultation for the ongoing operation of your rehabilitation facility.

Our team can provide comprehensive legal support and assist in the development of all necessary documents, as this is a crucial aspect of every healthcare institution.

You can find the cost of a Medical License here.

Learn more about legal services for medical institutions here.