The Modern Definition of Rehabilitation

Question:
The term rehabilitation is a relatively new concept in China and the specialty is still in its infancy. Is there a misunderstanding in China about the meaning of rehabilitation?

Answer:
While the term “rehabilitation” is a newer word in most of the world where it did not exist a hundred years ago, it is an old word in China. Here rehabilitation is considered a cure for a disease, though the more modern version of the word does not fit that definition. Rehabilitation is the remediation of the body’s impairments and disabilities through the promotion of functional ability, so it is quite a misunderstanding to believe that rehabilitation promises full recovery. In fact, many injuries, impairments, and dysfunction cannot be fully cured, but modern rehabilitation strives to return patients to mobility, life and job functional ability, and a higher quality of life.

When we speak of rehabilitation, it can be summed up as three concepts:

An improvement: For example, after a bad injury a lack of strength, limited range of motion, or decreased exercise capacity can be improved.

Compensatory: In some cases people experience a complete loss of function that must be compensated for instead of directly improved, for example wearing glasses if one suffers from myopia.

An alternative: As an example, if a patient has lost a limb, prosthetics can help return function; even in cases of serious injury a full return to performing everyday tasks like driving a car is possible.

A further misunderstanding of rehabilitation is that it is a premium level of healthcare that is not suitable or required for most people. This could not be further from the truth. In fact, rehabilitation is an important part of the healing process for many patients suffering from a multitude of illnesses and injuries. A recent World Health Organization report highlighted the critical importance of rehabilitation in combating disability and aging dysfunction.

It is also important to know that proper rehabilitation also effectively reduces complications (e.g. post-surgery) and disease recurrence, both of which decrease total healthcare costs. This is termed secondary prevention and is a valuable measurement of a healthcare system’s effectiveness.

It is important as well for individuals to see rehabilitation as a worthwhile investment as well, because it can enhance human capability. You buy a house or stocks as an investment in hopes of enhancing economic wealth and security, so why would you not do the same for your own body? Rehabilitation is a personal investment in your function and quality of life.

In short, rehabilitation should be considered as basic healthcare and covered by the health insurance system, rather than supplementary as many insurance plans currently classify it. I believe the government will introduce effective measures soon to address this fact, as the understanding that rehabilitation services are for everyone, not just a few, is growing. It is also an important aspect of social stability and harmony, counteracting the negative effects of such cases as a destructive earthquake or an increasingly aging population.

Rehabilitation can restore a patient’s functional ability, self-esteem, and independence, as well as reducing burden on the family. So no matter if rehabilitation is simple or complex, it must be seen as a worthwhile investment. For the sake of our community’s health, I hope the role rehabilitation plays in modern medicine is increasingly better understood.