The system of medical rehabilitation of the disabled people: experience of the leading EU and NATO countries

Timeliness, purposefulness, patient centeredness, consistency, and continuity are the general principles of rehabilitation and the defining tasks of developed countries, especially in the context of ensuring the realization of the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities. The purpose of the study was to identify the features of medical rehabilitation systems for persons with disabilities in the leading EU and NATO countries that have experience in rehabilitating combatants and to substantiate proposals for improving the current system of medical rehabilitation in Ukraine. The study is based on the analysis of the conceptual principles of building rehabilitation systems in eight countries with developed democratic institutions, experience of military operations and belonging to classical models of social protection: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States. The methods of comparative analysis, structural analysis, objectivity and consistency were used. The main results of the study are the identification of weaknesses of the Ukrainian medical rehabilitation system, such as fragmentation of service provision, lack of unified management coordination, insufficient information and uneven location of institutions. The advantages of foreign systems are analyzed: targeting medical rehabilitation, use of outsourcing, involvement of the community and volunteers, creation of competition between medical institutions, emphasis on mental rehabilitation, and use of sanatorium and resort facilities. It is proposed to create a single state body for coordinating medical services, develop a national roadmap for rehabilitation measures, encourage volunteers and expand the range of rehabilitation professions. The experience of the leading EU and NATO countries demonstrates the need for a systemic restructuring of medical rehabilitation in Ukraine through the introduction of modern approaches and methods aimed at improving the quality and accessibility of services. Successful implementation of foreign experience will create an effective national system capable of meeting the current challenges and needs of people with disabilities.