Development and Implementation of the World Health Organization Emergency Medical Teams: Minimum Technical Standards and Recommendations for Rehabilitation

Conclusion The WHO EMT Initiative aims to improve the professionalization and quality of emergency medical response through improved standardization, coordination and accountability. The rehabilitation standards support these aims, by addressing by integrating delivery of rehabilitation into the acute emergency response capacity of EMTs. Required for EMT verification, the standards fill a significant in the scope and quality of care EMTs have historically provided. The standards also emphasize the importance of continuity of care and long-term functional outcomes by beneficiaries. A need exists for further awareness raising of standards, the role and benefits of rehabilitation in the context of acute emergency medical response, and the necessity of strengthening health system to improve national rehabilitation capacity. Data Availability All relevant data are within the paper. Competing Interests The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. Jody-Anne Mills and Ian Norton are staff members of the World Health Organization in Geneva. They alone are responsible for the views expressed in this publication and they do not necessarily represent the decisions or policies of any third party. Corresponding Author Jody-Anne Mills (millsj@who.int)
Source: PLOS Currents Disasters - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research