The Role of Physical Therapy in Multidisciplinary Collaboration

The 2024 Vietnam Physical Therapy Scientific Conference is a place to meet and exchange research results, evidence and clinical applications in the field of Physical Therapy (VLTL) from domestic and foreign Physical Therapy specialists. The conference aims to promote independent practice in the process of Physical Therapy intervention on the basis of multidisciplinary cooperation to provide the best care service, focusing on patients/clients. In addition, evidence-based practice is indispensable in the practice process.

Speaking at the Conference, Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan - Deputy Minister of Health pointed out that physical therapy plays an important role in the modern health system. With the development of science and technology, physical therapy has increasingly proven its indispensable role in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients after trauma, surgery, or chronic diseases. Through non-drug treatment methods, physical therapy helps patients recover their health, improve their motor function and enhance their quality of life.

Prof. Dr. Tran Van Thuan - Deputy Minister of Health presented flowers to congratulate the Vietnam Physical Therapy Science Conference 2024.

Over the past years, we have witnessed many important advances in the field of physical therapy. The system of policies and laws on medical examination and treatment, rehabilitation has been completed; regulations on technical expertise have been issued and effectively applied; the system and network of physical therapy and rehabilitation with 01 central hospital, 38 local hospitals (including 10 traditional medicine hospitals on physical therapy), about 550 physical therapy/rehabilitation departments at all levels of primary to specialized medical examination and treatment and 25 hospitals/centers under the health sector of ministries and branches have been increasingly consolidated and developed, mastering advanced techniques; the human resources have developed in both quantity and quality; service quality has been increasingly improved; community-based physical therapy and rehabilitation health care continues to be promoted in localities, helping patients and people with disabilities receive better care, integrate into the community and improve the health of the whole population.

However, in addition to the achievements, we also face many challenges. The increase in chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and musculoskeletal diseases places increasing demands on the quality and effectiveness of VLTL methods. Moreover, access to VLTL services is limited in many rural and disadvantaged areas. Human resources and facilities in these areas are still lacking and need to be invested and developed.

At the Conference, Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan also emphasized the issuance of Decree 96/2023 ND-CP of the Government, which includes the part of VLTL/PHCN in Article 53, Clause 4, Section a, b on the person responsible for the PHCN facility being a PHCN doctor or a Rehabilitation technician with a university degree or higher. This Decree is an important step in legal documents to help physical therapists from university level to proactively approach and treat patients.

Speaking at the opening of the Conference, Mr. Tran Van Dan, President of the Vietnam Physiotherapy Association, affirmed that, up to now, the physiotherapy profession in Vietnam has been developing, contributing to the work of taking care of the health of the entire population.

"Physical therapy is a medical method that is both safe and effective. Scientific research and multidisciplinary cooperation to optimize and improve the quality of treatment for patients are extremely necessary. Therefore, the Vietnam Physical Therapy Association organized a scientific conference with the theme: The role of Physical therapy in multidisciplinary cooperation", Mr. Dan emphasized.

Within the framework of the Conference, domestic and international experts discussed and updated new techniques in the field of physical therapy. In particular, the multidisciplinary model was focused on discussion.

"Experts discussed and developed a multidisciplinary coordination model, working together to help patients recover quickly and reduce complications of the disease," said Mr. Dan.

Pain management and turtle neck syndrome in VLTL

Pain management is also one of the important applications of physical therapy. According to Dr. Lester E. Jones, Singapore Institute of Technology, chronic pain will affect the patient's health, work and family.

"When a person has chronic pain, it may be due to tissue damage or changes in the nervous system that lead to increased sensitivity to pain. Chronic pain can cause depression, poor sleep, and side effects from long-term use of painkillers that seriously affect the patient," said Dr. Lester E. Jones.

Dr. Lester E. Jones offers treatment interventions from many different approaches such as: Increasing physical activity, changing the patient's thinking to avoid harmful distorted thinking, implementing effective treatment methods with scientific evidence...

Dr. Lester E. Jones analyzes the pain model including 3 areas:

- Local irritation (Some types of pain due to tissue pain, tissue damage, inflammation).

- Distant effects from the original area (related through biological mechanisms).

- Central regulation (The patient's thoughts and psychology, such as stress and false beliefs, all negatively affect the patient's pain condition).

"All three of these fields interact when it comes to physical therapy. Therefore, multidisciplinary collaboration is needed in pain management," said Dr. Lester E. Jones.

A remarkable study by experts from the Faculty of Rehabilitation Engineering, Hong Bang University points out the problem of turtle neck syndrome in young people due to phone abuse.

The study analyzed a number of factors related to turtle neck syndrome based on a survey of 425 students in Ho Chi Minh City when using mobile phones.

The results showed that the incidence of turtle neck syndrome was 46.6%, head center deviation was 69.2%. The causes related to turtle neck syndrome were determined by researchers due to long time of using the phone, the average neck flexion angle was too low...

Turtle neck syndrome is considered an epidemic of the mobile phone era. Young people today often pay little attention to posture, so the impact of posture on the structure and function of the body and is the main cause of early cervical spondylosis in young people.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/hoi-nghi-khoa-hoc-vat-ly-tri-lieu-viet-nam-lan-thu-2-vai-tro-cua-vat-ly-tri-lieu-trong-hop-tac-da-chuyen-nganh-172240619135407629.htm