SUCCESS STORY OF PHYSIOTHERAPY DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE AT SCHOOL AND HEALTH FACILITIES

S. Phorn1
1International Committee of the Red Cross, Physical Rehabilitation Program, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Background: What is a Physical Therapy (PT)? To many Cambodians, it’s simply a “massage”. This was the starting points where the PT course had limited numbers of students registered each year. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) started its Physical Rehabilitation Program (PRP) in Cambodia in 1992 in Battambang, building the first physical rehabilitation workshop of its kind. Initially only services to amputees were provided and in 1997 became a full rank service provider, including PT treatment at the center. There were limited numbers of PTs in Cambodia, many were hired from abroad to fulfill the needs. ICRC started to work with University of Health Science (UHS) and Technical School of Medical Care (TSMC) to support the PT sector and ensure more students enroll in the field.
The three-year PT diploma was developed and taught until 2007 before upgraded into the Associate Degree Program (ADP) and continued till now. ICRC hired international consultants to evaluate and plan with UHS and TSMC on how to develop PT education system. The plan had several objectives, from quality to education and service provision and designed a Bachelor’s Degree for PT (BSPT) course.

Purpose: To eradicate the misperception on Physiotherapy (PT) by improving the PT education system and quality for PT standard at health facilities and Physical Rehabilitation Center (PRC).

Methods: Awareness raising at national and international scales were organized with UHS and TSMC school, CPTA, MoSVY and MoH. Agreements were signed to define roles, responsibilities, and activities with clear timelines. Regular coordination meetings to follow up on activities took place. Other organizations were also involved in supporting and developing the PT such as Singapore Health Alliance and Japan Physical Therapy Association.

Results:
  • 1992: PT diploma was developed, 30 PT students graduated. 2021, 640 PT students graduated
  • 1991 to 2000: An upgraded PT education curriculum was developed and lecturers were trained
  • 2007 – An ADP was developed and replaced the PT diploma
  • 32 (F[1]:17) ADP students registered, 22 were graduated, 10 are still studying.
  • 8 (F:2) ADP students enrolled in the Bridging Course.
  • 1 PT was supported for master’s degree in Thailand
  • 2021: BSPT was developed and started. 7 PT students enrolled and studied
  • PT awareness conducted at high schools in 4 provinces, 40% of students registered after the event.
  • A PT council is under development
  • NSPT was approved by MoSVY and MoH and used in 25 provincial hospitals, 11 PRCs and 1 SCI[2] Center.
  • 9 PRCs and 11 hospitals were provided with PT materials
  • 3 PRCs, 1 SCI center, and 6 hospitals were provided PT room renovations.
[1] F=Female
[2] SCI=Spinal Cord Injury

Conclusions: Through our collaboration, we made many achievements. Coordinated efforts are ongoing at local and national levels.

Implications: Collaboration and supports are strongly needed from stakeholders to invest more in the PT sector, particularly from MoH and provincial hospitals to increase the importance of PT profession.

Funding acknowledgements: International Committee of the Red Cross

Keywords:
Education
Quality
Profession

Topics:
Globalisation: health systems, policies & strategies
Education: continuing professional development

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes
Institution: International Committee of the Red Cross
Committee: This Abstract was Supported and Approved by my Line Manager
Ethics number: N/A

All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.

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