Rehabilitation in acute care
Special professorship established by the AMC
A hospital admission can be considered a ‘major life event’, especially for vulnerable elderly people and seriously ill patients undergoing major surgery or admitted to intensive care.
Among these patient groups, the after-effects of hospitalisation tend to be more serious and long-term than the sequelae of the condition for which they were originally admitted. These effects can impact a patient’s everyday life and ability to function in society, as well as their quality of life and that of their family.
The Professorship in Rehabilitation in Acute Care researches the impact of illness and hospitalisation on patients’ ability to function in everyday life, focusing specifically on intensive-care patients. The professorship is also developing interdisciplinary rehabilitation interventions in order to prevent or curtail these negative consequences as much as possible. Ultimately this should lead to better recoveries in vulnerable patients following hospitalisation.
By conducting applied research, the professorship is contributing to the development of knowledge and tools that can be applied in a practical setting. The results will also be incorporated into the educational programme at the Faculty of Health.
The professorship is affiliated with the Complex Care research programme at the ACHIEVE research centre and the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Amsterdam UMC, AMC location. It also ties in with the Urban Vitality research programme at AUAS.
In the context of the Professorship in Revalidation in Acute Care, healthcare professionals, lecturers and students participate in applied research projects. Research questions are provided by healthcare practitioners and field experts and contribute to an evidence-based interdisciplinary approach to providing care for vulnerable patients during hospitalisation.