The Active Rehabilitation Foundation has been working on behalf of wheelchair-bound people after accidents since 1988. It is the only non-profit organization in the country that has created a comprehensive program of nationwide scale, implemented by people with disabilities themselves for their community. The primary goal of the Foundation is to activate wheelchair users socially and professionally and restore their rightful place in society. The comprehensive realization of this goal consists of many different activities: Active Rehabilitation Camps for children, adolescents and adults, regional activities, training for parents and caregivers of people with disabilities and for medical personnel and volunteers.

Are rehabilitation robots already the present for the industry, or maybe the future? Is it possible to cure modernly after traffic accidents? How to get funding and invest to focus on development? These and other topics were discussed during the Rehabilitation Fair which 29th edition took place on December 7-9, 2022 at Ptak Warsaw Expo.

Today, there is no doubt as to the answer to the question of what is the future of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. It is robotization that allows for more accurate procedures and faster progress for the patient. There was a discussion around this topic, as well as skilful investing in business, during the 29th edition of the Rehabilitation Fair at Ptak Warsaw Expo.

It is not without reason that such issues were chosen as the basis for the conference discussion. There is a connection between the investment in robotization, increase in patient satisfaction with treatment and a rise in the facility’s profits.

During the Rehabilitation Fair, such experts as professor CMKP, habilitated doctor of medical sciences Małgorzata Łukowicz shared their observations on neuroplasticity or modern methods of treating spinal cord injuries (Beata Tarnacka, MD, PhD, prof. NIGRiR). In addition, the capabilities of the latest robots, such as Luna EMG, were presented based on clinical trials. There were also innovative solutions in the care of post-accident patients. The Reha Help concept was presented by Daniel Kocur and Marcin Kliś from VOX Veritas. In addition, they talked about how an automated apartment of the 21st century with rehabilitation works, and how to get funding in the name of a modern approach to patient treatment.

During the event, automated clinics and manufacturers of facilities for the disabled (Nordmedic. Levi Care, Klinika Orygin, Donum Corde) presented their achievements to date. All to show that in Polish reality, not always fully beneficial for the patient, modern conditions that are conducive to a quick recovery can be created.

However, these were only some of the topics discussed during the Rehabilitation Fair. Doctors with many years of experience conducted workshops and presented new treatment options for individual conditions. All this to show how to help even more those who need it most.

However, a solid dose of medical inspiration is not all that visitors to the Rehabilitation Fair could experience. It was also an opportunity to get acquainted with the full range of the sector’s offers, to compare and analyze new industry opportunities, as well as to check the competitiveness on the market. During the event, service providers from Poland and abroad in the field of rehabilitation, physiotherapy, clinics, hospitals, specialists in aesthetic medicine, manufacturers and distributors of medical and rehabilitation equipment, as well as supplements, presented themselves.

In total, the 29th edition of the Rehabilitation Fair was visited by 4236 people who got acquainted with the offers of 98 exhibitors on 18 000 m2 of the exhibition space of Ptak Warsaw Expo. Thank you for coming in such large numbers and we invite you to the next edition of the event.

The reality we live in has changed significantly since spring 2020. It is hard to talk about a return to normal at the moment. Initially, even the use of such health-related services as physiotherapy was very difficult. Currently, the activity of sanatoriums and spa centers has been suspended, except in cases where the cessation of services may seriously deteriorate the patient’s health. For many institutions and patients, online rehabilitation is the solution in pandemic times. A controversial idea, but as it turns out – very effective in some cases.

It is a set of activities on the rehabilitator-patient line that can be performed without the need for direct contact. Belong to them:
– training – individual help, counseling, instruction, basic therapy planning
– evaluates and monitors the progress – thanks to this, it is possible to check the effectiveness of the therapy and whether it requires any corrections
– therapy – using all technological possibilities to conduct full therapy with the patient, including exercise, relaxation, and self-therapy

At a time when providing similar assistance in the non-basic variant is limited, online rehabilitation in the form of teleconsultations or Skype calls, WhatsApp is sometimes the only option. A patient instructed by a rehabilitator performs exercises. At the same time, it is an opportunity to share changes in health with a qualified person. This allows for the ongoing correction of the rehabilitation plan and its adaptation to the changing disease conditions of the person using the services.

This type of activity not only has a positive effect on the patient’s health but also prevents diseases resulting from changing the lifestyle to a more “closed” and sedentary. It is an effective method of working on a healthy spine or general strengthening of the body.

Online rehabilitation is something different than traditional. The vast majority of the patient is forced to perform independent exercises or with the help of an unqualified relative. This means that the plan prepared in advance by the instructor requires changes, adjusting the specificity of exercises to the conditions. This, in turn, means that the exercises that can be performed may be less effective than those done directly with the help and supervision of a physiotherapist.

Online rehabilitation also prevents more accurate diagnoses. In the case of consultation with a new, previously unknown patient, it may be necessary, for example, to undergo a palpation examination. It is then worth going to the GP, taking the test, and signing up for consultations in a “physical” form.

The goal of every physiotherapist or physiotherapist is to attract a client. The basis is the product or the service offered, the quality of which is to be a bargaining chip encouraging to buy. The modern consumer, however, has a wide range of options to choose from. There are offices in cities at every turn, and the pandemic has also forced a shift towards expanding online offers. Competition is growing and not sleeping, and entrepreneurs are trying to keep pace with it. This is where content marketing comes in and can change the face of any brand.

Content marketing is one of the marketing strategies based on creating unique content for a given brand. Their goal is to maintain the interest of customers who are already familiar with the brand and to convince new ones to associate with it. In this case, the brand does not focus on empty advertising. He wants to create something that will be an added value that will enable building long-term relationships with the recipient.

What is content marketing? Among others, are our industry and brand articles, podcasts, infographics, guides, videos, educational platforms, and reports. They all provide not only content that is important and interesting for a potential customer, but also delicately “smuggles” information about the brand.

As in every branch of business, also in the physiotherapy and rehabilitation industry, marketing is the basis, and content marketing – is an interesting solution. Contemporary times forced her to adapt to the new reality, which was, among others, difficulties in the functioning of offices. This provoked the owners or producers to take additional action, going beyond the framework of standard services.

The rehabilitation and physiotherapy industry is largely based on contact with the patient. These are joint exercises or health analyses, the so-called “work with a living organism”. So how can you use content marketing in such a specific sector?

First of all, those who invest in specialized articles will benefit. The knowledge of physiotherapists is valuable, the average patient does not have it. Professional presentation of the most important problems or indication of new solutions will not only build trust in the therapist (because he shares the knowledge he has), but also help position the business in search engines. Each properly prepared content for SEO will enrich the value of the website of a given office and will allow you to reach the potential client organically.

It’s a good idea to publish a valuable video. It can show both simple exercises to do at home and present knowledge in a more comprehensive, relational way.

Pie charts or infographics, showing, for example, the possibilities of a given therapy and its effects, will also be useful. It is an interesting solution and quite rare on the Polish market.

A business plan is a benchmark for monitoring your progress and “learning after the fact” if you are performing better or worse than expected.

Everyone who runs a business should have a business plan – especially when working with investors, partners, or employees.

Business plans will vary based on practice. They should be living documents that can be adapted as your practice evolves and the market changes.

This is a general overview of the practice’s goals and objectives. This section should describe clearly and succinctly how the practice plans to address the patient’s health issues while remaining profitable. It also acts as a kind of structure that can be referenced when developing the rest of the business plan.

For outpatient physical therapy practice, this section should briefly summarize:

• what niche the clinic intends to fill,
• services that the office will provide,
• how you intend to disseminate information about services,
• the clinic’s growth potential,
• competitive advantages,
• general financing requirements

What does your practice actually do? What are its goals? If your business is already up and running, it’s likely that you can define its goals and services fairly easily. But even if you are a seasoned business veteran, it can be harder to explain what you are trying to accomplish in the long run. So, in this section, it’s a good idea to start by thinking about where your business is now and where you want it to be in the future. It is also worth mentioning here the measures needed to achieve this growth.

While goals and services are undeniably important, how you plan to sell your practice is just as important – if not more so. After all, services will have little impact if the target audience does not know they are being offered. Ideally, this section should be broken down into three smaller subsections.

Patients need to know everything about the company, so it’s worth considering what you want to convey with your message. The content of this section covers the strengths of the practice, the benefits of physiotherapy compared to other treatments, trends in physiotherapy and wellness services, and how patients can access services.

Understanding day-to-day operations – and who is responsible for what – can contribute to the success of your practice. It is worth answering the following questions:

What facilities, equipment and materials do you need on a daily basis?
What is your organizational structure?
Who is responsible for what aspects of the business?
What are the initial staffing needs?
When and how will staff be added?
How will business relationships with suppliers and suppliers be established?
How will these relationships affect day-to-day operations?
How will your business change as your business grows?
What steps will be taken to reduce costs if the company initially fails to meet expectations?

You cannot effectively conduct an internship without assessing your financial situation. It’s a good idea to start by identifying your start-up costs as well as whether you plan to finance them with loans, grants, or savings.

The business plan should include pricing for the construction and renovation of facilities, building leases, and the necessary equipment.

In addition, you must perform:
Balance sheet (i.e. assets, shareholders, liabilities and income to finance future growth)
Profit and loss account (i.e. expected revenues and expenses)
Statement of cash flows (i.e. cash receipts and payments for expenses)
Operating budget (i.e. detailed breakdown of income and expenditure)
Break-even analysis (i.e. projection of revenues required to cover fixed and variable costs)

Thanks to these points, the business plan will be clear and will help in the company’s development.