Medical rehabilitation in the Netherlands (author's transl)

The present state-of-the-art in "Revalidation" in the Netherlands is described, where the term is used to denote medical rehabilitation including prevocational assessment of physically disabled persons. Sample surveys in 1971/72 revealed insufficient awareness and under-use of existing rehabilitation services. Since then, special emphasis has been placed on out-patient rehabilitation (clinics), with facilities and services being organised so as to serve a region of appr. 300,000 persons each, or an area within a radius of 30 kms from the facility. Organisation and staff schedules of rehabilitation facilities are discussed. Recently, marked preference of the "active" therapists can be noted. As in other countries, further development of the Anglo-Saxon team concept has, in the Netherlands too, given rise to a number of problems which are discussed more fully.