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Organization Spotlight - Winter 2007

The International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ISPRM) is the result of the merger and integration of the International Rehabilitation Medicine Association and the International Federation of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. The merger was accomplished and the ISPRM formed on November 13, 1999.

The mission of ISPRM is to:

Be the pre-eminent scientific and educational international society for practitioners in the field of physical and rehabilitation medicine
Improve the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of physicians in the understanding of the pathodynamics and management of impairments and disabilities
Help improve the quality of life of people with impairments and disabilities
Provide a mechanism to facilitate rehabilitation medicine input to international health organizations with special emphasis on those dedicated to the physical and rehabilitation field.

Following the catastrophic events of Hurricane Katrina, the ISPRM’s Faculty-Student Exchange committee launched the humanitarian initiative “Operation Functional Recovery.” Chaired by Dr. Mark Young, an adjunct associate professor at New York University Medical Center Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and professor in the department of orthopedic sciences at the New York College of Podiatric Medicine in New York City, and along with Professor Mathew Lee of the New York University Rusk Institute, established this post-Katrina rehabilitation humanitarian operation. This effort assisted the many victims of Hurricane Katrina who were seniors and people with disabilities including many with neurological, musculoskeletal, and developmental medical conditions.

The initiative consisted of critical team building of rehabilitation professionals including physiatrists, PTs, OTs, SLPs, psychologists, and nurses. Working together closely with multi-disciplinary rehabilitation professionals from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine and other institutions and professional organizations, the group assembled a group of rehabilitation-focused disaster response teams composed of concerned and skilled interdisciplinary rehabilitation professionals. With the encouragement of Dr. Margaret Gianinni, Director of the Office of Disability for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, the group was able to successfully rally the help and support and active participation of the rehabilitation community.

Operation Functional Recovery Volunteer Groups includes licensed rehabilitation professionals in the following areas:

Skin and wound management
Neurological rehabilitation
Geriatrics
Pediatrics
Psychological rehabilitation

To date, the group has amassed a volunteer database of more than 850 licensed rehabilitation professionals, including PM&R physicians, PTs, OTs, SLPs, nurses, and psychologists.

Operation Functional Recovery and its dedicated volunteers remain ready, willing, and eager to assist communities and the nation during future public health responses, including emergencies and disasters.

For more on the ISPRM or its initiative Operation Functional Recovery, visit www.isprm.org or e-mail katrinarehab@gmail.com.

Last Updated on 4/23/2009