FERM 2024 | Message from the Head of the Clinical Department of Respiratory Medical Rehabilitation, Clinical Recovery Hospital, Iași, Associate Professor Dr. Paraschiva Postolache

„HEALTH” Panel

Module IV – Transforming the Moldova Region into a Cardiorespiratory Center of Excellence, 18th edition of the Moldova Regional Economic Forum, Vatra Dornei, 2024

SPEAKER – Associate Professor Dr. Paraschiva Postolache, Head of the Clinical Department of Respiratory Medical Rehabilitation – Clinical Recovery Hospital Iași

TOPIC: „Respiratory rehabilitation/recovery in Romania”

Within the „Health Panel”, Module „Transforming the Moldova Region into a Cardiorespiratory Center of Excellence”, Associate Professor Dr. Paraschiva Postolache, Head of the Clinical Department of Respiratory Medical Rehabilitation at the Clinical Recovery Hospital Iași, emphasized the essential role of respiratory rehabilitation within the Romanian healthcare system. The speech was titled: „Respiratory Rehabilitation/Recovery in Romania.”

The history of respiratory rehabilitation in Romania

„In Romania, the concept of medical rehabilitation/recovery first appeared in the medical field in 1922, and pulmonary rehabilitation began to develop in 1970,” explained Dr. Paraschiva Postolache. In that year, the Public Health Directorates of Iași and Cluj brought the need for this type of medical assistance to the attention of the Ministry of Health, which led to the construction of recovery hospitals in Iași and Cluj, equipped with standardized respiratory rehabilitation programs.

Iași’s contribution to the development of respiratory rehabilitation

„In Iași, the Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic of the Clinical Recovery Hospital, founded at the initiative of Professor Dr. Ioan Lungu, has played a significant role since the hospital’s early days”, noted Dr. Postolache. Initially established with 144 beds, the clinic was divided in 2008 into the Clinical Department of Respiratory Medical Rehabilitation and the Clinical Department of Cardiovascular Medical Rehabilitation, continuing to play an essential role in the management of chronic pulmonary diseases.

Scientific progress and international recognition

Respiratory rehabilitation (RR) is now a crucial component in managing chronic pulmonary diseases, applied early to alleviate symptoms and prevent exacerbations. „Scientific expertise and international clinical experience have provided extensive evidence of RR’s effectiveness, based on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and guidelines developed by organizations such as the American College of Chest Physicians and the European Respiratory Society”, stated Dr. Postolache.

Initiatives and achievements in Romania

The year 2006 marked a significant milestone in the evolution of RR with the publication of the ATS/ERS Joint Statement on RR and the establishment of the Respiratory Rehabilitation Working Group within the Romanian Society of Pneumology (SRP). „The goal of the Working Group was to develop RR to international standards, promote it in university centers and regional hospitals, and implement ERS/ATS guidelines”, explained Professor Postolache. The Working Group, founded at her initiative and with the support of SRP leadership, played a crucial role in organizing and developing RR departments throughout the country.

Activities and national expansion

The Respiratory Rehabilitation Working Group of the SRP has carried out intense activities, organizing conferences, symposia, and annual courses in various cities across Romania. „The group has expanded as the number of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and other healthcare professionals involved in RR has grown”, emphasized Associate Professor Dr. Paraschiva Postolache. Today, RR departments exist in cities such as Iași, Bucharest, Timișoara, and Constanța, strengthening the importance of this specialty in managing pulmonary diseases.

The ongoing importance of respiratory rehabilitation

Paraschiva Postolache emphasized that RR has become an essential concept for the proper management of patients with chronic obstructive, restrictive, and mixed pulmonary diseases, significantly contributing to the improvement of patients’ quality of life and survival. „RR not only restores mobility and optimal function to anatomical systems but also significantly improves patients’ quality of life”, concluded Paraschiva Postolache.