Presenter

Hassan Sarsak, Batterjee Medical College for Sciences and Technology

Thematic area

Assistive Technology Service Provision, Training and Continuing Education, Sustainable Development Goal # 3: Health and Wellbeing, Capacity Building

Abstract

This educational session aims to call for the integration of assistive technology education and training into healthcare and rehabilitation curriculum, explore usefulness of assistive technology as learning resource to develop required knowledge and skills, explore characteristics and perspectives of participants, inform the ongoing development of assistive technology service provision, and understand strategies needed to support health care personnel to fulfil a role in assistive technology worldwide. This interactive learning experience will help indicate useful groundbreaking opportunities that will equip participants with a unique set of knowledge and skills and help identify effective strategies that would further support assistive technology service provision globally. Assistive technology is a key component of integrated model of care and comprehensive healthcare education and training. Integrating assistive technology into education worldwide helps guide healthcare educational curricula development with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of assistive technology service provision. Assistive technology provision continuous learning, post-professional training, inter-professional education, global collaborative work, support, and advocacy are all key factors that help facilitate easy access to affordable and high-quality assistive technology services and products for people requiring assistive products worldwide. The session will be based on the World Health Organization (WHO) training in assistive products (TAP) and other up-to-date resources. Specifically, the session will be delivered in small groups format, with 90 minutes of training, using a case-based and evidence-based
learning approach.

Target audience

Assistive technology professionals and educators, Healthcare professionals, Rehabilitation specialists, Health Sciences Students

Learning outcomes of the session

At the end of the session the participants will:

1. Discuss the broad range of assistive technology applications in the field of rehabilitation and assistive technology and describe the multi-disciplinary nature of the field, the role of the various stakeholders, including that of educators, trainers, and end users.
2. Discuss the impact of WHO-TAP in preparing other primary health and the broader workforce personnel in fulfilling an assistive technology role to better support their countries on the road to universal health coverage.
3. Help increase access to assistive products at primary healthcare level and equip primary healthcare personnel with knowledge and skills to provide a range of assistive products from the APL.
4. Identify and apply different important aspects of assistive technology provision and key factors that help facilitate easy access to affordable and high-quality assistive technology services and products for people requiring assistive products worldwide, such as but not limited to:

• Well-informed decisions relevant to country-specific needs.
• Enhance awareness and implement the best practices.
• Define enablers and barriers to integrating assistive technology into the country’s education system.
• Identify ways to support national planning and assistive technology education and training.
• Identify local/regional partners and collaborative opportunities of professional growth and development.

Special requirements

None