The outbreak of the SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron variant make imperative the adoption of telerehabilitation in the Bulgarian health care system


Submitted: 6 January 2022
Accepted: 22 January 2022
Published: 2 February 2022
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Authors

  • Jannis Papathanasiou Department of Kinesitherapy, Faculty of Public Health “Prof. Dr. Tzecomir Vodenicharov, DSc” , Medical University of Sofia, Bulgaria; Department of Medical Imaging, Allergology and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2557-5508
  • Yana Kashilska Medical Center for Outpatient Rehabilitation and Sport Medicine, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; (4) Complex Oncologic Center of Burgas, Faculty of Public Health and Health Care, University prof. Assen Zlatarov, Burgas, Bulgaria. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8859-7934
  • Hristo Bozov Complex Oncologic Center of Burgas, Faculty of Public Health and Health Care, University prof. Assen Zlatarov, Burgas, Bulgaria.
  • Ivo Petrov Clinic of Cardiology and Angiology, Acibadem City Clinic Cardiovascular Center University Hospital, Sofia, Bulgaria.
  • Stefano Masiero Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Unit, Department of Neurosciences, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.

The rapid spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 globally will challenge the accessibility and the delivery of physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) services. Many health care systems throughout the world performed effective reforms such as the transition to telerehabilitation (TR). In Bulgaria, TR is still not regulated by law, and terms such as teleconsultation and tele-education have not yet been introduced. The adoption of TR in the Bulgarian health care system will undoubtedly increase the accessibility to rehabilitation treatment for a larger group of Bulgarian patients with various neurological, cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and oncological conditions and will significantly contribute to the PRM services modernization in Bulgaria.


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Papathanasiou, J., Kashilska, Y., Bozov, H., Petrov, I. ., & Masiero, S. (2022). The outbreak of the SARS‐CoV‐2 Omicron variant make imperative the adoption of telerehabilitation in the Bulgarian health care system. European Journal of Translational Myology, 32(1). https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2022.10355

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