Protez Hub Activity Report - First Quarter of 2023
Protez Hub national prosthetics hotline receives over 150 calls a month
In 2022, Protez Hub saw a need to launch a national prosthetics hotline to address the most common questions injured Ukrainians or their friends and relatives have. Since then, an average of 150 calls are received per month. Protez Hub hotline operator helps the callers find the nearest prosthetic facility to meet their needs, get a second opinion on the services they have received, understand how to apply for funding through a state program and more. We plan on maintaining the hotline for as long as necessary as it has proven to be a valuable resource for injured Ukrainians. Choosing a Ukrainian prosthetic services provider has now become easier with Protez Hub interactive search tool.
First of its kind 100% Ukrainian online limb prosthetics educational platform launched
Protez Hub team conducts regular needs assessments using collected data and available statistics.
A vast majority of those calling the Protez Hub hotline in 2022 reported that they received little to no instructions regarding what the process of rehabilitation includes at every stage, how to prepare for prosthetics, how to ensure prosthetic training is effective and other important aspects.
Protez Hub partnered with “Saving Lives” Humanitarian Initiative and thanks to their support launched Baza Znan: Protez Hub online educational platform in Ukrainian.
The platform contains 5 courses on different stages of amputee rehabilitation, on upper and lower limb prosthetics, as well as a multidisciplinary approach to patient care.
Each course contains quality and practical video lectures by the experienced Ukrainian specialists who have themselves been actively engaged in continuing education in the past, drawing from expertise of the international colleagues, including during the Protez Hub and Prosthetika exchanges and webinars.
In addition to lectures, a user can download multiple useful PDF materials such as assessment tools, rehabilitation programs, scales and more.
Although the target audience of this platform are healthcare professionals who work with amputees, anyone can register and take the courses, including amputees and their family or friends.
The platform is completely free to use.
It is very user-friendly thanks to Rolique.io, Victoria Enkina and her team of designers, Ruslan Batytskyi and his filming crew.
Enhancing prostheses in Ukraine in partnership with Nova Ukraine
Thanks to Protez Hub partnership with Nova Ukraine since January 1, 2023 the following has been accomplished:
Fourteen upper limb amputees received prosthetic components that enhance their prostheses or serve as an additional tool to increase functionality (they were provided with electric elbow joints, quality myoelectric hands, hooks, harnessing and cables, ITAL devices).
Three prosthetic facilities in different regions received complete sets of reusable adjustable Connect TF sockets for patients with the above-knee amputations in order to verticalize those patients as early as possible.
Standards of Qualifications and Educational Pathways Development
In order to ensure that Ukrainian Prosthetics/Orthotics industry workforce meets internationally recognized professional and educational standards of qualification, Protez Hub in partnership with other stakeholders have launched a Standards and Qualifications committee. Through the work of this committee the standards have been developed taking into account the needs and peculiarities of the Prosthetics/Orthotics industry in Ukraine. The committee members include prosthetics/orthotics professionals, representatives of national and international nongovernmental organizations (Protez Hub, Patients of Ukraine, Prosthetika, Physical Therapists Association of Ukraine, American Board of Certification, International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics), Ministry representatives (Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, Ministry of Health of Ukraine and Ministry of Education), representatives of the President and Office of the President, as well as independent advisors. The work in this area continues any questions or suggestions could be emailed to Protez Hub.
Support from prosthetic component manufacturers
Companies such Ossur, Fillauer, Allard International and Steeper have shown solidarity and support of Ukraine.
Thanks to the continued partnership between Ossur, Protez Hub and Prosthetika, Ukrainians have been receiving quality prosthetic components and valuable training. The Direct Socket technology which was successfully implemented in Ukraine through this partnership in 2022 is now being widely used in 7 oblasts (regions) of Ukraine and has proven to be effective.
Fillauer has helped with lower limb liners, feet and upper limb components, much needed in Ukraine.
Allard International provided Ukrainians who got partial foot amputations with effective solutions, not previously available in Ukraine.
Steeper has stepped up with giving Ukrainians access to valuable upper limb prosthetics training, as well as components.
Professional exchanges
Probably the most valuable experience is when a team of international colleagues works shoulder-to-shoulder with their Ukrainian counterparts.
Professional exchanges help both groups of professionals gain experience and exchange ideas.
In March 2023, in partnership with NGO Divchata and Sahva clinic in Denmark, Protez Hub organized an exchange for 10 Ukrainian physical therapists from different regions of Ukraine who spent a week in Copenhagen learning about pre-prosthetic and prosthetic rehabilitation.
In April, 2023 Protez Hub in partnership with Patients of Ukraine, Nova Ukraine, Airlink and UNDP organized an upper limb exchange mission.
Experienced and highly skilled US professionals traveled to Ukraine for a week to fit 6 complex upper limb cases and share their expertise with their Ukrainian colleagues.
Prosthetika and Protez Hub webinars continue into 2023
In March of 2022 in partnership with Prosthetika Protez Hub launched weekly webinars on the most pressing topics related to amputee care, rehabilitation and prosthetics. Over 20 webinars have been conducted to date.
The most recent webinar was on Osseointegration prosthetic technology presented by Matthew Garibaldi of the University of San Francisco in California.
Protez Hub mission statement
Protez Hub cherishes its partnerships with Ukrainian prosthetics/orthotics professionals, amputee rehabilitation professionals and prosthetics/orthotics facilities all across the country.
The goal of Protez Hub is to support professionals and facilities in every region of Ukraine, so that quality amputee care is available everywhere.