Ukraine Approves a Standard for Rehabilitation Care After Limb Amputation: A Major Step Toward Quality Recovery

Amputee Standard Protez Hub Ukraine

 

Ukraine has officially approved the Standard for Rehabilitation Care: Provision of Rehabilitation Care After Limb Amputation (for Adults and Children) — a key regulatory document that defines modern approaches, principles, and quality criteria for the rehabilitation of people with limb loss.

The development of the Standard was initiated by the Protez Hub team, which has been consistently working to advance evidence-based, patient-centred, and accessible rehabilitation in Ukraine.

“For us, this Standard is not just a document. It is a tool that allows a person with an amputation to understand what kind of care they are entitled to, and helps professionals provide rehabilitation at a consistent, high-quality level,” representatives of Protez Hub note.

How the Standard Was Initiated

At the end of 2023, Antonina Kumka, CEO of Protez Hub, submitted an official application to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to initiate the adaptation of international clinical guidelines and the development of a national standard for rehabilitation care after amputation.

This initiative responded to an urgent need: rehabilitation approaches varied significantly across institutions, quality criteria were unclear, and patients’ access to necessary services was unequal.

“We saw that even when professionals and patients were highly motivated, the system often lacked clear reference points. The Standard is an attempt to align approaches and make rehabilitation more predictable and understandable,” Antonina Kumka comments.

Two Years of Collaborative Expert Work

The development of the Standard took two years. Leading Ukrainian and international experts in rehabilitation, prosthetics, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and medicine were involved in the process.

The document is based on clinical guidelines and standards developed in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the European Union. All recommendations were carefully adapted to the Ukrainian healthcare context.

“We deliberately avoided simply copying international documents. Our goal was to preserve evidence-based principles while accounting for Ukraine’s realities, available resources, and the patient’s pathway through the healthcare system,” the Protez Hub team emphasizes.

Why This Standard Is Primarily Important for Patients

The new Standard is especially important for people with limb amputations, as it:

  • establishes clear quality criteria for rehabilitation care;
  • defines necessary rehabilitation interventions at different stages of recovery;
  • helps patients understand their rights and available services;
  • reduces the risk of unjustified or ineffective interventions.

“Patients are no longer left alone with the system. The Standard gives them reference points and a common language to discuss their recovery with professionals,” Protez Hub representatives stress.

Evidence-Based Rehabilitation and Patient Awareness at the Core

The Standard places particular emphasis on:

  • evidence-based rehabilitation;
  • comprehensive assessment of the patient’s condition;
  • justified prescription of assistive rehabilitation devices, including prostheses;
  • patient education and involvement in decision-making.

“We believe that an informed patient is an active participant in rehabilitation. This principle is embedded throughout the Standard,” Protez Hub notes.

From Acute Care to Active Community Life

The Standard covers all stages of rehabilitation for a person with limb amputation — from the early postoperative phase to long-term follow-up.

Its key objective is the effective return of the individual to active life in the community, including physical independence, social participation, and professional reintegration.

“Rehabilitation does not end with prosthetic fitting. It ends when a person returns to a life they consider fulfilling,” Protez Hub concludes.

Official Documents