By Matt Mackay, CEO of Royal Rehab
There has never been a more exciting time to be working in Australia’s rehabilitation and disability space. With the rapid development of new advanced technologies, at Royal Rehab we’re changing the way we deliver rehabilitation services and
helping patients achieve their goals at an accelerated rate.
Over the past decade, we’ve seen how robotics, virtual reality applications and exoskeletons have become an integral part of
rehab programs in other countries and the role they’ve played in taking recovery, strength and mobility to a whole new level.
We’re now seeing, in real-time, the impact advanced technologies can have in improving rehabilitation outcomes for people living with life-changing disabilities, illnesses or injuries. And while the Australian health system continues to go from strength to strength, the rehabilitation equipment available to Australian patients has not evolved as quickly as it has overseas.
Thanks to the recent launch of our Advanced Technology Centre, under the banner Royal Rehab LifeWorks – the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere – Australia is finally catching up.
The centre is home to twenty-five of the most advanced technology aids for rehabilitation and general strength and conditioning, from robotic exoskeletons and body weight support systems to virtual reality technologies. The purpose-built hub allows us to provide Australians needing rehabilitation and wellbeing services with access to world-leading devices, many of which have never been seen in this country.
By coupling advanced technologies with traditional therapies, patients are able to work on personalised goals like being able to stand unassisted, transfer themselves into wheelchairs and overall increase their independence at a faster rate. The road to recovery has become a lot smoother for our clients thanks to the support of these technologies in combination with our expert clinicians.
From allowing clients to achieve greater repetitions during therapy to helping clinicians develop more creative therapy programs – there is no denying that technology can be a powerful tool to help improve patient outcomes.
Through use of advanced technologies, clients are able to move earlier on in their rehabilitation journey or in ways previously thought to be too difficult. Additionally, the element of support offered by these technologies during therapy means clients also experience a sense of safety.
It’s important that new approaches to rehabilitation, especially those that can help sustain a patient’s engagement in therapy and improve functional independence and quality of life, are embraced broadly by the sector.
Supporting innovation is paramount as we continue to focus on quality of life for our clients. This is why we’re committed to integrating technology into the programs we offer. Over the past two years, we’ve been investing in the training and development of our staff to ensure they are able to implement bespoke programs, leverage immerging innovations and provide the very best care to our clients.
Technology and innovation will play a primary role in the evolution of Royal Rehab. By introducing technology into our programs, we can help people living with a disability, illness or injury gain as much functional independence as possible and live life to the fullest.
The opening of the centre cements our commitment to being a leader in innovation within the Australian rehabilitation and disability space. By adopting new technologies and adapting to change, we can continue striving towards our vision of creating a world without limits for people with disability, illness and injury.
