Since in the practice of rehabilitation medicine at this particular era of globalization the therapeutic principle emphasizes a humanistic and personalized approach, so-called 'culturally oriented rehabilitation program' became more important factor than ever.
For the benefit of patients who are from different cultural backgrounds 'how it's done' is more important than 'what is done'. For example ADL training for eating could be an universal prescription for every patient as 'what is done', but the technical choices between fork-and-knife training or chopstick training are totally different matter as 'how it's done'. Other examples are that training a patient to stand up from chair must be different from doing it from floor, and that usage of A-K prosthesis on a chair must be different from using it on floor.
Accordingly exchanges of knowledges and clinical experiences among physiatric practitioners in the region of Asia in more academic and better organized format will make tremendous contribution in advancement of not only rehabilitation medicine field in Asia but also entire world medicine altogether.
A collective effort to establish an academic society of Asian physiatry is the necessity"
This has been an ongoing opinions and expressions by some of the leaders in the field of rehabilitation medicine particularly since mid-part of 1990's.
In 1997 the World Congress of IRMA(International Rehabilitation Medicine Association) was held in Kyoto, Japan. At this meeting many participants from Asian countries informally got together to discuss about the possible benefits by forming an independent Asian organization of rehabilitation medicine, and many participants agreed to the idea in principle.
In 2000 Japan held National Japanese Rehabilitation Meeting where some 43 oversea speakers were invited and many of speakers were from Asian countries. Here again many rehabilitation experts from different regions of Asia had unstructured gatherings to discuss further regarding the possibility, potential, obstacles, tactics, and steps in pursuing to organize an Asian rehabilitation society.
At around this time Dr. Nobu Ishigami from Japan had been actively serving for IRMA(International Rehabilitation Medicine Association) and ISPRM(International Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine) as a secretary-general or regional vice president. Dr. Ishigami put a strenuous efforts to strengthen Asian physiatric ties by means of inviting oversea guests to Japan or traveling overseas by himself for the same purpose.
In 2001 Dr, Ishigami on behalf of Millenium JARM (Japanese Association of Rehabilitation Medicine) Conference has invited 35 speakers from many Asian countries. At this conference the regional leaders in the field of rehabilitation medicine as well as most of invited speakers were gathered and had relatively structured meetings. At this time it was acknowledged to the participants that many separate regional academic activities were planned, initiated, or already running on a regular basis and these organized activities include ARMA(Asean Rehabilitation Medicine Association), Japan-Korea Joint Conference, and 3 Chinese Rehabilitation Societies Conference. All the participants then agreed in that those separate regional activities are willing to participate and/or merge in to a new pan-asian organization if properly established, and that Dr. Ishigami will play a role as the coordinator to do the groundwork toward forming a new organization.
Dr. Sae-il Chun from Korea who was serving IRMA in early years as a member of the Board of Governors and ISPRM in later years as two time regional vice president have closely worked together with Dr. Ishigami since 1990's sharing the same necessity ideas of a new Asian organization.
In 2004 Dr. Leonard Li from Hong Kong and Dr. Jianan Li from China made a formal and specific proposal to Dr. Sae-il Chun, then vice president for Asian Region of ISPRM, to summon an formal meeting of Asian and Oceanian representatives at the time of 4th ISPRM Congress at Sao Paulo, Brazil in order to further materialize the issue of forming a new Asian Oceanian organization.
In 2005, 3rd ISPRM Congress was held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and as was proposed before the representatives from each Asian Oceanian countries got together to discuss further in detail and more specifically regarding the issue of a new organization.
The participants to this meeting on April 4, 2005 at Gran Melia Hotel, Sao Paulo, Brazil included ;
- Australia (Hugh Dickson, Tom Hale, John Olver)
- China (Dezhang Geng, Jianan Li, Dengkun Nan, Zong-yao Wu)
- Hong Kong (Leonard Li)
- Indonesia (Gerry Heryan, Anita Rathawati)
- Japan (Masami Akai, Satoshi Myano)
- Korea (Sae-il Chun, Chang-il Park, Ji-Cheol Shin)
- Philippine (Sylvia Velasco)
- Singapore (Eng-ching Yap)
All the participants of this meeting unanimously agreed and decided to form a special task force to pursue the new organization matter.
The elected members of Task Force Committee are as follows;
- Sae-il Chun (Korea) - - - - Coordinator
- Amita Rathawati (Indonesia)
- Eng-ching Yap (Singapore)
- Jianan Li (China)
- Ji-cheol Shin (Korea)
- John Olver (Australia)
- Leonard SW Li (Hong Kong)
- Masami Akai (Japan)
- Sylvia Velasco (Philippine)
In 2006, the Task Force Committee meeting was held in Zhuhai, China. The participants at this time at Zhuhai International Resort and Conference Center on February 17, 2006 included ;
- Karen Chua (Singapore)
- Sae-il Chun (Korea, Chairperson)
- Tai-Ryoon Han (Korea)
- Peni Kusumastuti (Indonesia)
- Leonard S.W. Li (Hong Kong, SAR)
- Jianan Li (China), Akai Masami (Japan)
- John Olver (Australia), Zaliha Omar (Malaysia)
- Chang-il Park (Korea, President-elect ISPRM)
- Sukajan Pongprapai (Thailand)
- Rosiana Pradanasari (Indonesia)
- Rey-Matias Reynaldo (Philippines)
- Simon Tang (Chinese Taipei)
- Ajit Varma (India)
At this Task Force Meeting at Zhuhai on February 17, 2006, the followings were discussed and agreed ;
- The name of the organization will be "Asian Oceania Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine" (AOSPRM).
- Interim Cabinet should be formed to facilitate the establishment of the AOSPRM, till the by-laws are established and office-bearers are elected into office in June 2007 after the ISPRM meeting in Seoul, Korea.
- The composition of the Interim Cabinet was
- Advisor: Chang-Il Park (President-elect of ISPRM
- Chairman: Sae-Il Chun (Regional Vice-President of ISPRM)
- Secretary General: Leonard S.W. Li (Hong Kong, SAR)
- Assistant Secretary(Website master): Reynaldo Rey-Matias (Philippines)
- Education Chair: Akai Masmai (Japan)
- Executive members: Karen Chua (Singapore),
- Tai-Ryoon Han (Korea),
- Peni Kusumastuti (Indonesia),
- Jianan Li (China)
- John Olver (Australia),
- Zaliha Omar (Malaysia),
- Sukajan Pongprapai (Thailand),
- Simon Tang (Chinese Taipei).
- Ajit Varma (India),
- Nghien Nguyen Xuan (Vietnam)
In June of 2007, 4th World Congress of the ISPRM was held in Seoul, Korea.
At last on June 11th, 2007 during the period of 4th ISPRM Congress in Seoul, a new by-law was passed, the new president (Dr. Tai-Ryoon Han, Korea) and other executive and board members were elected, and the great new organization called "Asian Oceania Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (AOSPRM)" were officially born and many challenging activities including the first AOSPRM Congress to be held in May, 2009 in Nanjing were formally launched.
By Prof. Sae-il Chun, M.D.
(Past President of AOSPRM ) s
