Activities
Courses
ICF StARS Online Course - Standardized Assessment and Reporting of Functioning Information
This free online course provides the basics for understanding functioning and the assessment and reporting of functioning information in a standardized manner by using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).
Target group: The course is aimed at interested people who work with functioning data (assessment and reporting), including healthcare professionals, researchers, students, quality managers and other professionals in the health system.
| Next course run: | September 21 - October 2026 |
| Mode: | Self-study with flexible attendance |
| Workload: | 25 hours in total (equivalent to 1 ECTS) |
| Language: | English |
| Costs: | free |
Registration: To enroll, please use this link
Registration with the Open Learnity course provider platform is required for enrolment on the course. Those with Swiss university credentials can use these to register. Those without Swiss university credentials must select the "SWITCH edu-ID" option during registration and first register with this service: eduid.ch/web/registration/1/. This will enable you to complete registration with Open Learnity.
The course is offered by the University of Lucerne and developed and conducted in collaboration with Swiss Paraplegic Research. The course was originally funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation as part of the National Research Programme 74 “Smarter Health Care”.
Events
Future Events
LIFE Forum Rehabilitation
[held in German]
Im Rahmen des LIFE Forums Rehabilitation wollen wir in den nächsten Jahren gemeinsam die zentralen Handlungsfelder zur Stärkung der Rehabilitation in der Schweiz aufgreifen und diskutieren.
Save the date: Das nächste LIFE Forum Rehabilitation findet am 17. September 2026 statt
more information: LIFE Forum Rehabilitation - Universität Luzern
Past Events:
2. LIFE Forum Rehabilitation 2025
[held in German]
Integrierte Versorgung: Visionen für die Rehabilitationslandschaft Schweiz
The second LIFE Rehabilitation Forum, taking place on 18 September 2025, focuses on integrated and coordinated care in Switzerland's rehabilitation landscape. Two keynote presentations will explore the role of integrated care within the national "Health 2030" strategy and how rehabilitation contributes to integrated care in Germany. Five flash talks will then showcase inspiring practical examples from inpatient rehabilitation, pediatric rehabilitation nursing, the patient perspective, and the use of electronic patient records to support care coordination. The forum will conclude with a panel discussion featuring representatives from policy, practice, insurance, and patient organizations on how rehabilitation can help strengthen integrated care in Switzerland.
More information and presentation slides: 2. LIFE Forum Rehabilitation 2025 - Universität Luzern (German)
1. LIFE Forum Rehabilitation, February 15th 2024, University of Lucerne
[held in German]
Die WHO-Resolution "Stärkung von Rehabilitation in Gesundheitssystemen" Was bedeutet das für die Schweiz?
On May 27, 2023, WHO member states unanimously adopted a resolution to "Strengthen Rehabilitation in Health Systems." As part of the Lucerne Initiative for Functioning, Health and Wellbeing (LIFE), the first national LIFE Forum on Rehabilitation wass held on February 15, 2024. The event adressed the question of what the WHO resolution means for Switzerland and is aimed at an interdisciplinary audience from practice, research, education and politics. After two introductory keynotes, flash talks highlighted the current challenges in the Swiss rehabilitation landscape and the expectations of the resolution from the perspective of service providers, quality development and education. In a concluding panel discussion, health policy makers commented on the concrete steps that are indicated for the implementation of the resolution in Switzerland.
More information and presentation slides: LIFE Forum Rehabilitation 15.02.2024 - University of Lucerne (unilu.ch)
CRGHS-RESC Online Lecture Series 2024
The second Edition of the Joint Online Lecture Series of the CRGHS & RESC ETH Zürich was held in September 2024:
Watch the recordings of the insightful sessions! This time, the lectures were held in German under the title:
"Stärkung der Rehabilitation in der Schweiz - Interprofessionelle Bildung als Treiber der digitalen und technologischen Transformation"
Innovative Bildungsformate im Fokus, 12. September 2024
Referent:innen: Jessica Gantenbein, Christian Schirlo
Watch the recording
Netzwerke an der Schnittstelle von Gesundheit und Digitalisierung, 19. September 2024
Referent:innen: Eveline S. Graf, Marion Huber, Jürgen Stremlow
Watch the recording
Politische und berufspolitische Perspektiven, 26. September 2024
Referent:innen: Cinzia Zeltner, Stefan Goetz
Watch the recording
Joint Online Lecture Series RESC & CRGHS 2023:
"Strengthening Rehabilitation in Switzerland - Research and Aspects of Implementation"
Addressing the Shortage of Rehabilitation Professionals in Switzerland – Status Quo and Solutions, November 9th 2023
With Prof. Dr. Sabine Hahn, Department Manager Nursing, School of Health Professions, Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and Diana Sigrist-Nix, EMBA MSc, Head of Medical Services, Responsible for Clinical Systems, Member of the Management Board, Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Nottwil
Watch the recording
WHO’s Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation – Implications for Switzerland, November 16th 2023
With Dr. Alexandra Rauch, Sensory functions, Disability and Rehabilitation Unit, Department for Noncommunicable Diseases, Geneva, World Health Organization and Prof. Dr. med. Peter Sandor, Vice President of Medical Affairs at SW!SS REHA (a.i.), Medical Director of ZURZACH Care
Watch the recording
Innovative Technologies for Strengthening Rehabilitation Services, November 23rd 2023
With Prof. Dr. Carlo Menon, Head of the Biomedical and Mobile Health Technology Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich and Dr. Florian Haufe, Founder and CEO, Akina
Watch the recording
Rehabilitation within Swiss Health Information Systems, November 30th 2023
With Asst. Prof. Dr. Carla Sabariego, Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Healthy Ageing, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Dr. Sarah Brüningk, Postdoctoral Fellow and Group Leader, Biomedical Data Science Lab, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zurich and Dr. Stephan Tobler, Head of Rehabilitation, ANQ Swiss National Association for Quality Development in Hospitals and Clinics
Watch the recording
Financing Rehabilitation in Switzerland – Investment Case and Mechanisms, December 7th 2023
With Asst. Prof. Dr. Diana Pacheco Barzallo, Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Healthy Ageing, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne, Asst. Prof. David Weisstanner, Assistant Professor for Health and Social Policy, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, University of Lucerne and Samuel Noll, Head of TARPSY and ST Reha, Swiss DRG AG
Watch the recording
Current projects
Strengthening Rehabilitation in Switzerland: From Stakeholder Perspectives to a Policy Brief
This project was initiated in response to the 2023 World Health Assembly (WHA) Resolution on Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems and aimed to identify opportunities and challenges for strengthening rehabilitation in Switzerland and to develop evidence-informed policy recommendations for action.
As a first step, we conducted a national stakeholder survey involving rehabilitation professionals, patient representatives, insurers, researchers, and other key stakeholders. The survey explored perceptions of the relevance of the WHA Resolution and identified priorities, opportunities, and barriers for strengthening rehabilitation in Switzerland.
Results stakeholder survey:
Maritz R, Beganovic L, Weisstanner D, Menzi L, Sabariego C. (2025). Exploring perspectives on implementing the World Health Assembly's Resolution for Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems in Switzerland: a representative rehabilitation stakeholder survey. Disability and Rehabilitation, 47(14), 3696-3707. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2024.2429744
→ Link to publication
Building on these findings, stakeholder and expert consultations informed the development of a policy brief containing 22 evidence-informed policy considerations to strengthen rehabilitation in Switzerland. The recommendations address governance, financing, workforce development, service delivery, data and research, and equitable access to rehabilitation services and assistive technologies.
Policy Brief:
Maritz R, Weisstanner D, Stucki G, Stoller O, Scheel-Sailer A, Sturzenegger C, Sabariego C, Center for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems, and the Advisory Board of the LIFE Forum Rehabilitation. (2026). Policy brief: How can rehabilitation be strengthened in Switzerland? Evidence-informed policy considerations based on the 2023 World Health Assembly resolution on strengthening rehabilitation in health systems. Public Health Reviews, 47, 1609467. doi: 10.3389/phrs.2026.1609467
→ Link to policy brief publication
Online Survey on Healthy Ageing and Rehabilitation
This international stakeholder consultation, led by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Rehabilitation in Global Health Systems and guided by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, addresses challenges outlined in the United Nations and WHO Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030). Complementing existing literature, the survey seeks insights from Swiss rehabilitation stakeholders on implementing the WHO Resolution for Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems. Your participation and sharing within your network are appreciated. The survey, available in German, French, Italian, and English, takes approximately 15 minutes. Your input, considering your regional context, enhances evidence for rehabilitation in the 60+ population.
The survey closed at the end of 2023 with an impressive response of over 2,000 participants.
An overview of the published results:
- Global Summary
Seijas V, Maritz R, Morsch P, Kleinitz P, Morgan C, Yee J, Moreira B, Hodel J, Mishra S, Sabariego C. International stakeholder consultation on models of rehabilitation service delivery to foster healthy ageing: results of a cross-sectional survey involving 124 countries and all World Health Organization regions. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2025 Apr;61(2):161-172. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.25.08669-1
- European Subanalysis
Seijas V, Maritz R, Yee J, et al. Rehabilitation Service Delivery Models to Foster Healthy Ageing in the WHO European Region: Results From a Cross-Sectional Stakeholder Consultation Involving 45 Countries. Advances in Rehabilitation Science and Practice. 2026;15. doi:10.1177/27536351261419007
