The interview 

 Edgar Mora Montoya, Costa Rica

What is your name?

Edgar Mora Montoya 

What is your profession?

Specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 
 

How is the rehabilitation treatment of spine diseases managed in your country?

In Costa Rica, we have a universal social security system. We have a scoliosis care guideline based on initial detection at the first level of care. However, it has been difficult to put it into practice due to the variability of the assessments that are given at this level of care. Most are detected by medical specialists (paediatricians, orthopedists, and physiatrists). Most are referred to orthopedists or physiatrists, or in our case, to the National Rehabilitation Centre (CENARE). In this centre, physiatrists, columnologists, and physical therapists have the ability to train and hospitalise patients for rehabilitation.

Scoliosis: how is it treated?

In our case (CENARE) we manage patients according to the SOSORT and SRS guidelines, trying to follow the guidelines. There is a large population with non-idiopathic scoliosis, which is also treated at our centre.
 

What would you like to improve on the clinical practices currently followed in your country?

We would like to have PSSE-certified staff and increased availability of proprietary braces. We work on the national standardisation of management, both clinical and orthotic.

What do you think this course can give you, and how do you think you can apply this knowledge in your daily clinical practice?

The Scoliosis Master Course provides us with the best evidence in the management of scoliosis in order to improve management and make better decisions for patients.