From professional appeal to professional standard: reframing the Italian rehabilitation workforce through evidence, regulation, and global alignment

BackgroundItaly’s rehabilitation workforce is fragmented and regulated by outdated decrees, limiting alignment with WHO and EU standards, and hindering efficiency, equity, and international comparability.MethodologyNarrative policy and health systems analysis, with comparative review of selected European models, based on secondary data and illustrative comparators.Policy issueWorkforce planning relies on historical professional categories and regional variability rather than population functioning needs and evidence-based competencies.EvidenceWHO Rehabilitation 2030 tools and European comparators show that coherent regulation, competency-based education, and need-driven planning improve service access, quality, and sustainability.Policy optionsAlign professional profiles with international standards; clarify scopes of practice; strengthen interprofessional education; integrate workforce planning with functioning and epidemiological data.ImplicationsReform offers a strategic opportunity to reduce disparities, enhance system performance, and align Italy with global standards.