Health and well-being: when fitness meets the norm

It's done: after more than two years of work, sophrologists and osteopaths now have their first voluntary standards: NF S99-805 for the former and NF S99-806 for the latter. They share best practices and propose common methods, thereby eliminating disparities between practitioners.

Sophrology remains a discipline that is not recognized by the Department of Health, but it has close ties to our healthcare system. The same is true for osteopathy. To date, no official studies have proven the effectiveness and benefits of sophrology. However, more and more healthcare professionals are prescribing it and agree that patients who receive sophrology are more receptive to care and treatment. Among the most common areas of application are pain control, stress management, and mental preparation. "Sophrology addresses societal issues. Some practitioners even choose to visit prisons to help inmates live their time in detention in a constructive way," explains Olivia Roux, president of the Federation of Professional Sophrology Schools (FEPS).

Quality of service in sophrology: a list of best practices

A few years ago, the profession felt the need to develop regulatory tools to define best practices and thus emphasize the quality of care. We presented it to you here Please note: we are referring here to voluntary norms and standards, not regulatory measures enacted by public authorities.

SophrologistThe standard is indeed a valuable aid in this specific case, clearly defining what a sophrologist can and cannot do and preventing potential abuses of the profession, starting with the fact that a sophrologist does not make any diagnoses or even touch their patients. As there is a great deal of controversy, given that the practice has encompassed different ideological currents since its founding in 1960, it was necessary to bring all stakeholders together. It wasn't easy, but we did it. , explains Olivia Roux, representing the FEPS, one of the stakeholders involved in standardization. I admit that I myself had some reservations when I joined the commission led by AFNOR . But as the work progressed, I saw that the standard would help us strengthen our network. And this, in order to bring a clearer, more assertive dimension to the profession. This reference framework explains how to move from a method to a profession. 

Thus was born the NF S99-805 standard This standard should also be seen as the first step in a broader process that will continue with other joint projects, including the duration of training for sophrologists. This subject remains a point of disagreement among professionals, whose training modules can vary from one week to... two years! In the meantime, the standard serves as a guide, a compendium of best practices, giving those who comply with it a sense of commitment akin to an oath.

Audience recognition

Same connotation regarding the new standard NF S99-806 Written by and for another family involved in the healthcare professions: osteopaths. The request from this "unregulated" profession was to build a reference database containing all the rules accepted by practitioners keen to apply the standard. , describes Yves Lecointe, president of the AFNOR standardization committee which brought together federations, unions, and schools. This is in addition to an initial European standard published in 2015, NF EN 16686 , focused on service quality.

The principle of patient contribution to the relationship is reiterated and everything has been made explicit: consent, care, confidentiality of records, data protection, but also the maintenance of the premises where the osteopath treats patients. Defining the practice of the profession also means stating its limits, such as the fact that osteopathy is not a business and that osteopaths cannot use their title for commercial practices, such as the resale of products related to health, care, or well-being (dietary supplements or other products). In short, it is a document written in the spirit of a charter to establish the seriousness, quality, and credibility of a profession linked to the medical profession and other health professions. This is a big step towards recognition: recognition by patients, who see it as a guarantee of professionalism; recognition by public authorities, who have a say in the accreditation of schools; and recognition by supplementary health insurance organizations, some of which have been reimbursing one or more sessions per year for several years.

Dental surgeons welcome at the standardization table

Seen as a means of standardizing practices, voluntary standards are a useful tool for wellness professionals, but also for paramedical professionals and healthcare professionals themselves. This is particularly true in the field of oral medicine, where standardization work has yielded unexpected benefits. The standardization commission that hosts them has produced numerous standards that are useful in the daily work of dentists and their equipment manufacturers and suppliers. Among the experts around the table is Dr. Kazutoyo Yasukawa, a university hospital dental surgeon who is convinced of the benefits of standards. "These range from pH variation in teeth whitening products to the effectiveness of attachment systems on electric toothbrush heads, including products used to make impressions and even terminology for forensic dental data. The list of topics is long, and standards provide security," he says. We need a strong common position to defend quality practices, with quality materials and devices, for the safety of all our patients." Interested? Contact Anne Girard or Laura Pezet at AFNOR.