The Ukrainian Research Institute of Medical Rehabilitation and Balneology of Ministry of Health of Ukraine (UkrRIMR&B) is the main research establishment on medical problems of rehabilitation, physiotherapy and balneology, balneological estimation, standardization and certification of natural medicinal resources and medicinal products, drinking and artificially mineralized waters and beverages produced on their basis (according to the Charter, confirmed by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine Order № 141, dated 22 of March, 2007.

The basic directions of the institute activity:

• substantiation of organizational and methodical bases of management of sanatorium branch of Ukraine;
• study of the standard legal documentation concerning creation of legislative base of functioning of sanatorium branch of Ukraine;
• working out of medical technologies using natural medicinal resources and preformed physical factors for restorative treatment of the most widespread pathology;
• studying and medico-biological estimation of natural medicinal resources;
• creation of the State Cadastre of Natural Medicinal Resources;
• preparation of research staff specializing in the Branch of “medical rehabilitation, physiotherapy and balneology”;
• research consultative and methodical help to sanatorium institutions under different authority.

The following departments function at the Institute:

• Specialized Scientific Board in the speciality termed “Medical Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy and Balneology” (registered under №14.01.33) which has been formed in 1978. Since 1993 the Specialized Scientific Board accepts theses for defense of the Doctor’s degree in the above-mentioned specialization. Up to the present time 321 dissertational works have been successfully defended among which there were 29 doctor’s degree theses;
• Working group of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine Problem-Solving Commission jointly with the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine which bears the name of “Sanatorial Rehabilitation”;
• The Institute is the location of the Ukrainian Association of Physiotherapists and Balneologists;
• Editorial Board of the research and practical quarterly magazine “Medical Rehabilitation, Balneology, Physiotherapy” (registered at the State Commission for Publications of Ukraine on 30 November, 1994, Certificate Series KB № 1092, the subscription index is 74364);
• Technical Committee № 124 of the State Standards of Ukraine (TK-124) named “Natural and Preformed Medicinal Resources” (created according to the Order of the State Standards of Ukraine, Document № 303 date 08 of May, 1998);
• The Ukrainian State Centre of Standardization and Quality Control of Natural and Preformed Agents;
• The centre of creating the State Cadastre of Natural Medicinal Resources.

Scientific research is carried out within the state branch programs and contracts with enterprises and organizations of different ministries and departments (see Scheme № 1).
The researchers of the Institute render methodological and advisory help to practical doctors of the sanatorial service institutions of Ukraine, hold seminars on the premises of the inviting institutions and organize research and practical conferences.