Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy Treatment Activities During Inpatient Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract

ObjectiveTo describe the use of occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and speech therapy (ST) treatment activities throughout the acute rehabilitation stay of patients with traumatic brain injury. DesignMultisite prospective observational cohort study. SettingInpatient rehabilitation settings. ParticipantsPatients (N=2130) admitted for initial acute rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury. Patients were categorized on the basis of admission FIM cognitive scores, resulting in 5 fairly homogeneous cognitive groups. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresPercentage of patients engaged in specific activities and mean time patients engaged in these activities for each 10-hour block of time for OT, PT, and ST combined. ResultsTherapy activities in OT, PT, and ST across all 5 cognitive groups had a primary focus on basic activities. Although advanced activities occurred in each discipline and within each cognitive group, these advanced activities occurred with fewer patients and usually only toward the end of the rehabilitation stay. ConclusionsThe pattern of activities engaged in was both similar to and different from patterns seen in previous practice-based evidence studies with different rehabilitation diagnostic groups.