Rehabilitation Services Provision and Payment.

Abstract

Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) experience disability and have significant need for rehabilitation. To deliver appropriate rehabilitation, interventions and programs suitable services must exist. A prerequisite for system improvement is a description of rehabilitation services. The aim of this paper was to develop a rehabilitation service framework for SCI. Additionally, principles and models of payment of rehabilitation services will be discussed. Health-related rehabilitation services should be available along the continuum of care and implemented at all levels of health care. The three most important types of services are acute, postacute, and long-term rehabilitation services. Health-related rehabilitation services for patients with SCI must be able to provide high-quality equipment and a well-trained, highly specialized and multiprofessional team of rehabilitation workers. The principles of payment for SCI rehabilitation services vary according to the organization of health care systems, which primarily depends on the sources of money (eg, from national health care systems, other health insurances, or out of pocket). Funding systems and payment criteria may influence service provision and justice in service delivery. It is important to analyze the provision of rehabilitation services and the related funding system using uniform assessment and evaluation tools.