Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument Research Articles

Role of inpatient rehabilitation facility functional measures to predict community discharge after stroke.

This study investigated the association between stroke severity, functional status measured by the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI), and community discharge from IRF. Aim one examined the association between National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores measured during the acute care stay and IRF admission functional status, measured by the admission IRF-PAI self-care and mobility functional measures, to deduce if functional measures can serve as a proxy for stroke severity. Aim two investigated the ability of the NIHSS and IRF-PAI admission functional measures to predict community discharge from IRF after stroke. Retrospective cohort study using electronic health records and Uniform Data System. Medical Record file data from January 1, 2018, to December 30, 2019. Academic hospital-based IRF. Five hundred forty-four patients transferred from acute care hospital to IRF after an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Exclusion criteria included a transient ischemic attack, discharge against medical advice, death during IRF stay, or readmission to acute care within 48 hoursof IRF admission. Not applicable. Admission IRF-PAI self-care and mobility scores and discharge status from IRF. Of the 544 patients, 76.7% had community discharge. NIHSS scores were significantly associated with IRF-PAI admission self-care scores across each NIHSS stroke category. There was no statistically significant association between NIHSS and IRF-PAI admission mobility score. IRF admission self-care and mobility scores were each statistically significant predictors of community discharge (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.17; OR = 1.10, CI: 1.03-1.18, respectively). NIHSS scores were not a statistically significant predictor of community discharge (OR = 0.70, CI: 0.47-1.04) from IRF. IRF-PAI self-care functional measure is associated with the NIHSS and can serve as a proxy for stroke severity. IRF-PAI self-care and mobility measures each predict community discharge.

A Role for Health Literacy in Protecting People With Limited English Proficiency Against Falling: A Retrospective, Cohort Study

ObjectiveTo identify risk factors related to falls within the scope of speech-language pathology (SLP) using assessments from the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument over a 4-month period in 4 inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). DesignObservational retrospective cohort study. SettingFour IRFs as part of a larger learning health system. ParticipantsAdults aged ≥18 years admitted to the IRFs from October 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023 were included. InterventionN/A. Main Outcome MeasuresOccurrence of falls. ResultsAnalyses of 631 patient records revealed that the odds of falling were almost 3 times greater in people with limited English proficiency than in English speakers (odds ratio [OR], 2.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-6.85). People with limited English proficiency who reported poorer health literacy had 4 times higher odds of falling (OR, 3.90; 95% CI, 1.13-13.44) than English speakers who reported adequate health literacy. People with limited English proficiency who reported adequate health literacy had the same risk of falling as English speakers (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.16-6.12), suggesting the protective role of health literacy for people with limited English proficiency. ConclusionsLanguage barriers have a significant effect on falls among patients in IRFs. SLPs improving health literacy and providing language support may play a crucial role in mitigating fall risk, thereby enhancing patient safety and outcomes.

Development of the comprehensive inpatient transfer tool: initial reliability and validity.

A new patient transfer assessment scale for use in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) is warranted to assess level of assistance, adaptations needed for success, and movement strategies. This study presents initial psychometric analyses for the Comprehensive Inpatient Transfer Tool (CITT). CITT items were developed through interdisciplinary team discussions. Interrater reliability was assessed between blinded pairs of raters administering the CITT for each subject on the same day. Intrarater reliability was assessed with one rater administering the CITT for each subject twice within the same day. Thirty-six subjects in an IRF completed the CITT four times during their rehabilitation stay; three times at admission and once at discharge. Intraclass correlations (mixed models) were used in reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) analyses. Spearman correlations of CITT and CITT change scores with their respective Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility - Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) transfer scores were performed for concurrent validity. Responsiveness was assessed using paired t-tests on change scores. Interrater and intrarater reliability ranged from 0.90 to 0.98. Correlations between the CITT and FIM/IRF-PAI ranged from 0.6 to 0.8. The MDC for CITT was 7.11 pts. Differences between admission and discharge CITT were significant (P < 0.001). The CITT, developed by an interdisciplinary team, addresses limitations of existing transfer measures utilized in IRFs. The CITT demonstrated excellent inter and intrarater reliability. Concurrent validity demonstrated modest agreement between existing transfer measures and the CITT. The CITT is a reliable, useful scale for evaluating transfer skills in patients admitted to an IRF.

HARMONIZATION OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS WAREHOUSE DATA FOR OUTCOMES RESEARCH ON GERIATRIC SYNDROMES

Abstract Geriatric syndromes such as cognitive impairment, falls, depression, urinary incontinence, pressure ulcers, and polypharmacy are common conditions and syndromes that affect older adults. Studying geriatric syndromes in Medicare beneficiaries may provide important insights for improving health outcomes and quality of life. As a result of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014, it is now easier to compare standardized geriatric assessment data (including information about geriatric syndromes) collected in post-acute and long-term care settings with corresponding data from claims, encounter, Part D, and durable medical equipment files. However, to our knowledge, methods to link and harmonize post-acute and long-term care assessment data (available for 75% of decedents) are yet to be utilized in the health services research community. The goal of this project is to develop harmonized datasets that can be used to identify geriatric syndromes and study their prevalence, cost, health outcomes, and service delivery factors over time. This work will allow our team and other researchers to fully leverage these data for use in predictive algorithms and artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) research. The project uses the five most recent years of data available from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse. Data sources include Medicare and Medicaid claims, encounter, MedPAR, Hospice claims, Minimum Data Set (MDS), MDS-Swing Bed (SB), Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS), Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI), Pharmacy (Part D), and Durable Medical Equipment (DME).

Responsiveness of Section GG Scores in Tracking Post-Stroke Functional Recovery From Inpatient Rehabilitation Admission to 90-Day Follow-Up

ObjectiveTo evaluate the responsiveness and scale-to-sample targeting of Section GG of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument in measuring the trajectory of functional recovery in patients with stroke from inpatient rehabilitation admission to 90 days after discharge. DesignRetrospective cohort study. Setting150-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility. ParticipantsPatients with stroke (N=1087) discharged between December 2019 to April 2021. InterventionNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresAdmission and discharge self-care and mobility scores from Section GG were analyzed for the Inpatient Only group (n= 817). Admission, discharge and 90-day post-discharge Section GG scores from telephone interviews with patients or caregivers were analyzed for the Follow-Up group (n=270). Standardized response means (SRM) determined responsiveness of the tool for each group and time interval. Score means, standard deviations, and floor/ceiling effects illustrated scale-to-sample targeting of the tool. ResultsSelf-care and mobility scores improved significantly from admission to discharge (P<.001) for both groups and from discharge to 90 days (P<.001) for the Follow-Up group. Large SRM existed from admission to discharge for self-care and mobility scores in both groups. ​A small-to-moderate SRM was seen from discharge to 90 days for self-care (0.46) and a moderate SRM was observed for mobility (0.68). Overall floor effects were minor at admission for self-care (9.8%) and mobility (7.2.%). Overall ceiling effects were minor at discharge for self-care (11.2%) and mobility (4.6%)​ and significant at follow-up for both self-care (45.2%) and mobility (32.2%). ConclusionsSection GG is responsive to change and appropriately measures patients’ functional ability during inpatient rehabilitation. More study is required for telephone follow-up after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation.

Post-Acute Care in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Compare post-acute care (PAC) utilization and outcomes in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) between beneficiaries covered by Traditional Medicare (TM) and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans during the COVID-19 pandemic relative to the previous year. This multiyear cross-sectional study used Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) data to assess PAC delivery from January 2019 to December2020. Inpatient rehabilitation for stroke, hip fracture, joint replacement, and cardiac and pulmonary conditions among Medicare beneficiaries 65years or older. Patient-level multivariate regression models with difference-in-differences approach were used to compare TM and MA plans in length of stay (LOS), payment per episode, functional improvements, and discharge locations. A total of 271,188 patients were analyzed [women (57.1%), mean (SD) age 77.8 (0.06) years], among whom 138,277 were admitted for stroke, 68,488 hip fracture, 19,020 joint replacement, and 35,334 cardiac and 10,069 pulmonary conditions. Before the pandemic, MA beneficiaries had longer LOS (+0.22days; 95% CI: 0.15-0.29), lower payment per episode (-$361.05; 95% CI:-573.38 to-148.72), more discharges to home with a home health agency (HHA) (48.9% vs 46.6%), and less to a skilled nursing facility (SNF) (15.7% vs 20.2%) than TM beneficiaries. During the pandemic, both plan types had shorter LOS (-0.68day; 95% CI: 0.54-0.84), higher payment (+$798; 95% CI: 558-1036), increased discharges to home with an HHA (52.8% vs 46.6%), and decreased discharges to an SNF (14.5% vs 20.2%) than before. Differences between TM and MA beneficiaries in these outcomes became smaller and less significant. All results were adjusted for beneficiary and facility characteristics. Although the COVID-19 pandemic affected PAC delivery in IRF in the same directions for both TM and MA plans, the timing, time duration, and magnitude of the impacts were different across measures and admission conditions. Differences between the 2 plan types shrank and performance across all dimensions became more comparable over time.

Comparison of Functional Outcomes After Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation After Acquired Brain Injury Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The objective of this study was to characterize and compare functional outcomes of acquired brain injury patients in an inpatient rehabilitation facility in the year before (April 2019-March 2020) and during the first year (April 2020-March 2021) of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the most drastic changes in the delivery of health care occurred. In this retrospective single-center chart review study, functional outcomes, based on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument, were obtained and analyzed for patients in acute inpatient rehabilitation with acquired brain injury. Data from 1330 patients were included for analysis. Functional outcomes of average self-care, bed mobility, and transfer scores were statistically, but not clinically, different between groups. More patients in the pandemic group were discharged home (prepandemic n = 454 [65.4%]; pandemic n = 461 [72.6%]; P = 0.011), although they had significantly longer lengths of stay (prepandemic median = 14.0 [interquartile range = 9.0-23.0]; pandemic = 16.0 [10.0-23.0]; P = 0.037). Despite the impact of hospital policies due to the COVID-19 pandemic, similar functional outcomes were obtained for those with acquired brain injury after inpatient rehabilitation.

High Intensity Gait Training for Patient With Apraxia Following Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> High intensity gait training (HIGT) has strong research evidence for improved gait outcomes post-stroke; however, few studies address motor planning deficits within this framework. The purpose of this case study is to describe the application and outcomes of HIGT in a patient with apraxia undergoing inpatient rehabilitation after stroke. <h3>Design</h3> Case report. <h3>Setting</h3> Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital. <h3>Participants</h3> An 81-year-old female with ischemic left middle cerebral artery stroke and hemorrhagic conversion with mild motor deficits but moderate motor planning and cognitive impairments impacting gait function. <h3>Interventions</h3> Interventions consisted of at least five, hour-long HIGT physical therapy sessions per week, tailored to remediate her motor planning impairments and promote independence with ambulation. To address her apraxia, the cognitive demands during HIGT were initially minimized then progressively challenged, achieved through careful selection of cues, feedback, assistive devices, and training environments. Dynamic stability and limb swing biomechanical subcomponents were progressively challenged as physical assistance/tactile cues were weaned. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> Functional outcomes assessed with the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI), 6-minute walk test, 10-meter walk test, and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). <h3>Results</h3> Following a 30-day inpatient rehabilitation hospital stay, the patient demonstrated clinically meaningful improvements exceeding the minimal detectable change in functional outcomes as evidenced by the IRF-PAI (31-point gain, 124% improvement), the 6-minute walk test (0 ft at admission, 405 ft at discharge), 10-meter walk test (0.56 m/s at discharge), and the BBS (3/56 at admission, 26/56 at discharge). The patient was discharged home and achieved household ambulation with four-wheeled walker and supervision. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Implementation of HIGT customized to address this patient's apraxia and gait impairments resulted in global improvements in her functional skills and level of independence with walking skills. This case study provides a reflection on clinical strategies to remediate apraxia and motor learning deficits using a HIGT paradigm applied in a patient following acute stroke. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> Dr. Evans received a salary as a Physical Therapy Neurologic Resident at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.

Examination of the Presence of COVID-19 Encephalopathy on Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation Outcomes and Disability

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> The objective of the current study was to investigate the impact of COVID-19 encephalopathy on acute inpatient rehabilitation outcome. <h3>Design</h3> This retrospective study assessed functional ability pre-intervention (admission) and post-intervention (discharge) among COVID-19 patients who received acute inpatient rehabilitation between April 2020 and March 2021. <h3>Setting</h3> Participants received care in a dedicated COVID unit at a freestanding acute inpatient rehabilitation facility. <h3>Participants</h3> 161 inpatients were divided into two groups according to COVID-encephalopathy status: 87 negative (CE-) and 74 positive (CE+). Encephalopathy status was determined based on Chart-Based Delirium Identification Instrument using electronic medical records. The sample was 61% male / 39% female, 62% White, 14% Black, 8% Hispanic, 4% Asian, 12% Other/declined. Mean age was 62 (SD=15.2) and mean education was 13 years (SD=3.9). <h3>Interventions</h3> Rehabilitation interventions utilized a medically-based, multidisciplinary approach. All participants received a minimum of three hours of physical, occupational and/or speech therapy five days / week during inpatient stay. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> The total raw score from the self-care and mobility section of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) was used to assess overall functional ability at admission and discharge. The Brief Interview for Mental Status was utilized to assess orientation. <h3>Results</h3> At admission, encephalopathy groups did not differ in overall ability. In contrast, at discharge overall ability was significantly higher with encephalopathy and IRF-PAI change per day trended higher with encephalopathy. Finally, at discharge orientation was associated with overall ability in the CE+ group. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Following inpatient rehabilitation CE+ patients had less overall disability than CE- patients but residual problems with cognitive functioning were associated with severe overall disability in the CE+ group. Findings highlight the complexity of COVID-19 symptom manifestation and persistent physical and cognitive deficits during the course of a COVID-19 infection and recovery. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare nor any financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Change in Mobility Quality Measure for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities: Exclusion Criteria and the Risk Adjustment Model

ObjectiveTo describe the exclusion criteria and updated risk adjustment model developed for the Change in Mobility quality measure in the inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) quality reporting program. Facility-level quality measures focused on patient outcomes usually require risk adjustment to account for varied admission characteristics of patients across facilities. DesignThis cohort study analyzed admission demographic and clinical factors associated with mobility change scores using the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) data for Medicare patients discharged from IRFs in calendar year 2017. SettingA total of 1129 IRFs in the United States. ParticipantsA total of 493,209 (N=493, 209) Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage IRF patient stays discharged in calendar year 2017. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresMobility change scores using admission and discharge standardized assessment data from the IRF-PAI. ResultsApproximately 53% of patients in the study were female, 67% were aged 65-84 years, and nearly 80% were White. In the final risk adjustment model, 105 covariates were included, explaining 20% of variance in mobility change scores. Key risk adjusters included IRF primary diagnosis group, prior indoor ambulation functioning, age older than 90 years, and 14 of the comorbidities. The model showed good calibration across the range of deciles of predicted IRF mobility change scores; the ratio of the average expected to observed change scores ranged from 0.93-1.03, with all but 1 within ±0.03. ConclusionsThe updated risk adjustment model uses IRF patients' demographic and clinical characteristics to predict their mobility change scores. The exclusion criteria and resulting risk model are used to calculate the risk adjusted Change in Mobility quality measure scores, enabling comparisons of Change in Mobility scores across IRFs.

Change in Self-Care Quality Measure for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities: Exclusion Criteria and Risk-Adjustment Model

ObjectiveTo describe the exclusion criteria and risk-adjustment model developed for the quality measure Change in Self-Care. The exclusion criteria and risk adjustment model are used to calculate Change in Self-Care scores, allowing scores to be compared across inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). DesignThis national cohort study examined admission demographic and clinical factors associated with IRF patients’ self-care change scores using standardized self-care data for Medicare patients discharged in calendar year 2017. SettingA total of 1129 IRFs in the United States. ParticipantsA total of 493,209 (N=493,209) Medicare Fee-for-Service and Medicare Advantage IRF patient stays InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresSelf-care change scores using admission and discharge standardized assessment data elements from the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility–Patient Assessment Instrument. ResultsApproximately 53% of patients were female, and 67% were between 65 and 84 years old. The final risk-adjustment model contained 93 clinically relevant risk adjusters and explained 23.1% of variance in self-care change scores. Risk adjusters that had the greatest effect on change scores and included IRF primary diagnosis group (ie, binary risk adjusters representing 13 diagnoses), prior self-care functioning, and age older than 90 years. When split by deciles of expected scores, the ratio of the average expected and observed change scores was within 2% of 1.0 across 8 groups and within 8% at the extremes, showing good predictive accuracy. ConclusionsThe risk adjustment model quantifies the relationship between IRF patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics and their self-care score changes. The exclusion criteria and model are used to risk-adjust the IRF Change in Self-Care quality measure.

Abstract TP70: Preliminary Associations Between Quality Indicators, Motor Status, And Self-efficacy In Early Stroke Rehabilitation

Introduction: Recent changes in reimbursement policies for inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) providers prompted the adoption of Quality Indicators (QI) on the IRF Patient Assessment Instrument leading to the discontinuation of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Given that the FIM has shown associations with motor assessments and self-efficacy measures during early stroke recovery, the purpose of this study was to confirm if similar associations exist with QI. Methods: Participants with acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke completed a battery of assessments at the time of IRF admission and discharge: Total QI (summation of self-care and mobility items), Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer (UEFM), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and Stroke Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (SSEQ). We determined associations between QI and these measures by computing correlation coefficients with an alpha value=.01 denoting significance following a Bonferroni correction. Results: Fourteen individuals (7 females, age=65.9±9.0 years, 8.1±3.5 days post-stroke) with moderate-severe motor deficit completed study procedures. Table 1 summarizes admission and discharge scores and associations with QI. Conclusions: Significant associations between motor assessments and QI from this ongoing study parallel similar associations involving the FIM. The implementation of QI in IRFs necessitates additional work to validate our findings and to determine psychometric properties of QI to enhance clinical research in stroke rehabilitation.

Influence of Frailty on Discharge Setting for Older Adults With Hip Fracture at Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities

Inpatient rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) provide intensive rehabilitation therapy to patients to reduce functional impairment, enhance independence and return patients back to the community. Determination of eligibility for IRF is currently based on a preadmission screening. Frailty, a pervasive characteristic in older adults with hip fractures has not been examined as a clinical factor influencing function and discharge destination IRF outcomes. This study purpose was to determine the prevalence of frailty among older adult IRF patients with hip fractures and determine the association between frailty and function and discharge destination among IRF hip fracture patients. A retrospective cohort study design using CMS 2014 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument file. Frailty was measured using a Frailty Index of 30 items. The final sample included 26,134 patients. Frailty, pre-frailty, and nonfrailty were present in 0.92% (n=24043), 3.3% (n=862), and .076% (n=199) of hip fracture patients, respectively. The majority (65%) of the patients were discharged home. There were significantly greater proportion of females than males discharged home and those of white race, 65 to 74 years of age, and those with higher functional status. Regression analysis showed significantly lower functional status at discharge (p < .0001) for males and those of non-white race, older age and frail. Study implications include the use of frailty status to identify hip fracture patients at high risk for adverse outcomes and need for future studies to explore the potential of frailty to provide value-added utility to IRF clinical settings and identify ongoing opportunities to guide person-centered care.

Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Mortality and Allocate Palliative Care for Older Patients With Hip Fracture

ObjectivesTo evaluate a machine learning model designed to predict mortality for Medicare beneficiaries aged >65 years treated for hip fracture in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs). DesignRetrospective design/cohort analysis of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility–Patient Assessment Instrument data. Setting and ParticipantsA total of 17,140 persons admitted to Medicare-certified IRFs in 2015 following hospitalization for hip fracture. MeasuresPatient characteristics include sociodemographic (age, gender, race, and social support) and clinical factors (functional status at admission, chronic conditions) and IRF length of stay. Outcomes were 30-day and 1-year all-cause mortality. We trained and evaluated 2 classification models, logistic regression and a multilayer perceptron (MLP), to predict the probability of 30-day and 1-year mortality and evaluated the calibration, discrimination, and precision of the models. ResultsFor 30-day mortality, MLP performed well [acc = 0.74, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) = 0.76, avg prec = 0.10, slope = 1.14] as did logistic regression (acc = 0.78, AUROC = 0.76, avg prec = 0.09, slope = 1.20). For 1-year mortality, the performances were similar for both MLP (acc = 0.68, AUROC = 0.75, avg prec = 0.32, slope = 0.96) and logistic regression (acc = 0.68, AUROC = 0.75, avg prec = 0.32, slope = 0.95). Conclusion and ImplicationsA scoring system based on logistic regression may be more feasible to run in current electronic medical records. But MLP models may reduce cognitive burden and increase ability to calibrate to local data, yielding clinical specificity in mortality prediction so that palliative care resources may be allocated more effectively.

Identifying Homogeneous Outcome Groups in Adult Rehabilitation Using Cluster Analysis

Adults receiving occupational therapy in inpatient rehabilitation are a heterogeneous population with differing needs, outcomes, and rehabilitation processes. Outcome studies based on what works for all clients may obscure the needs of population subgroups who benefit unequally from rehabilitation services. To identify subgroups on the basis of client satisfaction and progress in functional self-care among a diverse rehabilitation population and to understand subgroup differences in occupational therapy and rehabilitation processes and client discharge status. Using an existing dataset, we used K-means cluster analysis of demographics, status at admission, and the outcomes of satisfaction and change in self-care to identify five homogeneous outcome groups. Occupational therapy and rehabilitation processes and discharge status were compared across subgroups. Inpatient rehabilitation hospital. The dataset included 1,099 inpatients age 18 yr and older who received occupational therapy over a 27-mo period. Admission measures included the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument and self-care items of the FIM™. The Satisfaction with Continuum of Care-Revised was administered after discharge. Five subgroups showed statistically different patterns of medical complications, functional self-care, rates of progress, satisfaction with intervention, and course of treatment. The profile of each group suggests differing therapeutic needs. Although all groups made significant gains in functional self-care, two groups continued to need physical assistance at discharge. and Relevance: Cluster analysis proved useful in segmenting a typical heterogeneous rehabilitation population into more homogeneous subgroups to enhance understanding of clinical needs and to potentially increase the potency of outcomes research. This research identified subgroups within a typical population of rehabilitation clients receiving occupational therapy and identified their unique needs and outcomes using cluster analysis techniques.

Successful Community Discharge Following Postacute Rehabilitation for Medicare Beneficiaries: Analysis of a Patient-Centered Quality Measure.

To determine the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as well as health services use associated with successful community discharge. Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument and Medicare Provider Analysis and Review files. We retrospectively examined 167,664 Medicare beneficiaries discharged from inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) in 2013 to determine the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as well as health services use associated with successful community discharge. In the multivariable model, sociodemographic (younger age, no disability, social support), clinical (higher motor and cognitive functional status at admission), and health services use (fewer acute care days and longer IRF days) variables were associated with successful community discharge. Remaining in the community is an important patient-centered outcome that could complement other postacute rehabilitation quality measures.

Measuring Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Quality of Care: Discharge Self-Care Functional Status Quality Measure

ObjectiveTo describe the calculation and psychometric properties of the discharge self-care functional status quality measure implemented in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Quality Reporting Program on October 1, 2016. DesignMedicare fee-for-service (FFS) patients from 38 IRFs that participated in the CMS Post-Acute Care Payment Reform Demonstration were included in this cohort study. Data came from the Continuity Assessment Record and Evaluation Item Set, IRF–Patient Assessment Instrument, and Medicare claims. For each patient, we calculated an expected discharge self-care score, risk-adjusted for demographic and baseline clinical characteristics. The performance score of each IRF equaled the percentage of patient stays where the observed discharge self-care score met or exceeded the expected score. We assessed the measure's discriminatory ability across IRFs and reliability. SettingIRFs. ParticipantsMedicare FFS patients aged ≥21 years (N=4769). InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresFacility-level discharge self-care quality measure performance score. ResultsA total of 4769 patient stays were included; 57% of stays were in women, and 12.1% were in patients aged <65 years. Stroke was the most common diagnosis (21.8%). The mean±SD performance score was 55.1%±16.6% (range, 25.8%–100%). About 54% of IRFs had scores significantly different from the percentage of stays that met or exceeded the expected discharge self-care score in the overall demonstration sample. The quality measure showed strong reliability, with intraclass correlation coefficients of .91. ConclusionsThe discharge self-care quality measure showed strong discriminatory ability and reliability, representing an important initial step in evaluation of IRF self-care outcomes. A wide range in performance scores suggested a gap in quality of care across IRFs. Future work should include testing the measure with nationwide data from all IRFs.

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Characterization of Cancer Patients in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities: A Retrospective Cohort Study

ObjectivesTo identify the types of cancer patients admitted to inpatient medical rehabilitation and to describe their rehabilitation outcomes. DesignRetrospective cohort study. SettingU.S. inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). ParticipantsAdult patients (N=27,952) with a malignant cancer diagnosis admitted to an IRF with a cancer-related impairment between October 2010 and September 2012 were identified from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation database. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresDemographic, medical, and rehabilitation characteristics for patients with various cancer tumor types were summarized using data collected from the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility–Patient Assessment Instrument. Rehabilitation outcomes included the percentage of patients discharged to the community and acute care settings, and functional change from admission to discharge. Functional status was measured using the FIM instrument. ResultsCancer patients constituted about 2.4% of the total IRF patient population. Cancer types included brain and nervous system (52.9%), digestive (12.0%), bone and joint (8.7%), blood and lymphatic (7.6%), respiratory (7.1%), and other (11.7%). Overall, 72% were discharged to a community setting, and 16.5% were discharged back to acute care. Patients with blood and lymphatic cancers had the highest frequency of discharge back to acute care (28%). On average, all cancer patient groups made significant functional gains during their IRF stay (mean FIM total change ± SD, 23.5±16.2). ConclusionsIn a database representing approximately 70% of all U.S. patients in IRFs, we found that patients with a variety of cancer types are admitted to inpatient rehabilitation. Most cancer patients admitted to IRFs were discharged to a community setting and, on average, improved their function. Future research is warranted to understand the referral patterns of admission to postacute care rehabilitation and to identify factors that are associated with rehabilitation benefit in order to inform the establishment of appropriate care protocols.

Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes in Patients With Stroke Aged 85 Years or Older.

In the United States, people 85 years of age or older have a growing number of strokes each year, and this age group is most at risk for disability. Inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) adhere closest to post-acute stroke rehabilitation guidelines and have the most desirable outcomes compared with skilled nursing facilities. As stroke is one of the leading causes of disability, knowledge of postrehabilitation outcomes is needed for this age group, although at present such information is limited. The purpose of this study was to describe functional and discharge outcomes after IRF rehabilitation in people with stroke aged 85 years or older. A serial, cross-sectional design was used. Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument data were analyzed beginning in 2002 for the first 5.5 years after implementation of the prospective payment system and included 71,652 cases. Discharge function, measured using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and community discharge were the discharge outcome measures. Sample description used frequencies and means. Generalized estimating equations (GEEs) with post hoc testing were used to analyze the annual trends for discharge FIM and community discharge by age group (85-89, 90-94, 95-99, and ≥100 years). Risk-adjusted linear and logistic GEE models, with control for cluster, were used to analyze the association between both outcome measures and age group. Over 5.5 years, mean discharge FIM scores decreased by 3.6 points, and mean achievement of community discharge decreased 5.5%. Approximately 54% of the sample achieved community discharge. Continuous and logistic GEEs revealed factors associated with discharge outcomes. Results obtained using an observational design should not be viewed as indicating causation. The lack of control for a caregiver may have altered results. The very elderly people admitted to IRF stroke rehabilitation made functional gains, and most were able to return to the community.