Patients with Severe Stroke Benefit Most by Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Team Approach

Vol. 20, No. 4, 2005

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Original Paper

Patients with Severe Stroke Benefit Most by Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Team Approach
Hajime Yagura^a, Ichiro Miyai^a, Tsunehiko Suzuki^a, Takehiko Yanagihara^b

^aNeurorehabilitation Research Institute, Bobath Memorial Hospital, and

Address of Corresponding Author

Cerebrovasc Dis 2005;20:258-263 (DOI: 10.1159/000087708)

Key Words

Interdisciplinary rehabilitation
Multidisciplinary rehabilitation
Stroke rehabilitation unit
General rehabilitation ward

Abstract

Background: We evaluated the efficacy of a regular interdisciplinary stroke team approach on rehabilitation outcome. Methods: We compared a stroke rehabilitation unit (SRU) with regular interdisciplinary stroke team conferences with general rehabilitation ward (GRW) without such conferences in the same rehabilitation hospital. One hundred and seventy-eight patients within 3 months after stroke were allocated to SRU or GRW, based on bed availability. Main outcome measures were the Functional Independence Measure, Stroke Impairment Assessment Set, length of hospital stay, discharge disposition and cost of hospitalization. Results: The interval between stroke onset and admission to our hospital was significantly longer in the SRU (n = 91) group compared with the GRW group (n = 87, p < 0.05). Although comparable numbers of patients were discharged home (74.7% in the SRU vs. 71.3% in the GRW), significantly more patients (p < 0.0001) with severe disability were discharged home in the SRU group (47.4%) compared with the GRW group (0%). There were no significant differences in the increase in Functional Independence Measure score, Stroke Impairment Assessment Set score,length of hospital stay, or cost. Conclusion: Patients with severe stroke appeared to benefit most from regular interdisciplinary stroke team conferences in the SRU and had an improved discharge disposition.

Author Contacts

Hajime Yagura, MD, PhD
Neurorehabilitation Research Institute, Bobath Memorial Hospital
1-6-5, Higashinakahama, Joto-ku
Osaka, 536-0023 (Japan)
Tel. +81 6 6962 3131, Fax +81 6 6962 8064, E-Mail hiro-1@qf6.so-net.ne.jp

Article Information

Received: April 29, 2005
Accepted: June 1, 2005
Published online: August 22, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 18

Medline Abstract (ID 16123546)

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