[Goal-oriented outcome measurement in inpatient or day care orthopedic-rheumatologic rehabilitation of patients with back pain].

The comparison of patient characteristics and effectiveness of inpatient rehabilitation (IPR) and outpatient rehabilitation (OPR) is of growing importance in terms of flexible and cost-effective structures in rehabilitation. The effectiveness of the treatment is measured applying a goaloriented approach based on the individual rehabilitation goals and the attainment of these goals at the end of the programme. The frequencies of rehabilitation goals chosen by patients in IPR and OPR are similar. Decrease of pain, improvement of muscular strength and improvement of the range of motion are the main goals of patients in IPR and OPR (92-56%). No relevant differences can be seen considering the effectiveness of IPR and OPR, except for the markedly higher improvement of vitality in IPR. Patients in need of rehabilitation whose primary rehabilitation goal is improvement of vitality should therefore preferentially be referred to an inpatient rehabilitation programme.