Applying the clinical practice improvement approach to stroke rehabilitation: methods used and baseline results.

UNLABELLED: Gassaway J, Horn SD, DeJong G, Smout RJ, Clark C, James R. Applying the clinical practice improvement approach to stroke rehabilitation: methods used and baseline results.
OBJECTIVES: To describe the methods used and baseline data for the Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Outcomes Project (PSROP).
DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study.
SETTING: Seven inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) in the United States and New Zealand. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive convenience sample of 1291 poststroke rehabilitation patients, age older than 18, who were treated between 2001 and 2003 in 7 IRFs (1161 patients in 6 U.S. IRFs).
INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in FIM score, change in severity of illness, and discharge destination.
RESULTS: For the U.S. sample, the average age was 66 years, 52% were men, 60% were white, and 23% were black. Medicare was the most frequent payer. Seventy-seven percent of strokes were ischemic, with 43% in the left brain, 44% in the right brain, and 11% bilateral. Mean admission total FIM score was 61, with a mean motor FIM score of 40 and mean cognitive FIM score of 21. Lower FIM scores are associated with higher severity-of-illness scores. Mean rehabilitation length of stay was 18.6 days; 78% of patients were discharged home. At discharge, the average increase in total FIM score was 26, in motor FIM score was 22, and in cognitive FIM score was 4.
CONCLUSIONS: This article outlines methods used in the PSROP, provides an overview of participating IRFs, describes the database, and summarizes key characteristics to enable readers of subsequent articles to better interpret study findings and determine generalizability.