Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Consultation for Stroke Patients in Acute Care Setting May Be Associated With an Increased Rate of Discharge to the Community From the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine whether stroke patients who receive physical medicine and rehabilitation consultation in acute care setting are more likely to discharge from inpatient rehabilitation facility to a community setting compared with those who do not.

DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients admitted with stroke to inpatient rehabilitation facility between June and October 2018. The primary outcome measure was discharge disposition. Other variables measured included functional independence measures and length of stay. Analysis of baseline covariates was conducted with t tests and analysis of primary outcome measured with Fisher exact test.

RESULTS: We identified 184 consecutive patients, with 62 (33.7%) having and 122 (66.3%) not having a physical medicine and rehabilitation consult; 35 (56.5%) patients versus 51 (41.8%) in physical medicine and rehabilitation consult versus non-physical medicine and rehabilitation group were discharged home (P = 0.042). Between both groups, there were no differences in baseline admission/discharge cognitive or motor functional independence measure scores, total admission/discharge functional independence measure scores, functional independence measure efficiency, or length of stay. However, in both the groups, admission versus discharge overall functional independence measure scores were significantly improved, 71.34 vs. 94.76 and 66.52 vs. 89.94 (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: Despite no difference in baseline functional scores or length of stay, physical medicine and rehabilitation consultation of poststroke patients in hospital may be associated with discharge home after inpatient rehabilitation facility.