Prescribed versus actual length of stay and inpatient neurorehabilitation outcome for brain dysfunctional patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine (1) whether brain dysfunctional patients have better rehabilitation outcomes if they receive prescribed length of stay (LOS) versus less than prescribed and (2) if LOS and cognitive status relate to goal attainment.


METHODS
Prospective inception cohort study.


METHODS
Medical center and a neurological institute.


METHODS
One hundred six patients with acute static brain lesions.


METHODS
Documentation of goal attainment at discharge and maintenance of goals 6 months after discharge. All subjects also received neuropsychological tests at admission and discharge.


RESULTS
Patients who received prescribed LOS achieved their rehabilitation goals at discharge more frequently than patients who received less than prescribed LOS. There was, however, no difference between groups as to maintenance of rehabilitation goals 6 months after discharge. There was no relation between number of days spent in neurorehabilitation and number of goals achieved at discharge. Cognitive status at discharge was strongly related to achieving rehabilitation goals.


CONCLUSIONS
Although LOS may not specifically relate to goal attainment in a heterogeneous group of brain dysfunctional patients, patients who receive the prescribed LOS and who show notable improvement in cognitive status tend to achieve rehabilitation goals, compared with patients who do not.
Prigatano
G P
GP
Section of Neurorehabilitation, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85013-4496, USA.
Wong
J L
JL
Williams
C
C
Plenge
K L
KL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies