Full-time integrated treatment program, a new system for stroke rehabilitation in Japan: comparison with conventional rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
To validate the effectiveness of the Full-time Integrated Treatment (FIT) program that is characterized by rehabilitation 7 days/wk, encouragement of daytime activity, and enhanced communication between staff in stroke rehabilitation.


METHODS
Since our facility changed from the conventional rehabilitation system of 5 days of treatment to the FIT program in December 2000, we compared the conventional rehabilitation program with the FIT program at our hospital. The conventional treatment group and the FIT group consisted of 48 and 58 first-stroke hemiplegics, respectively.


RESULTS
The motor subscore of the FIM instrument at admission and at discharge was 64.3 and 77.0 in the conventional group and 60.6 and 80.9 in the FIT group, respectively. The length of stay and efficiency of the FIM instrument were 80.0 days and 0.16 in the conventional group and 69.8 days and 0.30 in the FIT group, respectively. These differences between groups were statistically significant, with the exception of admission FIM data.


CONCLUSIONS
Because the FIT program attained a higher discharge FIM level with a shorter length of stay, the FIT program was concluded to be an efficient and effective method of stroke rehabilitation.
Sonoda
Shigeru
S
Nanakuri Sanatorium, the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujita Health University, Japan.
Saitoh
Eiichi
E
Nagai
Shota
S
Kawakita
Minako
M
Kanada
Yoshikiyo
Y
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation