title: State of the science on postacute rehabilitation: setting a research agenda and developing an evidence base for practice and public policy--an introduction.
abstract: Postacute rehabilitation care is a key component of the health care delivery system, yet we know little about the active ingredients of the rehabilitation process that produce the best outcomes. Well-designed research is needed to develop better measures for case-mix adjustment and outcomes of care. To advance research into rehabilitation effectiveness and support the development of evidence-based policies, we must develop new and improve existing measures of patient characteristics, treatment contents, and long-term outcomes. Critical research needs to include --Developing validated measures of rehabilitation interventions and case mix; --Standardizing PAC measures and timing of routine measurement for payment and quality assurance purposes across sites of care; --Examining differences in content and processes of care both within facilities of the same type and across the different types of facilities; --Identifying patient characteristics that vary by region such as rural and urban mix, cultural characteristics, and provider referral patterns; and --Implementing a strategic plan for effectiveness research that is characterized by collaboration among CMS, federal research funders, researchers, and care sites.
authors.affiliation: Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, USA. a-heinemann@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Allen W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Heinemann
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D011364:Professional Practice; D011640:Public Policy; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States