title: Length of stay benchmarks for inpatient rehabilitation after stroke.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In Canada, no standardized benchmarks for length of stay (LOS) have been established for post-stroke inpatient rehabilitation. This paper describes the development of a severity specific median length of stay benchmarking strategy, assessment of its impact after one year of implementation in a Canadian rehabilitation hospital, and establishment of updated benchmarks that may be useful for comparison with other facilities across Canada.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient data were retrospectively assessed for all patients admitted to a single post-acute stroke rehabilitation unit in Ontario, Canada between April 2005 and March 2008. Rehabilitation Patient Groups (RPGs) were used to establish stratified median length of stay benchmarks for each group that were incorporated into team rounds beginning in October 2009. Benchmark impact was assessed using mean LOS, FIM(®) gain, and discharge destination for each RPG group, collected prospectively for one year, compared against similar information from the previous calendar year. Benchmarks were then adjusted accordingly for future use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between October 2009 and September 2010, a significant reduction in average LOS was noted compared to the previous year (35.3 vs. 41.2 days; p < 0.05). Reductions in LOS were noted in each RPG group including statistically significant reductions in 4 of the 7 groups. As intended, reductions in LOS were achieved with no significant reduction in mean FIM(®) gain or proportion of patients discharged home compared to the previous year. Adjusted benchmarks for LOS ranged from 13 to 48 days depending on the RPG group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After a single year of implementation, severity specific benchmarks helped the rehabilitation team reduce LOS while maintaining the same levels of functional gain and achieving the same rate of discharge to the community.
authors.affiliation: Aging, Rehabilitation and Geriatric Care Research Center, Lawson Health Research Institute, UWO, Ontario, Canada. Matthew.Meyer@sjhc.london.on.ca
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Britt
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: McHale
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teasell
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019985:Benchmarking / Q000592:standards*; D002170:Canada; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation