title: Variations in the quality of inpatient rehabilitation care to facilitate school re-entry and cognitive and communication function for children with TBI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine variations in processes of paediatric inpatient rehabilitation care related to school re-entry and management of cognitive and communication impairments after traumatic brain injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adherence to care processes recommended for children (aged 0-17) with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury and admitted for inpatient rehabilitation was assessed. Quality-of-care indicators for processes supporting school re-entry and cognitive and communication rehabilitation were applied to measure variations in care delivered to 174 children across nine facilities using medical record review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adherence rates (the number of times recommended care was delivered or attempted divided by the number of times care was indicated) were calculated, revealing substantial variations in care within and between facilities. Overall, children received 51.3% (95% CI = 31.9-70.7) and 72.3% (95% CI = 61.1-83.5), of the care recommended for school re-entry and cognitive and communication rehabilitation, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Substantial variations exist in the delivery of paediatric inpatient rehabilitation care processes for managing school re-entry and cognitive and communication impairments after traumatic brain injury. Measures of association of these care processes with patient outcomes are necessary. Reduction in this variation is essential to improving quality of care.
authors: Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. sakays@uw.edu
authors: Stephanie K
authors: SK
authors: Ennis
authors: Frederick P
authors: FP
authors: Rivara
authors: Rita
authors: R
authors: Mangione-Smith
authors: Mark A
authors: MA
authors: Konodi
authors: Ellen J
authors: EJ
authors: Mackenzie
authors: Kenneth M
authors: KM
authors: Jaffe
mesh_terms: D000041:Absenteeism; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology