ISPRM discussion paper: proposing dimensions for an International Classification System for Service Organization in Health-related Rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
Rehabilitation is 1 of 4 main health strategies. The World Report on Disability identifies deficits in rehabilitation care for people with disabilities as an important barrier to full inclusion in society or to achieve optimal functioning. In order to overcome such deficits, to close gaps in national and/or regional rehabilitation systems, and to develop appropriate rehabilitation services, it is crucial to define uniform criteria and a widely accepted language to describe and classify rehabilitation services. The aim of this paper was therefore to develop a list of dimensions and categories to describe the organization of health-related rehabilitation services.


METHODS
The classification is based on a series of expert workshops including members of the International and European Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.


RESULTS
The proposed classification has 2 levels (dimensions and categories). The upper level distinguishes 3 dimensions: the service provider (with 9 categories), the funding of the service (with 3 categories), and the service delivery (8 subcategories). A further specification of the categories in a 3-level classification (including value sets) is needed.


CONCLUSIONS
This paper is an intermediate step towards development of a classification system with distinct categories and dimensions.
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Coordination Centre for Rehabilitation Research, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, DE-30625 Hannover, Germany. gutenbrunner.christoph@mh-hannover.de, Lemke.Doris@mh-hannover.de.
Christoph
C
Gutenbrunner
Jerome
J
Bickenbach
Carlotte
C
Kiekens
Thorsten
T
Meyer
Dimitrios
D
Skempes
Boya
B
Nugraha
Matthias
M
Bethge
Gerold
G
Stucki
D006296:Health Services / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D007390:International Agencies / Q000145:classification*; D014944:World Health Organization / Q000458:organization & administration*