Can we associate the hours of clinical services at the rehabilitation outcomes? The case of the visual impairment rehabilitation program.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on the elderly of clinical interventions by professionals from a visual impairment rehabilitation program, more specifically, the effects on their daily life and the extent to which such interventions encourage social participation. In accordance with the conceptual framework of the Disability Creation Process, the clinical results of a population study group of 100 persons with various types of visual impairment enrolled in a rehabilitation program were analyzed as per the intensity of the clinical interventions (eg, hours of clinical services provided and dispensed by professionals). The results of the study tend to show that the hours of services accorded to a patient positively contribute to the progression of his or her Functional Global Profile as per the rehabilitation outcomes progression measures. In contrast, age and the spreading of services negatively contribute. The contributions of the study are innovative for assessing clinical effectiveness. For instance, the understanding of the relationship between the measurement of a patient's clinical results and the services that he or she has received should help us improve the practices and methods used in visual impairment rehabilitation.

Does the Planetree patient-centered approach to care pay off?: a cost-benefit analysis.

Although the Planetree patient-centered approach to care is being implemented in many institutions around the world, its impact is still the subject of some debate. On the one hand, it is viewed as the most cost-effective way to provide care and create a positive work environment that reduces staff burnout. On the other hand, it is argued that it requires higher staffing ratios and a substantial infusion of financial resources and is time consuming, which in turn results in more work. The present study addresses the economic agenda of the Planetree patient-centered approach to care and has been designed to answer the following question: do the advantages of the Planetree patient-centered approach outweigh its costs? This question is of considerable interest for health care administrators and managers because the relevant authorities the world over have limited resources to allocate to health care organizations. Using a trend analysis approach to cost-benefit in a rehabilitation center, this study shows that the revenues the model generates are greater than the costs of implementing it. Fewer grievances and vacant positions, an improved employee retention rate, a better working atmosphere, and a high level of employee satisfaction (higher than in similar establishments) were also noted.