Inpatient rehabilitation facilities: The 3-hour rule.

The aim of this study was to determine whether patients whose treatment is consistent with the 3-hour rule have better outcomes than patients whose treatment is not consistent with the 3-hour rule.This is a retrospective review of the records of 581 patients. The authors compared the outcomes of 397 patients whose therapy was consistent with the 3-hour rule to the outcomes of 184 patients whose therapy was not consistent with the rule for at least one 7-day period during the stay on an inpatient rehabilitation facility.Patients whose care was consistent with the rule did not have more improvement in function or shorter length of stay than patients whose care was not consistent with the 3-hour rule.There is not good evidence to support the 3-hour rule as a determinant of the care that a patient at an IRF needs to achieve a good outcome.

Minimally Invasive Surgical Management of Thoracic Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum Associated with X-linked Hypophosphatemia.

BACKGROUND: X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is the most common inherited form of renal phosphate wasting and inherited rickets. Patients have hyperplasia of fibrochondrocytes in tendons and ligaments, causing the structures to thicken and calcify. Thickening of the lamina, hypertrophy of facet joints, and calcification of spinal ligaments are sequelae of this condition and can result in central or foraminal stenosis that compresses nerve roots or the spinal cord. We present a case of XLH with calcification of the ligamentum flavum in which the patient was operated on using minimally invasive posterior decompression. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 49-year-old man with a history of XLH presented to our emergency department with symptomatic myelopathy from multilevel thoracic stenosis. Radiographically, the calcified ligamentum flavum appeared to be the cause of the stenosis at various levels. The patient underwent a posterior decompression at the levels of compression, T4-T5, T8-T9, T9-T10, and T11-T12, via a minimally invasive spine surgery approach. Intraoperatively, the ligamentum flavum appeared to be both calcified and the source of spinal compression. Postoperatively, the patient experienced neurologic and radiographic improvement. CONCLUSION: Patients with a history of XLH and multilevel symptomatic spine stenosis can be treated successfully and safely with a minimally invasive posterior decompression.

Efficient Assessment of Risk of Fall.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify factors that are associated with risk of falls on rehabilitation unit and to determine an efficient and inexpensive method of identifying patients at high risk for fall. DESIGN: Retrospective record review. METHOD: Retrospective review of 2,254 consecutive admissions to an inpatient rehabilitation unit. FINDINGS: Score on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) at the time of admission and length of stay are the factors that most highly correlate with risk of fall. Use of the mobility and problem solving or transfer and problem solving scales can identify patients at high risk for fall. CONCLUSION: Low scores on total FIM, and the mobility and problem solving items indicate increased risk of fall. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nurses need to take appropriate measures to protect the safety of these patients.

Left Ventricular Assist Device: Care On Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility.

PURPOSE: Investigate the outcomes of patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) after placement of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). DESIGN: Retrospective review of records. METHOD: Authors reviewed records of patients admitted to the IRF after cardiac surgery or admission to the hospital with either acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or placement of an LVAD. The study reports improvement in function, length of stay (LOS), and location of discharge. FINDINGS: The patients in the LVAD group made as much progress in terms of improvement in function as the other groups. None of the patients in the LVAD group required transfer back to medical or surgical units. All were discharged to home. Length of stay (LOS) of the LVAD group was not significantly longer than that of the other cardiac patients. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have had placement of an LVAD can be safely cared for in an IRF. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This paper provides information about the indications for LVAD, the nursing care of patients with an LVAD, and the outcomes of care in an IRF.

A comparison of the Functional Independence Measure and Morse Fall Scale as tools to assess risk of fall on an inpatient rehabilitation.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine if the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is as useful as the Morse Fall Scale in determining which patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) are at highest risk for fall. METHOD: Review of the charts of all patients admitted to an IRF in calendar year 2010. FINDINGS: Low scores on the FIM are as useful as high scores on the MFS in suggesting that a patient is at high risk for fall. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Nursing staffs that use the FIM to comply with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) documentation requirements likely do not benefit by also evaluating and documenting the patients' score on the MFS.

Longitudinal performance of a surgically implanted neuroprosthesis for lower-extremity exercise, standing, and transfers after spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the longitudinal performance of a surgically implanted neuroprosthesis for lower-extremity exercise, standing, and transfers after spinal cord injury. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Research or outpatient physical therapy departments of 4 academic hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects (N=15) with thoracic or low cervical level spinal cord injuries who had received the 8-channel neuroprosthesis for exercise and standing. INTERVENTION: After completing rehabilitation with the device, the subjects were discharged to unrestricted home use of the system. A series of assessments were performed before discharge and at a follow-up appointment approximately 1 year later. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Neuroprosthesis usage, maximum standing time, body weight support, knee strength, knee fatigue index, electrode stability, and component survivability. RESULTS: Levels of maximum standing time, body weight support, knee strength, and knee fatigue index were not statistically different from discharge to follow-up (P>.05). Additionally, neuroprosthesis usage was consistent with subjects choosing to use the system on approximately half of the days during each monitoring period. Although the number of hours using the neuroprosthesis remained constant, subjects shifted their usage to more functional standing versus more maintenance exercise, suggesting that the subjects incorporated the neuroprosthesis into their lives. Safety and reliability of the system were demonstrated by electrode stability and a high component survivability rate (>90%). CONCLUSIONS: This group of 15 subjects is the largest cohort of implanted lower-extremity neuroprosthetic exercise and standing system users. The safety and efficiency data from this group, and acceptance of the neuroprosthesis as demonstrated by continued usage, indicate that future efforts toward commercialization of a similar device may be warranted.

Falls on an inpatient rehabilitation unit: risk assessment and prevention.

PURPOSE: To determine the relationship between admission diagnosis and admission score on Functional Independence Measure (FIM) to the likelihood that a patient will fall. To measure the effectiveness of a multifactorial program to reduce falls. METHOD: The Quality Improvement Team put in place a multifactorial program to reduce the incidence of falls on an inpatient rehabilitation unit. The authors reviewed the records of all patients admitted to the rehabilitation unit between January 2006 and December 2009 to determine if the program resulted in a reduced rate of falls. The authors also reviewed the data to evaluate if admission score on the FIM and the diagnosis or impairment group of the patient are related to the risk of fall. RESULTS: FIM score is inversely related to the rate of falls. Patients with admission diagnosis of stroke, brain injury, amputation, neurologic disorders (Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barre, myopathy, peripheral neuropathy), and spinal cord injury are at higher risk for fall than patients whose admission diagnosis related to orthopedic, cardiac, pulmonary disorders, prolonged stay on medical or surgical units, or trauma without spinal cord injury or head injury. There was a significant reduction in the rate of falls from 14.9% to 7.3% of patients admitted to the IRF. DISCUSSION: Patients with low FIM scores, disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system, and amputations are at high risk of fall. Compliance with recommended guidelines can reduce the rate of fall and improve patient safety. CONCLUSION: The rate of falls on an IRF will be determined in part by the case mix and functional levels of the patients on the unit. Strict adherence to appropriate nursing protocols can reduce the rate of falls.

Use of the Case Western Reserve/Veterans Administration neuroprosthesis for exercise, standing and transfers by a paraplegic subject.

Functional electric stimulation (FES) is a technology that may allow patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) to transfer stand and walk. This paper reports upon the use of the Case Western Reserve Neuroprosthesis by a T6 ASIA B paraplegic subject. The subject was able to stand for two minutes and 50 seconds. He could walk 35 feet with a swing to gait. Measurement of energy consumption showed that metabolic demand was only 2.1 metabolic equivalent units. The factors that limited the use of the device that need to be improved to make the technology practical for household or community ambulation are speed (5.8 m/min) of ambulation and fatigue of the stimulated muscles.

Energy cost of the case Western reserve standing neuroprosthesis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the oxygen consumption of a person with C7 American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade B tetraplegia using the Case Western Reserve/Veterans Administration (CWRU/VA) standing neuroprosthesis. DESIGN: Measure the oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production of a person with C7 ASIA grade B tetraplegia at rest, standing in the parallel bars with the CWRU/VA system on, ambulating in the parallel bars, and transferring from a wheelchair to a mat with the system on. SETTING: University medical center. PARTICIPANT: A 26-year-old man with C7 ASIA grade B tetraplegia. The subject was a recipient of the CWRU/VA standing neuroprosthesis. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measurement of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production using a metabolic cart. RESULTS: Oxygen consumption of the subject was 1.22mL.kg(-1).min(-1) at rest. It was 4.7mL.kg(-1).min(-1) while standing in the parallel bars, 7.2mL.kg(-1).min(-1) while ambulating in the parallel bars, and 7.9mL.kg(-1).min(-1) when transferring from a wheelchair to a mat. CONCLUSIONS: Oxygen consumption of the subject when using the system is about 2 metabolic equivalent units, which is compatible with sustained use of the system for standing.

Inpatient rehabilitation of patients requiring hemodialysis: improving efficiency of care.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if reducing missed therapy sessions by patients requiring hemodialysis will reduce the length of stay (LOS) and improve the efficiency of care in an inpatient rehabilitation unit. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation unit at a university medical center. PARTICIPANTS: All patients discharged from the Albany Medical Center rehabilitation unit between January 1, 2003, and June 30, 2004. The total number of patients was 955, 40 of whom required hemodialysis. INTERVENTION: On January 1, 2003, Albany Medical Center began providing hemodialysis in the late afternoon, allowing patients to complete a full 3-hour program without missing therapy sessions to attend dialysis. We compared the outcomes of 915 patients who did not require hemodialysis with the outcomes of 40 patients who required hemodialysis. We also compared the outcomes of patients treated on the rehabilitation unit in 2003-2004 to the outcomes of patients treated on the rehabilitation unit before dialysis was available at times that did not conflict with therapy (calendar year 2001). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: LOS, improvement on the FIM instrument, and FIM efficiency score. RESULTS: The LOS of the hemodialysis patients changed from 16.0 in 2001 to 12.1 in 2003-2004 (P<.05), and the FIM efficiency score of the hemodialysis patients improved from 1.8 in 2001 to 2.9 in 2003-2004 (P<.05). The FIM efficiency score of the nondialysis group in 2003-2004 was 4.0. This was significantly greater (P<.05) than that of dialysis patients in 2003-2004. CONCLUSIONS: A program to reduce conflicts between medical treatments such as hemodialysis and therapy sessions may result in reduced LOS and improved efficiency on an inpatient rehabilitation unit.

Inpatient rehabilitation of patients requiring hemodialysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of patients who require hemodialysis and are admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit. DESIGN: Retrospective review of the data of all admissions to an inpatient rehabilitation unit in 2001. SETTING: University medical center. PARTICIPANTS: All inpatient rehabilitation admissions in 2001 (N=531), including 497 patients who did not require hemodialysis and 34 who required hemodialysis. INTERVENTION: A comprehensive rehabilitation program including physical therapy and occupational therapy. Speech and language therapy and rehabilitation psychology were provided when necessary. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Length of stay (LOS), change in total score on the FIM instrument, FIM efficiency, and place of discharge. RESULTS: Admission and discharge FIM scores of the patients requiring hemodialysis were virtually identical to those of the other patients admitted to the unit. The average LOS of the hemodialysis patients was 5.4 days longer than that of the other patients, and, therefore, efficiency scores of the dialysis group were less than those of the other patients. The rate of discharge to the community did not differ significantly for the dialysis group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who require hemodialysis can benefit from rehabilitation services. Their improvement on the FIM instrument is comparable to that of other patients, but their LOS may be longer than that of other patients.

Time of care required by patients discharged from a rehabilitation unit.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the amount of care (measured in time) required by patients discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation unit. DESIGN: A total of 103 consecutive patients discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation unit to home were contacted 1 mo after discharge and asked to report the amount of help that they required at home. Correlations were made between the time of help that the subjects reported needing and their age, sex, living situation, marital status, diagnosis, and the score on the FIM at the time of discharge from the rehabilitation unit. RESULTS: The score on the FIM correlated with the time of help reported by the patients. Linear regression analysis showed that each 5-point decrement in FIM score correlates with the need for about 1 hr per day of help with mobility, basic activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living. CONCLUSIONS: The FIM can be used to provide an estimate of the amount of time it will take families to provide help for patients discharged from a rehabilitation unit.