Healthcare Policy Vol. 7 No. 3 2012

摘要

Background: The number of patients requiring in-patient rehabilitation services following acute stroke is unknown. Methods: All consecutive patients admitted with a diagnosis of stroke to eight community hospitals in southwestern Ontario from May 2008 to December 2009 were screened for in-patient rehabilitation eligibility using the Stroke Rehabilitation Candidacy Screening Tool. Results: Three hundred ninety-six patients were included, of which 147 (37.1%) were identified as candidates for in-patient rehabilitation. Of these patients, 111 (75%) were discharged to an in-patient rehabilitation unit. The most frequently documented reason that candidates were not transferred was lack of an available bed (n=19). Two hundred forty-nine (62.9%) patients were not considered candidates. The majority (80%) of these patients had experienced either mildly or severely disabling stroke and went home or directly to long-term care upon discharge. Conclusion: The reported estimate of 37% who required in-patient rehabilitation services is important for the purposes of planning and allocation of healthcare resources.