Citation

Osberg JS, Unsworth CA. Pediatr. Rehabil. 1997; 1(3): 131-146.

Affiliation

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1997, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

9689249

Abstract

Paediatric discharge coordinators and rehabilitation admission coordinators were surveyed about how children are selected for rehabilitation. The following areas are covered: (1) the decision process, and how children are selected for rehabilitation; (2) who is involved in making acute-care discharge and rehabilitation admission decisions; (3) factors that guide selection of children for rehabilitation; and (4) satisfaction with referral practices. Surveys were completed by 30 trauma discharge and rehabilitation admission coordinators, recruited from paediatric trauma units and paediatric/general rehabilitation units nationwide. Most respondents were satisfied with transfers, although some voiced concerns about constraints placed on referrals by insurance. Even when inpatient rehabilitation was clearly needed, 40% said insurance status still affected whether children were admitted. There was little evidence that any uniform criteria are used to make decisions. Half had no training in discharge/admission planning and half did not base decisions on functional assessments. Although guidelines are increasingly used in clinical decision-making, few are available concerning critical decisions about which children receive inpatient rehabilitation following trauma.

Language: en