Satisfaction with medical rehabilitation in patients with cerebrovascular impairment

Objective: Overall satisfaction has important social and economic implicati ons for patients who have received inpatient medical rehabilitation. We con ducted this study to examine the overall satisfaction level at 3- to 6-mo f ollow-up for inpatients with cerebrovascular impairments discharged from me dical rehabilitation. Design: The study was retrospective using information from a national datab ase representative of medical rehabilitation patients across the United Sta tes. Information submitted in 1997 and 1998 to the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation by 177 hospital and rehabilitation facilities from 4 0 states was examined. The final sample included 8,900 patient records. The main outcome measure was the level of satisfaction with medical rehabilita tion at 80-180 days postdischarge follow-up. Results: A logistic regression model including ten independent variables wa s used to predict satisfied vs. dissatisfied at follow-up. Three statistica lly significant variables were included in the final model and correctly cl assified 95.1 % of the patients. Higher FIM (TM) instrument discharge score s were associated with increased satisfaction. Further analysis of the FIM instrument subscales indicated that higher ratings in transfers, social cog nition, and locomotion were significantly associated with increased satisfa ction. Conclusion: We identified several functional variables associated with incr eased satisfaction after medical rehabilitation in persons with stroke. The ability to objectively assess patient satisfaction is important as consume r-based outcome measures are integrated in accreditation and healthcare eva luation.