The Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation Report of Patients with Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Discharged from Rehabilitation Programs in 2002 – 2010

Am J Phys Med Rehabil, 2012 · DOI: 10.1097/PHM.0b013e31824ad2fd · Published: April 1, 2012

Spinal Cord Injury Participation Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study analyzes data from a large group of patients who had traumatic spinal cord injuries and received inpatient rehabilitation. The goal was to track how rehabilitation outcomes changed over time and provide useful information for improving the quality of rehabilitation programs. The data comes from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR), which is a large database of rehabilitation outcomes.

Study Duration

8 Years

Participants

47,153 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Lengths of stay in rehabilitation decreased over the study period, but the efficiency of functional independence improvements remained stable or slightly increased.
2
Over 70% of patients were consistently discharged to community settings after inpatient rehabilitation.
3
Wheelchair users stayed longer and experienced less functional improvement than those who could walk.

Research Summary

This report provides aggregated data from more than 47,000 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury discharged from inpatient medical rehabilitation programs in the U.S. from 2002 through 2010. Admission and discharge functional ratings gradually declined over time, but appear to have stabilized in the last three years of the study period. Changes over time may be a consequence of CMS-related changes in PPS documentation, eligibility, and/or reimbursement processes rather than tangible differences in patient care or outcomes.

Practical Implications

Benchmarking Data

Facilities can compare their data to the benchmark information provided to identify areas for quality improvement.

Understanding Trends

The report highlights trends in length of stay, functional outcomes, and discharge settings, helping facilities adapt to changing healthcare landscapes.

Case-Mix Adjustment

Meaningful comparisons of outcomes data across settings require case-mix adjustment to account for differences in patient characteristics.

Study Limitations

1
Year-to-year comparisons must be interpreted with caution due to changes in CMS regulations and documentation processes.
2
The information included in this report is observational, and no inference can be made regarding reasons for change within individual years or over time.
3
Quality research is needed to evaluate the comprehensive, long-term healthcare needs of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Spinal Cord Injury