The relation between therapy intensity and outcomes of rehabilitation in skilled nursing facilities

Jette DU, Warren RL, Wirtalla C. The relation between therapy intensity and outcomes of rehabilitation in skilled nursing facilities. To examine the relation between therapy intensity, including physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), and speech and language therapy (SLT), provided in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) setting and patients’ outcomes as measured by length of stay (LOS) and stage of functional independence as measured by the FIM instrument. A retrospective analysis of secondary data from an administrative dataset compiled and owned by SeniorMetrix Inc. Seventy SNFs under contract with SeniorMetrix health plan clients. Patients with stroke, orthopedic conditions, and cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions (N=4988) covered by Medicare+Choice plans, and admitted to an SNF in 2002. Not applicable. LOS and improvement in stage of independence in the mobility, activities of daily living (ADLs), and executive control domains of function as determined by the FIM instrument. Higher therapy intensity was associated with shorter LOS (P