Yuji Kono, PT, PhD, Yoichiro Aoyagi, MD, PhD, Tomoko Kayukawa, PT,
Etsuko Mori, PT, MSc, Ayako Ishikawa, PT, Kanann Yatsuya, MD, PhD,
Eriko Mizokoshi, MD, PhD, Hideo Izawa, MD, PhD, Eiichi Saitoh, MD, DMSc
Jpn J Compr Rehabil Sci 8: 104-108, 2017
Purpose: This study investigated the effects of additional
medical coverage to maintain or improve ADLs on the
length of hospital stay and level of ADLs.
Methods: This retrospective study included patients
who were admitted to the cardiovascular internal
medicine ward and were referred to the rehabilitation
(rehab) department. Patients who were referred to the
rehab department within one year after the implementation
of additional medical coverage to maintain or improve
ADLs were categorized as the added-coverage ADLs
group, and those who were referred to the rehab
department within one year before the implementation
were categorized as the control group. The evaluation
items included age, number of days before initiation of
rehab, duration of rehab intervention, length of hospital
stay, and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) score
at discharge.
Results: While the added-coverage ADLs group had
147 patients (women, 101; mean age, 82 ± 10 years),
the control group had 102 patients (women, 54; mean
age, 82±10 years). In the added-coverage ADLs group,
we found a significant decline in the number of days
before initiation of rehab, duration of rehab
intervention, and length of hospital stay; however, we
found no difference in the FIM score at discharge
between the two groups.
Conclusions: The implementation of additional medical
coverage to maintain or improve ADLs allowed early
initiation of rehab intervention and decreased the duration
of rehab intervention and the length of hospital stay while
maintaining the level of ADLs at discharge.
Key words: acute rehabilitation, additional medical coverage to maintain or improve ADLs, length of hospital stay