Comparison of Subacute and Hospital Based Rehabilitation Care

Although subacute transitional care is thought to reduce costs by as much as 60 percent of hospital-based care costs (DHHS, 1995), systematic prospective studies of utilization and cost of services have not been done. An important factor to be considered, particularly in elderly patients, is the cost associated with readmission. Some studies have suggested that cost savings and reduced readmissions are associated with the increased availability of post-discharge services (Ludke, MacDowell, Booth et. al., 1990; Weinberger, Smith, Katz et al., 1988). If such cost savings exist, then transitional subacute care may be an important community-based resource for patients returning to independent living. In addition to demonstrating the clinical efficacy of subacute transitional care, the proposed study will also assess long-term outcomes, taking into account patient resource utilization and the incidence of readmission.

The current study will determine if subacute transitional care can improve outcomes that are important to the broad goals of long term independent living and enhanced quality of life. Variables assessed will focus on physical and family function, adjustment, resource utilization, skilled care placements, and survival. When compared to hospital-based rehabilitation, subacute rehabilitation is expected to demonstrate improvements in physical abilities, family function, adjustment, well being, and survival.

1. Hypothesis. The primary hypothesis is that clinical outcomes will be significantly better for subacute care patients at 3 and 12 months than hospital-based control patients. Costs and resource utilization are hypothesized to be significantly less.
2. Objectives and projected timeline. The objective of this study is to conduct a randomized clinical trial to examine the effects of subacute transitional care compared with hospital-based rehabilitative care for disabled patients. Specific objectives will be to: 1] evaluate the type, magnitude and duration of rehabilitative care provided, 2] determine differences in cost of care provided to the two groups, 3] compare clinical outcomes of the two treatments by assessing the magnitude of change, and 4] compare long-term outcomes at 12 months.

Secondary objectives will be to describe diagnostic or demographic subgroups who may benefit to a greater or lesser extent than others.

Patients will be recruited into the study and followed for 1 year, with measurements occurring at hospital admission, at 3 months, and at 12 months. The time to completion of the study is projected to be 3 years. Recruitment of subjects will begin during the second quarter of the project and will continue for 1.5 years. Follow-up measures will continue for an additional year.