Predicting discharge destination for patients with severe motor stroke: important functional tasks

Many patients with severe stroke are capable of returning to the community after receiving rehabilitation services. The purpose of this study was to describe outcomes of patients with stroke in FIM-FRG STR1, a classification based on the Functional Independence Measure, and identify important functional tasks associated with discharge to home. FIM-FRG STR1 is one of nine subpopulations of stroke that have been identified based on motor/cognitive FIM subscale score and age. We reviewed the program evaluation data of 259 cases of stroke from 1993 to 1996. We performed a descriptive analysis of the data and a logistic regression analysis to determine which tasks measured by the FIM were associated with discharge destination, a key indicator of rehabilitation success. We found that three admission FIM variables (bladder management, toilet transfers, memory) and three discharge FIM variables (upper body dressing, bed/chair transfers, comprehension) were associated with discharge destination with up to 75% accuracy. The implications of these findings are discussed.