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FIM after hip fracture: is telephone administration valid and sensitive to change?
R J Petrella1, T Overend, B Chesworth
1School of Kinesiology and Physical Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Canadian Centre for Activity and Aging, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Objectives:
It has been reported recently that follow-up FIM trade mark scores have been obtained from stroke patients via telephone interviews with either the former patient or proxy caregivers. We studied the validity and sensitivity of change of a "phone FIM" score in a sample of hip fracture patients after rehabilitation.
Design:
We compared FIM scores among hip fracture patients in a specialized musculoskeletal rehabilitation program. Sample size estimate of 27 was determined before the study. Patients included those with hip fracture returning to independent living in their own home.
Results:
Twenty-nine patients were identified as a convenience sample of admitted patients. The phone FIM score at 8 wk was a valid predictor of the discharge FIM score and the observed FIM and phone FIM scores at 8 wk were similar. The sensitivity to change over 8 wk was similar between observed and phone FIM scores compared with the discharge FIM score.
Conclusions:
The phone FIM instrument presents a useful clinical instrument to monitor patient functional status in the community, showing excellent psychometric properties. Ease of use and low cost should encourage greater use in clinical management of these patients.