Comprehensive outpatient approach to stroke rehabilitation

The purpose of this study was to describe the outcome of stroke rehabilitation in a comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility. The study consisted of 115 stroke patients, seen during a 3-year period, who were treated with outpatient Physiatric services, physical, occupational, and speech therapies, and social work services. Patient progress was measured by an Individual Functional Profile in the areas of mobility, self-care, communication, and social function. Improvements were shown from admission to discharge, in mobility by 73% of the patients, in activities of daily living (ADL) by 81%, in communication by 82%, and in social function by 58% of the patients. Maintenance of function was reported by telephone 3 months post-discharge, in mobility by 75% of the patients, in ADL by 75%, in communication by 88%, and in social function by 73%. In addition, improvements were shown by 4% in mobility, 12% in ADL, 7% in communication, and 14% in social function at 3 months. The study suggests that a comprehensive team approach in an outpatient setting for stroke rehabilitation is beneficial for a majority of the patients.