The effects of telehealth use for post-acute rehabilitation patient outcomes

Introduction Previous research has shown that home telehealth services can reduce hospitalisations and emergency department visits and improve clinical outcomes among older adults with chronic conditions. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of telehealth (TH) use on patient outcomes in post-acute rehabilitation settings. The current study examined the effects of TH for post-acute rehabilitation patient outcomes (i.e. discharge setting and change in functional independence) when controlling for other factors (e.g. cognitive functioning). Methods For this retrospective study, electronic medical records (EMRs) of 294 patients who were discharged from a post-acute rehabilitation unit at a skilled nursing facility were reviewed. Only patients with an admitting condition of a circulatory disease based on ICD-9 classification were included. Main EMR data extracted included use of TH, cognitive functioning, admission and discharge functional independence, and discharge setting (returning home vs. returning to acute care/re-hospitalisation). Results Results from a regression analysis showed that although TH use was unrelated to post-acute rehabilitation care transition, it was significantly related to change in functional independence. Patients who used TH during their stay had significantly more improvement in functional independence from admission to discharge when compared to those who did not use TH. Discussion Findings indicate that TH use during post-acute rehabilitation has the potential to improve patient physical functioning.