Development of a minimum dataset for subacute rehabilitation: a three-round e-Delphi consensus study.

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Subacute rehabilitation services manage heterogeneous patient populations.
• Standardized data collection is crucial for optimizing patient care and service value.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a minimum dataset for routine collection in subacute rehabilitation.
• To guide best practices, improve patient outcomes, and enhance health service value.

Main Methods:

• A three-round electronic Delphi (e-Delphi) exercise involving rehabilitation stakeholders.
• Consensus meetings were conducted to refine the dataset for implementation.

Main Results:

• A total of 42 items were identified across six domains: patient demographics, premorbid information, admission details, service delivery, outcomes, and caregiver information.
• The dataset includes unique elements such as caregiver outcomes and detailed intervention data.
• Consensus was achieved through rating scales and expert meetings.

Conclusions:

• The developed 42-item dataset reflects stakeholder values and experiences in rehabilitation.
• This dataset aims to standardize data collection and improve care quality.
• Future research will focus on the practical feasibility of implementing this dataset.