Patient-centered goal setting in very early supported discharge with continued rehabilitation after stroke

To examine patients' perception of performance and satisfaction with the activities in their set goals before and after very early supported discharge (VESD) with continued rehabilitation.

A descriptive cohort study with data extracted from a randomized controlled trial. Sixty-nine patient allocated to the intervention group were eligible. Before discharge, the patients were asked to set rehabilitation goals, and they were asked to rate the performance and satisfaction of their set goals. At discharge from the rehabilitation, the patients were asked to re-evaluate their experience and satisfaction with the goal performance.

One hundred and forty goals were registered. At 81.5% of the set goals, the patients estimated that they performed the task better at discharge than at enrolment and at 86.5% of the set goals the patients were more satisfied with the performance at discharge than at enrolment.

Patients with mild to moderate stroke, undergoing a VESD after stroke, reported high performance level for their set goals and were satisfied with their performance execution. Further research is needed to investigate whether the goal should be set preferably at home or at hospital before discharge.Implications for rehabilitationMany of the patients can formulate achievable goals with their rehabilitation after stroke.Patients ongoing rehabilitation after stroke are satisfied with their performance of the set goals.As part of patient-centered care, stroke patients should be given the opportunity to formulate their own goals with their rehabilitation.Short hospital times and fast planning of goal-meetings, seems to influence patient goal setting in early discharge rehabilitation.