Applying the Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System in Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Science
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System (RTSS) and its predecessor, the Rehabilitation Treatment Taxonomy (RTT), aim to standardize the description of rehabilitation interventions.
• Understanding the application of these systems is crucial for advancing evidence-based rehabilitation practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature and characterize the extent and contexts of RTSS/RTT application in rehabilitation research.
• To identify how the RTSS and RTT have been utilized to specify rehabilitation treatments, including their components, targets, and mechanisms of action.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review was conducted using electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL).
• A total of 1929 sources were identified, with 71 full-text articles included after screening for relevance to rehabilitation and mention of RTT/RTSS concepts.
• Data extraction was performed by paired reviewers, with discrepancies resolved through discussion.

Main Results:

• Less than half of the 71 included publications explicitly applied the RTSS for specifying rehabilitation treatments.
• The review identified various contexts of RTSS application, including author disciplines, use of key terms, and target clinical conditions.

Conclusions:

• While the RTSS has achieved global reach, many publications reference its concepts without fully specifying treatments.
• Significant improvements are needed in the quality and comprehensiveness of intervention specifications and broader RTSS adoption across diverse rehabilitation fields.