Postacute neurorehabilitation: roles and responsibilities within a national information system

The definition of a "postacute neurorehabilitation provider" has broadened considerably in the last 10 years. The postacute domain, once the purview of community re-entry (aka transitional) programs now includes hospital-based day and outpatient services, home health agencies, assisted living programs, subacute programs, and employment agencies to name but a few. Consequently, a range of outcome variables are considered, in large part as related to the clinical and/or business missions of the providers. This article reviews the postacute neurorehabilitation outcome literature with an eye toward establishing a concensus as to what outcomes are germane to these providers, with the patients and payers as the preferred primary consumers of the outcome-related information.