The cost and clinical effectiveness of differing models of inpatient stroke rehabilitation
What we are doing
- Mapping key components and organisational models of stroke inpatient units across the East Midlands.
- Examine the drivers of quality within inpatient rehabilitation from a patient and staff perspective.
- To establish the relative clinical and cost effectiveness of differing models of care.
Why we are doing it
Stroke affects over 1.2 million people each year. To address unacceptable national variations in stroke care there has been a drive to reorganise stroke services with the focus upon hyper-acute stroke units. This has led to the successful centralisation of specialist receiving units, however little attention has been placed upon the organization of post-acute care and rehabilitation. A systematic review suggested that co-locating acute and rehabilitation could improve efficiencies as well as reducing traumatic readmissions for patients. What remains unclear is what the clinical or cost implications are within the NHS stroke population and what drives these efficiencies.
What the benefits will be and to whom?
Patients following a stroke are entitled to effective rehabilitation. Without rigorous evidence, service models can change without full understanding of the potential impact that this could bring, negative or positive. Through in-depth exploration and explanation of the efficient components of inpatient stroke rehabilitation great clarity can be provided to clinical guidelines ensuring informed and quality decision-making when commissioning services.
This investigation aims to ensure future optimisation of patient’s inpatient rehabilitation success thus reducing their longstanding disabilities.
Who we are working with
This research is in collaboration with University of Nottingham
Contact
Frankie Riley-Bennett, PhD student and researcher, University of Nottingham, Stroke physiotherapist, Nottingham University Hospitals, frances.riley-bennett@nottingham.ac.uk
Photo by Gus Moretta on Unsplash