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Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Translated Title

復健醫療服務之疾病分類研究：國內某醫學中心近期經驗

Abstract

Objectives: To better understand the current utilization of rehabilitation services and to project future trends, this study investigated the primary reasons for rehabilitation services referrals in a medical center in Taiwan. Methods: We reviewarticleed records of those patients who visited rehabilitation clinics (4,305 new and 12,163 returned patients) or received a rehabilitation consultation during their hospital stay (1,345 patients) between June and October 2007 at the National Taiwan University Hospital. The primary diagnoses of study patients were classified into 12 groups: musculoskeletal and soft tissue diseases, brain diseases, spinal cord diseases, peripheral neuropathy, myopathy, fractures and amputations, language disorders, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory system diseases, burns, cancer, and other. Results: Patients in the 45 to 64-year-old age group accounted for 33.4% of outpatient clinic visits; however, the 15-44 year-old group accounted for the most (34.8%) new outpatient clinic visits. The aged group greater than 65-year-old accounted for 44.9% of inpatient rehabilitation services. Musculoskeletal and soft tissue diseases were the most common reason for outpatient rehabilitation service visits (49.5% of total outpatient clinic visits and 67.6% of new clinic visits), followed by brain diseases (25.4%) and language disorders (8.1%). For new clinic visit outpatients, language disorders surpassed brain diseases as the second most common group. In contrast, brain diseases (33.8%), cancer (14.4%), and cardiovascular diseases (12.3%) were the top 3 reasons for physiatric consultation during inpatient care. Conclusions: In comparison with a previous study, we observed an increase in referrals regarding cancer for physiatric consultations during hospitalization and also an increase in referrals for brain diseases and developmental and language disorders to outpatient rehabilitation services. The proportions of elderly and pediatric patients increased as well. It is important that healthcare providers understand these trends in order to better serve our rehabilitation patients.

Language

Traditional Chinese

First Page

229

Last Page

236

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