Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Physical and Occupational Therapy

Physical and occupational therapists in the acute care hospital fulfill multiple functions, including assessing skilled needs for postacute care, providing patient and family education about safe postdischarge activity, and delivering treatments that begin the rehabilitation process during progressively shorter hospital stays. Many patients with rehabilitative needs continue their therapy in a skilled nursing facility (SNF). Through Cleveland Clinic Connected Care, many local SNFs are partnered with the Cleveland Clinic Health System. Across all Cleveland Clinic hospitals and Connected Care SNFs, functional outcomes are assessed using the 6-Clicks Basic Mobility and Daily Activity short forms of the Boston University Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC™).

Mobility Improvement in Acute Care and Skilled Nursing After Physical Therapy

2022

In Cleveland Clinic hospitals, patients' mobility is assessed by physical therapists, and self-care is assessed by occupational therapists. Since hospital stays are short but can be associated with harmful immobility, a primary goal of rehabilitation in hospitals is to prevent loss of functional independence. In 2022, patients had mild improvement in independence with mobility tasks and no significant decline in independence with self-care tasks.