Inpatient stroke rehabilitation lengths of stay in Canada derived from the National Rehabilitation Reporting System, 2008 and 2009.

OBJECTIVE

To determine rehabilitation length of stay (LOS) for patients with stroke in Canada, and to evaluate which factors contribute to variations in LOS.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study of Canadians rehabilitating from stroke using medical, functional, and sociodemographic variables extracted from the Canadian Institute for Health Information's National Rehabilitation Reporting System.

SETTING

Canadian rehabilitation hospitals providing stroke rehabilitation services.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with stroke (N=11,983) admitted to rehabilitation hospitals from January 2008 through December 2009.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Rehabilitation LOSs were calculated nationally and regionally. Regression models incorporating sociodemographic and clinical measures were constructed to test their effect on LOS.

RESULTS

The median stroke rehabilitation LOSs was 35 days (quartiles: 20d, 54d). LOSs varied regionally within Canada. A multivariable regression model including age, FIM motor function scores at admission, and geographic region explained 20% of the variation in LOSs. Modeling these data using a Function-Related Groups case-mix model explained 16% of the variation in LOSs.

CONCLUSIONS

FIM motor function scores at admission along with age and geographic region best predicted rehabilitation LOS. These variables explained 20% of the variation in LOSs. Despite regional differences in LOSs, patient characteristics were similar between regions. Other nonpatient factors not captured in these data may contribute to a greater extent in determining stroke rehabilitation LOS.