Citation

Lueckel SN, Teno JM, Stephen AH, Benoit E, Kheirbek T, Adams CA, Cioffi WG, Thomas KS. J. Head Trauma Rehabil. 2019; 34(1): E39-E45.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery (Drs Lueckel, Stephen, Benoit, Kheirbek, and Cioffi), Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island; Department of Medicine, Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine at University of Washington, Seattle (Dr Teno); and School of Public Health at Brown University, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Rhode Island (Dr Thomas).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/HTR.0000000000000393

PMID

29863612

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To describe the natural history of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) admitted to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) following hospitalizations. SETTING: Between 2005 and 2014. PARTICIPANTS: Adults who had incident admissions to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) with a diagnosis of TBI.

DESIGN: Retrospective review of the Minimum Data Set. MAIN MEASURES: Main variables were cognitive and physical function, length of stay, presence of feeding tube, terminal condition, and dementia.

RESULTS: Incident admissions to SNFs increased annually from 17 247 patients to 20 787 from 2005 to 2014. The percentage of patients with activities of daily living score 23 or more decreased from 25% to 14% (P <.05). The overall percentage of patients with severe cognitive impairment decreased from 18% to 10% (P <.05). More patients had a diagnosis of dementia in 2014 compared with previous years (P <.05), and the presence of a terminal condition increased from 1% to 1.5% over the 10-year period (P <.05). The percentage of patients who stayed fewer than 30 days was noted to increase steadily over the 10 years, starting with 48% in 2005 and ending with 53% in 2013 (P <.05).

CONCLUSION: Understanding past trends in TBI admissions to SNFs is necessary to guide appropriate discharge and predict future demand, as well as inform SNF policy and practice necessary to care for this subgroup of patients.

Language: en