Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42633007›Full record

ArticleAdvances in rehabilitation science and practice

Admission Thresholds and Outcomes in Inpatient Rehabilitation: A National Analysis.

Christa Marie Vella, Daniel Cutajar, Andrei Agius Anastasi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Advances in rehabilitation science and practice. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Christa Marie VellaDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, Msida, University of Malta.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6402-1794
Daniel CutajarDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, Msida, University of Malta.
Andrei Agius AnastasiDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, Msida, University of Malta.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aim: To analyse referrals and admissions to Malta's sole inpatient rehabilitation facility, identifying emerging trends and challenges over recent years. Design: A retrospective, population-based analysis was conducted on all in-patient rehabilitation referrals in Malta between July 1, 2022, and December 31, 2023. Referral outcomes, acceptance rates, and primary admission diagnoses were examined. Results were compared to a similar study in 2018. A follow-up questionnaire was designed to look at Rehabilitation outcomes in the 01.07.2022 to 31.12.2023 cohort at 2 years post discharge home. Objectives: 1) To identify key shifts in admission process, length of stay and rehabilitation outcomes, thereby providing evidence to enhance in-patient rehabilitation selection and guide international rehabilitation strategies 2) To assess rehabilitation functional outcomes of an inpatient rehabilitation program and 2 years post discharge. Results: 407 referrals were placed. Of these, 357 were new referrals, 73.1% (n=261) were accepted-a notable rise from 47% in 2018. Non-acceptance was recorded in 96 cases, while 50 patients were discharged or deceased before review. Both the mean (59 → 92) and median (22 → 59) length of stay increased over the 6-year period, reflecting an increase in both outliers due to social issues but also a shift towards longer length of stays in general. Despite this shift, the number of patients discharged to their own home fell from 90% to 79% with 12.3% being re-admitted to the acute hospital, 8.2% being discharged to a long-term care facility and 1 individual passing away. Conclusions: As a population-based analysis of national in-patient rehabilitation data, this study provides insights into shortcomings in the efficiency and effectiveness of inpatient rehabilitation services. Analysis into the variables that might have contributed to these findings may serve as a framework for rehabilitation policies worldwide. Future research should investigate barriers influencing discharge and long-term rehabilitation success.

Indexed as

admissionhospital readmissionlength of stayrehabilitationturnover

Identifiers

PMID42633007
PMCPMC13498792

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.