Thomas Maribo conducted a survey of hospitals and municipalities in Denmark regarding outcome measures used to assess functioning in stroke rehabilitation. The survey found 61 different tools used across hospitals and 60 different tools used across municipalities, for a total of 89 different tools, demonstrating a lack of consensus. In response, the National Board of Health and the Society of Neurorehabilitation established a working group to identify core tools to assess functioning in six key areas and promote their standardized use across hospitals and municipalities to improve transitions of care.

1. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
The need for consensus in the
use of outcome measures in
stroke rehabilitation
Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor; MHs, PT.
Aarhus University and Central Denmark Region
Aarhus Denmark

2. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Stroke
• A brain injury
– caused when a blood vessel to the brain becomes
blocked or bursts, cutting off blood flow and
oxygen to the brain
• After acute treatment  rehabilitation

3. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Stroke
• Occurs 152,000 times a year in the UK
– A stroke every 3 minutes 27 seconds.
• A leading cause of adult disability
• Most stoke survivors need rehabilitation
• Hospitals  and followed in the community
• In rehabilitation transitions, good
descriptions of functioning are important
(guidelines)
• Relevant outcome measures offer a way of
ensuring good description

4. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Stroke – relevant outcome
• Cognition
• Mobility
• Communication
• ADL
• Dysphagia
• Work
ICF core set and guidelines

5. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
The journey of
rehabilitation

6. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Stages in
illness
Different perspectives in rehabilitation

7. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Assessment of functioning
along the path of
rehabilitation
Survey: outcome measures
used to decribe functioning in
stroke rehabilitation

8. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Survey – stroke rehabilitation:
relevant outcome measures
• Hospitals and municipalities
• ”Which outcome measures do you
use to assess function (with
particular emphasis on the transition
between hospital and municipality)?”

9. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Survey – stroke rehabilitation:
relevant outcome measures
• 26 hospitals
• Response rate 85%
• One reports no
systematic use
• 61 different tools
used!
• 52 municipalities
• Response rate 90%
• Two report no
systematic use
• 60 different tools
used!

10. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Denmark
The survey covers
a population of 2.96
million

11. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Use of outcome measures in
stroke rehabilitation in Denmark
• 61 tools used at hospitals
• 60 tools used in municipal
rehabilitation
• In total 89 different tools
• No consensus

12. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
The National Board of
Health and the Society of
Neurorehabilitation
• Working group will identify the tools
to be used for assessing functioning
in six areas
• Municipalities and hospitals commit
to using those tools

13. Thomas Maribo
Associate Professor Aarhus University, Denmark
Thank you
Thomas Maribo
Thomas.maribo@au.dk