MEASURING DISCHARGE OUTCOMES, LENGTH OF STAY, AND FUNCTIONAL ADL SCORE DURING COVID-19 IN INPATIENT REHABILITATION HOSPITALS.

Abstract Objective To measure discharge disposition, length of stay (LOS), and functional ADL score for patients admitted to acute inpatient rehabilitation hospitals (IRH) during the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare these parameters to a period prior to the pandemic. Design Retrospective cohort study via systematic retrospective chart review of consecutive patients admitted to IRH from 1/1-2/19/2020 (pre-COVID-19T) and 4/1-5/9/2020 (COVID-19T). Setting System of three IRHs in the Northeastern United States. Participants Pre-COVID-19T, n=739; COVID-19T, n=335, of which COVID+ n =139 and COVID- n=196. Outcome Measure(s) Discharge Disposition, LOS, and Functional ADL scores Results COVID-19T patients were younger (p=0.03) and less likely to be White (p=0.03), and had a higher Case Mix Index (CMI) (p Conclusions There were no differences in discharge outcomes for any group. IRH LOS was significantly increased during the pandemic, but there were no statistically significant differences between the COVID+ and COVID- cohorts within COVID-19T. Functional ADL scores were significantly lower during COVID-19T but COVID status was not a significant predictor. This suggests that COVID+ status was not a barrier to discharge or functional outcomes and supports the importance of IRHs to restore function and discharge patients to home, even with a more medically complex COVID-19 pandemic population.