Newswise — DALLAS (April 27, 2017) – Researchers at Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation and Baylor Scott & White Research Institute will participate in a nationwide study to improve post-acute care for patients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The study is funded by a $12.7 million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), an independent nonprofit organization established by Congress in 2010 to fund research that will provide patients and clinicians with the evidence-based information needed to make better-informed healthcare decisions.
Jeanne Hoffman, a professor in rehabilitation medicine at the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine, and Jesse Fann, a professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the UW School of Medicine, are the principal investigators of the five-year project. The research team plans to enroll 900 people with moderate to severe TBI who are discharged from inpatient rehabilitation at Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation and five other facilities: University of Washington, Indiana University, Ohio State University, Mount Sinai in New York and Moss Rehabilitation in Philadelphia.
The patients will be randomized to one of two groups: standardized discharge care, which includes advice and referral sources, and standardized discharge care with a care manager who will assess for unmet needs and assist with coordination of care via telephone over six months. The project team will compare functioning and quality of life at three, six, nine and 12 months in these two groups.
Nearly 2 percent of Americans live with TBI-related disabilities and more than 40 percent of those hospitalized for TBI have long-term disability – including a mix of physical, cognitive, behavioral and psychosocial difficulties. Adding a care coordinator is a model used regularly by the VA system, but it has not been studied to determine if this improves outcomes.
“Poor outcomes after a traumatic brain injury are caused, in part, by the challenges of transitioning from inpatient rehabilitation to outpatient care, leaving many survivors with unmet health care needs,” said Simon Driver, Ph.D., director of rehabilitation research and Ginger Murchison chair for traumatic brain injury research for Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation. “We look forward to working with UW Medicine on this important research initiative which we believe will significantly benefit our patients and families.”
The study was selected through a highly competitive review process in which patients, caregivers, and other stakeholders joined scientists to evaluate the proposals. The award has been approved pending completion of a business and programmatic review by PCORI staff and issuance of a formal award contract.
“This study was selected for PCORI funding for its scientific merit and commitment to engaging patients and other health care stakeholders in a major study conducted in real-world settings, and for its potential to answer an important question about traumatic brain injury and fill a crucial evidence gap,” said PCORI Executive Director Joe Selby.
For more information about the study, visit http://www.pcori.org/research-results/2017/improving-transition-acute-post-acute-care-following-traumatic-brain-injury.
About Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation Since 1981, Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation has helped people overcome serious disabilities and return to full, productive lives. Baylor Rehab’s interdisciplinary clinical teams – made up of physicians, nurses, therapists and other rehabilitation professionals – partner with patients and their families to design and implement treatment plans to achieve each patient's unique goals. Baylor Rehab has received repeat recognition as one of the country’s top rehabilitation hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's annual "America's Best Hospitals" report, and been designated by the National Institute for Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) as a model system for the treatment and care of patients with traumatic brain injuries. Baylor Rehab is a joint venture between Baylor Scott and White Health and Select Medical Corporation and includes three freestanding hospitals: Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation at Dallas, Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation at Frisco, and Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation at Fort Worth. Baylor Rehab manages acute inpatient rehabilitation units at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Irving and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Grapevine, along with acute rehabilitation services at Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth.
In addition, Baylor Rehab operates 65 outpatient therapy centers in North Texas, and also offers home health services. For more information visit:
About Baylor Scott & White Health Formed from the 2013 merger between Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare, the system referred to as Baylor Scott & White Health is the largest not-for-profit health care system in the state of Texas. With total assets of $10.8 billion* and serving a population larger than the state of Georgia, Baylor Scott & White Health has the vision and resources to provide its patients continued quality care while creating a model system for a dramatically changing health care environment. The system now includes 48 hospitals, more than 1,000 access points, 5,500 active physicians, and 44,000 employees, plus the Scott & White Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute and Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance — a network of clinical providers and facilities focused on improving quality, managing the health of patient populations, and reducing the overall cost of care. For more information visit:
* based on audited 206 fiscal year statements
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