Brain Injury Newsroom

Reporting the Evidence

Two panels of experts worked with the research team to identify key questions in the rehabilitation and survivor phases for adults with TBI. The first panel was composed of two physiatrists, a survivor of TBI, the wife of a survivor of TBI, a State vocational rehabilitation counselor, a neuropsychologist, a psychologist, a clinical coordinator of an outpatient TBI rehabilitation program, and a rehabilitation clinical nurse specialist, all from the Portland, OR, area. The second panel was composed of nationally recognized experts in rehabilitation.

The panels formulated five questions pertaining to the phases of recovery described above. These questions addressed the effectiveness of (1) early rehabilitation in the acute care setting (timing), (2) intensity of rehabilitation, (3) cognitive rehabilitation, (4) supported employment, and (5) care coordination (case management). For each of these questions, members of the research team worked with panelists to write a brief rationale for the question, define key terms, and specify the relevant patient populations, interventions, and outcome measures to be examined in the literature review. The questions were:

Should interdisciplinary rehabilitation begin during the acute hospitalization for traumatic brain injury?
Does the intensity of inpatient interdisciplinary rehabilitation affect long-term outcomes?
Does the application of cognitive rehabilitation enhance outcomes for people who sustain TBI?
Does the application of supported employment enhance outcomes for people with TBI?
Does the provision of long-term care coordination enhance the general functional status of people with TBI?