Assessing unmet rehabilitation needs and the feasibility of a telehealth rehabilitation consultation service for road trauma survivors recently discharged from hospital

Abstract

Persistent activity limitations are common among road trauma survivors, yet access to rehabilitation in hospital and in the community remains variable. This study aimed to identify unmet rehabilitation needs following road trauma and assess the feasibility of a novel rehabilitation consultation service delivered via telehealth following hospitalization. A pilot cohort study was conducted with survivors of road trauma who were hospitalized but did not receive formal inpatient rehabilitation. All participants received a multidisciplinary rehabilitation consultation via telehealth 1–3 weeks post-discharge, to assess rehabilitation needs and initiate treatment referrals as required. Functional and qualitative outcomes were assessed at baseline (1–7 days); one month and three months post-discharge. 38 participants were enrolled. All (100%) reported functional limitations at baseline; 86.5% were found to have unmet rehabilitation needs, and 75.7% were recommended rehabilitation interventions. Functional ability improved over time, but more than half the cohort continued to report activity limitations (67.6%), pain (64.7%) and/or altered mood (41.2%) for up to three months. Participants found the telehealth service to be acceptable, convenient, and helpful for recovery. A high proportion of mild-moderate trauma survivors report unmet rehabilitation needs following hospital discharge. Telehealth appears to be a feasible, convenient and acceptable mode of assessing these needs.