Utilization of Occupational and Physical Therapy Services in Postacute Care: Findings from the 2006 Health and Retirement Study and Linked Medicare Claims Data

ABSTRACT

Aims: To describe and determine factors predicting utilization of occupational and physical therapy (PT) services in postacute rehabilitation systems over a 1-year period in Medicare beneficiaries. Methods: Data from 1,667 respondents in the 2006 Health and Retirement Study and linked Medicare claims were analyzed. Results: The average length of inpatient rehabilitation stay ranged between 11 and 17 days. Therapeutic procedures were the most commonly claimed Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes in outpatient rehabilitation. Very-high level was the mostly claimed resource utilization group (RUG) in skilled nursing facilities. Additionally, the average number of therapy home visit ranged between 31 and 34. Logistic regression analysis showed that greater age and more comorbidities were associated with using therapy services from two or more postacute care (PAC) systems. Conclusion: The study results increase the understanding of the utilization of rehabilitation therapy services across PAC systems and provide basic information for rehabilitation services planning.

KEYWORDS. :

• medicare
• utilization
• occupational therapy
• physical therapists