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HealthSouth and Boston University's HDR Collaborate to Develop Industry Rehabilitation Clinical Outcomes Assessment Monitoring System
PRNewswire-FirstCall
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.

The Outpatient Division of HealthSouth Corporation (OTC Pink Sheets: HLSH) and the Boston University Health and Disability Research Institute (HDR) have collaborated to establish improved methods for monitoring rehabilitation outcomes. This collaboration could result in the development of an industry-wide standardized process for measuring rehabilitation's clinical outcomes.

"HealthSouth has a strong focus on providing the highest quality care to patients served," said Diane Munson, HealthSouth Outpatient Division president. "The collaboration with Boston University that will establish outcomes-based measurement tools is in keeping with our commitment to quality and is welcomed."

"Payors want providers to demonstrate evidence that their interventions create a positive impact on the patient's functional abilities," said Matthew Zurek, HealthSouth Outpatient Division vice president of clinical quality. "Organizations like HealthSouth need effective and efficient ways to monitor outcomes. Additionally, the knowledge gleaned can improve the quality of patient care."

The project involves the application of Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) methodology and Item Response Theory (IRT). The basic notion of an adaptive test is to mimic what an experienced clinician does. A clinician learns most when he/she directs questions at the patient's approximate level of proficiency. Administering outcomes items that represent tasks that are either too easy or too hard for the patient provides little information.

A CAT first asks questions in the middle of the ability range, and then directs questions to the level based on the patient's responses, without asking unnecessary questions. This allows for fewer items to be administered while gaining precise information regarding an individual's placement along an outcome continuum.

HealthSouth and HDR believe CAT methodology provides the best means to achieve patient driven outcome measures that are valid, yet sufficiently broad and precise enough to detect meaningful change in rehabilitation outcomes.

"The Boston University HDR Institute welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with HealthSouth in implementing a state-of-the-art Clinical Outcomes Monitoring System for its outpatient division," said Alan Jette, HDR Director. "The knowledge gleaned from such a system can be used to improve the quality and efficiency of rehabilitation care, more effectively market rehabilitation services to payors, and enable providers to proactively address growing economic constraints in a dynamic health care delivery system."

About the Boston University Health and Disability Research Institute

The Health & Disability Research Institute (HDR) is a campus-wide, interdisciplinary focal point for health and disability research at Boston University. HDR was established in June 2004 and expands upon the scope and strengths of its predecessor, the Center for Rehabilitation Effectiveness at Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

About HealthSouth

HealthSouth is one of the nation's largest providers of healthcare services, operating outpatient, surgery, diagnostic imaging and rehabilitative healthcare services nationwide. HealthSouth can be found on the Internet at http://www.healthsouth.com/ .

  HealthSouth contact:
   Andy Brimmer
   205-410-2777

  Boston University contact:
   Ann Marie Menting
   617-358-1240

SOURCE: HealthSouth Corporation

CONTACT: Andy Brimmer of HealthSouth, +1-205-410-2777; or Ann Marie
Menting of Boston University, +1-617-358-1240