Evaluation of consultation-based rehabilitation for hospitalized cancer patients with functional impairment

Objective: To evaluate prospectively the effect of consultation-based interdisciplinary rehabilitation in hospitalized cancer patients. Patients and Methods: Three hundred forty-one hospitalized patients with cancer were referred to the Cancer Adaptation Team (interdisciplinary rehabilitation services) over an 8-month period, Functional status at enrollment and dismissal was evaluated with a Barthel Mobility Index and Karnofsky Performance Status scale. Quality-of-life parameters were evaluated with specifically designed questionnaires. Results: Two hundred ninety patients met the inclusion criteria. One hundred eighty-nine survived and completed the study. Significant functional improvement was observed between enrollment and dismissal on both functional indexes (P less than or equal to.001), Quality-of-life questionnaires, while limited by low completion rate, showed significant improvement on multiple parameters. Conclusion: Significant functional gains were observed in hospitalized cancer patients who received interdisciplinary rehabilitation services on a consultation basis.