Neurotraumas secondary to Road Traffic Accidents (RTA), including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), are leading causes of hospital admissions in Uganda. Postoperative patients often need rehabilitation services to optimize function, manage disability, educate caregivers and reduce adverse events. Use of physiotherapy in transitional care can reduce readmission rates as much as 25 percent for surgical patients through discharge planning and patient education. 

This project team set out to describe current care transitions for Ugandan neurosurgical patients and the role of physiotherapy in these transitions. They used a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and semistructured interviews with medical and rehabilitation providers as well as patients and caregivers, to assess the current state of rehabilitation service utilization within discharge planning. Ultimately, this mutliyear teams research will inform the creation of Uganda-specific guidelines for rehabilitation involvement in discharge planning for neurotrauma cases.

Role of Ugandan Neurorehabilitation Services in Acute Hospital Discharge for Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury: A Mixed-Methods Study

Poster by Hsien Yao Chee, Nikhita Mahendru, Shivani Surati, Vignesh Pirapaharan, Shashank Vege, Night Atwongyeire, Gift Atuhaire, Peyton Thompson, Anna Maria Ssewanyana, Hannah Kitakule, Derrick Asiimwe, Denis Nareeba, Acelo Worku, Spandan Goel, Jeffrey Hoder, Kearsley Stewart, Wilfred Arubaku, Jean Damascene Niyonsenga, Tony Fuller and Kira Battle