Assessing the Impact of Interdisciplinary Team Approaches on Patient Recovery Rates in Rehabilitation Centers

Abstract

Background: Interdisciplinary team approaches in rehabilitation have been increasingly recognized for improving patient outcomes. This study investigates the effectiveness of such approaches in rural rehabilitation centers in Balochistan, Pakistan, where healthcare resources are often limited.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of interdisciplinary team approaches on the recovery rates of patients in rural rehabilitation centers, using Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores as the primary outcome.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to November 2023 in rural areas of Balochistan, Pakistan. Eighty participants were divided into two groups, with 40 receiving care from interdisciplinary teams consisting of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language pathologists, and 40 from traditional single-discipline teams. Data were collected through direct interviews and analyzed using independent t-tests and multivariate regression.

Results: Patients in the interdisciplinary group showed a mean improvement in FIM scores of 12.3 (SD = 2.1), significantly higher than the 7.8 (SD = 2.4) observed in the traditional group (p < 0.001). The enhanced recovery rates substantiate the effectiveness of interdisciplinary approaches in these settings.

Conclusion: The study confirms that interdisciplinary team approaches significantly enhance patient recovery outcomes in rural rehabilitation settings. This suggests that such models are particularly beneficial in areas with limited healthcare resources, supporting the need for their broader implementation.