Background: Based on the first parts of the project “classifying disease severity in patients with neurologic or trauma rehabilitation” (part 1: instruments for stroke and traumatic brain injury. HTA-Projektbericht 023a; part 2: International experiences with quality / performance assessments and reimbursement. HTA-Projektbericht 023b) we aimed at collecting status quo data to the usage of generic and specific instruments and at identifying pilot projects in Austrian rehabilitation institutions. Additionally we wanted to assess opinions about the potentials and constraints of generic instruments.

Methods: For data collection we developed a questionnaire and sent it to 20 Austrian rehabilitation centers via email (response rate 50%).

Results: Some instruments (the 10m walk test, the nine-hole-peg-test, the Barthel Index/BI, the 2min walk test, the Rankin Scale/RS, the Functional Ambulation Categories/FAC, the mini mental state examination/MMSE, the expanded disability status scale/EDSS) are being used in almost all of the centres, most commonly at admission and/or discharge. Most frequently, physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech therapists and (neuro-)psychologists conduct the assessments. Individual goals are arranged with patients in all institutions, but goal attainment is evaluated only in about fifty percent of the institutions. Key objectives of data collection are the documentation of the rehabilitation process and documentation for internal quality management. Overall seven completed or ongoing pilot projects, which test the utilization of measuring instruments or quality assurance systems, could be identified by the survey.

Discussion: The results show that recommendations of the ÖGNR lead to a homogenisation of used instruments. However, a standardized base documentation does not exist and there is still a variety of used measurement instruments. Pilot projects point at increasing interests in quality management and comparison between institutions.