Background: Prolonged immobility during hospitalization is associated with development of hospital-associated disability (HAD) and physical deconditioning. Physical therapy (PT) is important for HAD treatment and prevention but is a constrained resource in most hospital settings and planned sessions can be difficult to complete. Missing planned PT sessions, known as “PT non-treatment”, may compromise patient’s functional [...]

Background: Black patients have distinct disadvantages that are associated with poor functional outcomes. Physical therapy (PT) is an invaluable tool for improving functional outcomes including hospital-associated disability and physical deconditioning. However, Black patients on trauma surgery services or with traumatic brain injury are less likely to be offered post-acute rehabilitation. Older White patients have higher [...]

Background: The Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) initiative calls for providers to ensure that older adults move safely to maintain daily function. However, studies show that about a third of hospitalized older adults have bed rest orders, most of which are not medically indicated. Therefore, at our 537-bed community teaching hospital, we [...]

Background: Hospital immobility is highly prevalent and known to cause various complications including deconditioning, pressure injuries, venous thromboembolism, readmissions and mortality(1). Due to the known consequences of immobility, there has been an increased emphasis on identifying patients at highest risk of immobilization and focusing efforts on maintaining function. Increasing patient mobilization has the potential to [...]

Background: Lack of mobility amongst inpatients is prevalent and deleterious. Hospitalized patients have been shown to spend an average of 83% of their stay in bed, leading to complications including loss of independence in activities of daily living, lower rates of discharge to home, worsening length of stay, and increased mortality. Programs to increase inpatient [...]

Background: Increasing mobility in the hospital leads to better patient outcomes. However, published efforts to improve inpatient mobility report resulted increases in unnecessary physical/occupational therapy (PT/OT) consults. In our hospital we noted that physicians were ordering PT/OT on all patients in an effort to increase mobility. This meant very functional patients who did not need [...]