Predictors of Discharge Destination From Acute Care in Patients With Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

Objective: To systematically review studies on clinical and nonclinical predictors of discharge destination from acute care in patients with traumatic brain injury. Methods: The search was conducted using 7 databases up to December 2016. A systematic review and in-depth quality synthesis were conducted on eligible articles that met the inclusion criteria. Results: The search yielded 8503 articles of which 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. This study demonstrated that a larger proportion of patients with traumatic brain injury were discharged home. The main predictors of discharge to a setting with rehabilitation services versus home included increasing age, white and non-Hispanic race/ethnicity, having insurance coverage, greater severity of the injury, and longer acute care length of stay. Age was the only consistent factor that was negatively associated with discharge to inpatient rehabilitation facilities versus other institutions. Conclusion: Results of this study support healthcare providers in providing consultation to patients about the expected next level of cares while considering barriers that may helpful in effective discharge planning, decreasing length of stay and saving resources. These findings also suggest the need for further studies with a stronger methodology on the contribution of patients and families/caregivers to distinguish the predictors of discharge to dedicated rehabilitation facilities.