Functional Changes and Home Discharge After Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation

This retrospective observational study will evaluate whether changes in functional status during inpatient rehabilitation are associated with discharge destination in patients with stroke treated at a post-acute rehabilitation hospital. The study will use de-identified electronic medical record data from adult patients with stroke who were admitted to Zenith Hospital and discharged between January 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025. Integrated rehabilitation functional assessment data obtained at admission and discharge will be analyzed, including the Korean Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), Functional Ambulation Category (FAC), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Manual Function Test (MFT). The main objective is to determine whether changes in these measures during hospitalization are associated with discharge destination, defined as home discharge versus transfer to another institution. A total of 119 eligible patients were included in the final analysis. Only existing de-identified EMR data will be used. No direct participant contact, additional data collection, or protocol-assigned intervention will occur. Findings from this study may provide evidence to support discharge planning and community reintegration strategies for patients with stroke receiving post-acute rehabilitation.