Early Mobility Helps Critically Ill Patients Go Home Sooner

CHICAGO, May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Data presented this week at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) annual meeting shows that patient movement (in bed and progressively sitting, standing and walking) had a major impact on recovery for patients who had experienced strokes, brain tumors and other neurologic conditions. The study from the Cleveland Clinic also found direct, indirect and total hospital costs were reduced by nearly a third for patients who were mobilized versus those who received standard care.¹

The study implemented a protocol ensuring patients were mobilized beginning on their first day in the neurological intensive care unit ("Neuro ICU"). The protocol yielded a 45 percent shorter length of stay in the ICU and reduced overall hospital stay by a third. Early mobilization also resulted in a greater likelihood that patients were being discharged to their homes rather than another care facility. The early mobility protocol provided the assistance of a patient lift team and encouraged use of features of an advanced ICU bed and patient lift technologies from Hill-Rom (NYSE: HRC).

"There are 15 million people who experience a stroke each year and five million are left permanently disabled," says Kate Klein, ACNP-BC, Neurological Intensive Care Unit at the Cleveland Clinic. "Our research shows that moving their bodies while in the hospital, starting the very first day of admission, can be done safely and will contribute significantly to a better recovery."

Klein and colleagues were the first to document that an early mobility protocol can be implemented safely and effectively within the Neuro ICU. The research adds further support to the growing body of evidence emphasizing the importance of early mobility for a variety of patients in the ICU for reducing length of stay and improving recovery. Hill-Rom developed the Progressive Mobility^® Program to help hospitals simplify the process of adopting an early mobility program such as the one employed in the Cleveland Clinic study.

Protocols Lacking, Coordinated Approach Needed

Previous research found that hospitals worldwide are struggling to implement early mobility protocols despite strong evidence for their impact on decreasing length of stay, reducing costs and improving outcomes for patients.  ICU care accounts for $81.7 billion in health care costs each year.²

Hill-Rom's Progressive Mobility Program provides evidence-based protocols, training, and tools that work in concert with advanced patient room equipment to support hospital staff while they incorporate the practices of early mobility into clinical workflow. Advanced bed systems like the Progressa^® bed system allow for multiple configurations ranging from a flat bed to a full chair position to support a spectrum of patient mobility. Additionally, Progressa provides mobility-focused features such as a chair egress function where the bed rises to help the patient exit. Advanced safe patient handling systems, such as Liko^® patient lift systems, further enhance mobility efforts and can be integrated to help protect caregivers and patients throughout the process.

Movement Begins Day One

The importance of having a protocol in place is underscored by the Cleveland Clinic's study. The study tracked all patients admitted to the Neuro ICU over an eight month period (n=637). For four months, standard hospital practices were used with patients (n=260). For an additional four months, an early mobility protocol was implemented that called for movement of patients (n=377) beginning on their first day of admission.¹

"Although number of days in the ICU and the hospital overall impose significant healthcare expense, the greatest cost burden is actually incurred from post-hospital acute rehabilitation and skilled nursing facility care," noted Klein. "Inpatient early rehabilitation offers patients the opportunity for recovery to their full potential and a great chance of returning home after hospital discharge."

Patients who were mobilized had dramatically different results than the group treated before the protocol was implemented. Twice as many patients who were mobilized left the ICU able to bear weight, pivot to a chair or walk (assisted or unassisted).

"Our research shows that even among patients with serious neurologic conditions, implementation of early mobility practices can have a significant impact on their recovery," says Klein.  "Before this study it was unclear if early mobility was safe or effective for this important patient group. Our research showed that these patients can – and should – progress from bed rest early and bear weight when possible."

More information and a link to the study can be found on the Hill-Rom Clinical Resource Center.

About Hill-Rom

Hill-Rom is a leading global medical technology company with more than 7,000 employees worldwide.  We partner with health care providers in more than 100 countries by focusing on patient care solutions that improve clinical and economic outcomes in five core areas: Advancing Mobility, Wound Care and Prevention, Clinical Workflow, Surgical Safety and Efficiency, and Respiratory Health. Hill-Rom's people, products, and programs work towards one mission: Every day, around the world, we enhance outcomes for patients and their caregivers.

www.hill-rom.com

¹ Klein, K., et al. Impact of Early Mobilization on Mechanical Ventilation and Cost in Neurological ICU. Presented at the 2015 American Thoracic Society Meeting.   
² Society of Critical Care Medicine, Critical Care Statistics. Available at: http://www.sccm.org/Communications/Pages/CriticalCareStats.aspx

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SOURCE Hill-Rom

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