A team approach to applying the international classification of functioning, disability and health rehabilitation set in clinical evaluation

Abstract

Objective: To develop a team approach to applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Rehabilitation Set (ICF-RS) in clinical evaluation. Design: A Delphi study. Subjects: Experts from rehabilitation institutions in China including physicians, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. Methods: A 2-round Delphi survey and expert panel discussion were used to generate the team approach. Firstly, the candidate types of professionals for team rating were chosen through expert panel discussion. A carefully selected group of participants was then asked to score the suitability of physicians, nurses, or other candidate therapists for each category's rating, applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Rehabilitation Set in clinical evaluation. After initial assignment of category to types of professionals, a second round Delphi survey was conducted to quantify the professionals' agreement with the category assignments and generate a final team evaluation approach. Results: Thirty of the category assignments achieved consensus. The final team evaluation approach assigned 6 categories to physicians to evaluate, 7 categories to nurses, 9 categories to physiotherapists, and 8 to occupational therapists. Conclusion: Such a team evaluation approach could facilitate implementation of the ICF-RS in clinical settings and provide a more convenient assessment tool for professionals.