Rehabilitation Medicine Consultation
A formal clinical document produced by a physiatrist that evaluates a patient's impairments, functional status, and rehabilitation needs, and recommends a management plan.
Full Definition
A rehabilitation medicine consultation is the formal record of a physiatrist's assessment, typically requested by an acute care or surgical team to determine rehabilitation candidacy, recommend disposition, and outline a preliminary rehabilitation program. The document ordinarily includes history, physical examination findings (including neurological and functional assessments), impairment summary, rehabilitation diagnosis, prognosis, and a structured plan. Editors must ensure that the document follows the required medico-legal format, that all abbreviations are defined, that functional status is described in objective and measurable terms, and that the plan section addresses each identified impairment. This document type is distinct from a 'physiatric consultation note,' which may be a brief addendum, though the terms are sometimes used interchangeably in practice.
Usage
Usage note: Use the full title on first reference in formal documents. 'Rehab consult' is acceptable in informal clinical communication but should not appear in published or submitted records.
In Context
- "The rehabilitation medicine consultation recommended acute inpatient rehabilitation with a projected length of stay of 14 to 18 days." — Acute Hospital Consultation Report
- "The editor verified that the rehabilitation medicine consultation included a functional baseline, short- and long-term goals, and a discharge disposition recommendation." — Medical Records Audit Checklist