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Analysis Shows Australian Rehabilitation Programs Are Cost Beneficial
On a human level, rehabilitation programs for those with brain injuries are positive, just because every human deserves to live as healthy and happy of a life as possible. It turns out, it seems to be better on countries to rehabilitate patients than to offer long-term standard patient care. At least in Australia.
Given, Australia has a different medical system than ours, an independent evaluation of the Oats Street’s ABI rehabilitation approach, which concluded that government funding of rehabilitation centers such as Oats Street far outweighed the long term health costs to society. It costs Australia $6.2 million to rehabilitate a group of 20 patients a year, compared to the estimated $25.67 illion in costs of care during their lifetime without therapy.
According to Science Network Western Australia, “Jennifer Lawrence, General Manager at Brightwater Care Group overseeing Oats Street, says for the first time a study on rehabilitation outcomes has, ‘connected the business to the science side’ of the issue.”
ABI, or acquired brain injury, consists of any brain injury acquired after birth, including traumatic brain injury, strokes, and other forms of brain damage. It does not, however, include neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease.
I don’t know the ins-and-outs of the Australian health care system, so it is hard to tell how this compares to rehabilitation here, but it seems likely that helping restore these people to their former selves is a good move for us financially, as well.
The analysis was conducted with the internationally recognized Mayo Portland Adaptability Inventory, including a clinical evaluation of patient’s well-being as it is effected by the challenges included with integrating back into society.
Facilities like Oats Street work to “retrain the brain” using routines and constant reinforcement of purposeful tasks to help patients reintegrate into society, along with medical treatment for any remaining symptoms of the brain injury.
