Ward, rehabilitation, and clinic-based wearable devices

The field of physical rehabilitative medicine focuses on maximizing functional capacity following injury or illness. Rehabilitation may involve restoration of physical performance or facilitating compensation to substitute for lost function. Clinicians involved in rehabilitation work in a variety of settings, including acute care ward, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home health, outpatient rehabilitation, and research settings. The International Classification of Functioning (ICF) model describes and organizes information on functional performance and disability, and is used throughout the stages of rehabilitation to help provide a common language within the healthcare system. In this chapter, we describe how wearable technologies can be used to aid in the assessment and tracking of rehabilitative interventions across the three domains of the ICF model: (1) Body Functions and Structure, (2) Activity, and (3) Participation. Following this, we will provide a case study example to give context to the potential use of wearable sensors within different types of patient care settings. Finally, we will discuss factors leading to current limitations in integrating wearable sensors into clinical settings and provide suggestions for future directions that can benefit rehabilitative technology.