Authors

  1. Roesler, Jon S. MS
  2. Kinde, Mark R. MPH

Article Content

Objectives: Assess the feasibility and effectiveness of existing strategies for linking patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to service information; identify strategies for full evaluation. Hypothesis: Once discharged, the TBI patient often finds that accurate and complete information is often difficult to access or not available. State systems with legal authority to collect identifying information and contact people with TBI can provide them with information about available services. It is important to identify effective strategies for linking individuals to service information. Participants: This is a population-based investigation involving all Minnesota residents with a nonfatal, hospitalized TBI, reported by all hospitals to the state's TBI Registry. Methods: In Minnesota, several strategies are used to link TBI patients with service information. Strategies are direct mailings, return postcards, telephone calls, resource facilitation, in-hospital contacts, a resource directory, and brochures. Methods were examined in terms of its time frame and number of people contacted. Results: Since 1993, the Registry has received about 4700 reports a year. Two thirds of reports met criteria and were sent direct mailings: 94% were delivered; of which 6% returned a postcard. One half of reports met criteria for telephone calls: 66% were contacted; of which 31% requested follow-up. In 2005, resource facilitation was provided to 11% of eligible cases; 28 of 128 hospitals actively participated with resource facilitation; 8000 resource directories were printed and 6625 were distributed in Minnesota. Conclusions: Direct mailings reach the greatest number; postcard returns indicate minimal effectiveness. Direct telephone calls appear to more effectively identify individuals for follow-up. Resource facilitation is still expanding and has yet to achieve full potential. Directories should continue online. Next steps include linking lists from the strategies to evaluate outreach and conduct a follow-up survey of TBI patients.