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Functional Independence Measure

Identifying and definitional attributes

Metadata item type:Help on this termGlossary Item
Synonymous names:Help on this termFIM
METEOR identifier:Help on this term495857
Registration status:Help on this term
  • Health, Standard 11/04/2014
  • Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Standard 31/10/2012
  • Tasmanian Health, Standard 20/12/2016
Definition:Help on this term

An assessment of the severity of patient disability.

Context:Help on this term

The Functional Independence Measure (FIM™) instrument is a basic indicator of patient disability. FIM™ is used to track the changes in the functional ability of a patient during an episode of hospital rehabilitation care.

Collection and usage attributes

Guide for use:Help on this term

Patient function is assessed using the FIM™ instrument at the start of a rehabilitation episode of care and at the end of a rehabilitation episode of care. Admission assessment is collected within 72 hours of the start of a rehabilitation episode. Discharge assessment is collected within 72 hours prior to the end of a rehabilitation episode.

Comments:Help on this term

FIM™ is comprised of 18 items, grouped into 2 subscales - motor and cognition.

The motor subscale includes:

  • Eating
  • Grooming
  • Bathing
  • Dressing, upper body
  • Dressing, lower body
  • Toileting
  • Bladder management
  • Bowel management
  • Transfers - bed/chair/wheelchair
  • Transfers - toilet
  • Transfers - bath/shower
  • Walk/wheelchair
  • Stairs

The cognition subscale includes:

  • Comprehension
  • Expression
  • Social interaction
  • Problem solving
  • Memory

Each item is scored on a 7 point ordinal scale, ranging from a score of 1 to a score of 7. The higher the score, the more independent the patient is in performing the task associated with that item.

1 - Total assistance with helper

2 - Maximal assistance with helper

3 - Moderate assistance with helper

4 - Minimal assistance with helper

5 - Supervision or setup with helper

6 - Modified independence with no helper

7 - Complete independence with no helper

The total score for the FIM motor subscale (the sum of the individual motor subscale items) will be a value between 13 and 91.

The total score for the FIM cognition subscale (the sum of the individual cognition subscale items) will be a value between 5 and 35.

The total score for the FIM instrument (the sum of the motor and cognition subscale scores) will be a value between 18 and 126.

Source and reference attributes

Submitting organisation:Help on this term

Independent Hospital Pricing Authority

Origin:Help on this term

FIM™ is a trademark of the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation, a division of UB Foundation Activities Incorporated.

Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre holds the territory license for the use of the FIM™ instrument in Australia.

Reference documents:Help on this term

Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation 2009. The FIM System® Clinical Guide, Version 5.2. Buffalo: UDSMR.

Australasian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre, University of Wollongong 2012. What is the FIM™ Instrument? Viewed 19 September 2012, http://ahsri.uow.edu.au/aroc/whatisfim/index.html

Relational attributes

Metadata items which use this glossary item:Help on this term
Activity based funding: Admitted sub-acute and non-acute hospital care DSS 2013-2014
  • Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Standard 11/10/2012
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care DSS 2014-15
  • Health, Superseded 13/11/2014
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care DSS 2015-16
  • Health, Superseded 19/11/2015
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2016-17
  • Health, Superseded 03/11/2016
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2017-18
  • Health, Superseded 25/01/2018
  • Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Candidate 04/08/2016
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2018-19
  • Health, Superseded 17/10/2018
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2019-20
  • Health, Superseded 18/12/2019
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2020–21
  • Health, Superseded 05/02/2021
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2021–22
  • Health, Superseded 20/10/2021
Admitted subacute and non-acute hospital care NBEDS 2022–23
  • Health, Standard 20/10/2021
Episode of admitted patient care—clinical assessment score, code NN
  • Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Standard 30/10/2012
Functional Independence Measure score code N
  • Health, Standard 18/12/2019
  • Tasmanian Health, Standard 06/05/2020
Person—level of functional independence, Functional Independence Measure score code N
  • Health, Standard 18/12/2019
  • Tasmanian Health, Standard 06/05/2020
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