1. Enhanced informed decision-making in the health system: ICF as a standard for reporting functioning information
Prodinger B1,2, Tennant A1,2, Brinkhof M1,Bickenbach J1,2, Cieza A1,2,4,5, Stucki G1,2,3
1Swiss Paraplegic Research, Switzerland; 2ICF Research Branch in Cooperation with WHO-FIC Centre (at DIMDI) in Germany, Nottwil, Switzerland; 3Department of Health Sciences & Health Policy, University of Lucerne, Switzerland; 4Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, University of Southampton, UK; 5Institute for Public Health and Health Care Research, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Germany.

2. Background
Optimizing functioning is an important outcome in clinical practice and public health.
Availability of functioning information is essential for planning interventions and allocating resources at individual and population level.
Functioning information is already collected with various methods in health and its related systems.
 A system that builds upon existing data collection processes and integrates existing practices of data collection into a unified framework is needed to ensure comparability of functioning information.

3. Toward standardized reporting of functioning information
Questions to be answered
Specification of elements for reporting
Relevant tools and methods
What to assess?
ICF categories
ICF Core Sets
How to assess?
Existing methods and modes for data collection
ICF Linking Rules
How to report?
Standardized units:
Range from 0 to 100
Rasch measurement model
Questions to be answered
Specification of elements for reporting
Relevant tools and methods
What to assess?
ICF categories
ICF Core Sets
How to assess?
Existing methods and modes for data collection
ICF Linking Rules
How to report?
Standardized units:
Range from 0 to 100
Rasch measurement model
Questions to be answered
Specification of elements for reporting
Relevant tools and methods
What to assess?
ICF categories
ICF Core Sets
How to assess?
Existing methods and modes for data collection
ICF Linking Rules
How to report?
Standardized units:
Range from 0 to 100
Rasch measurement model
Questions to be answered
Specification of elements for reporting
Relevant tools and methods
What to assess?
ICF categories
ICF Core Sets
How to assess?
Existing methods and modes for data collection
ICF Linking Rules
How to report?
Standardized units:
Range from 0 to 100
Rasch measurement model
(Selb et al. 2014)
(Cieza et al. 2002; Cieza et al. 2005)
(Tennant & Conaghan, 2007)

4. Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study (SwiSCI) as a case in point
International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
Existing health instruments
Select ICF Core Set(s)
ICF Generic and Disability Set
Brief ICF Core Set for SCI – Early post-acute Setting
Brief ICF Core Set for SCI – Long-term Setting
Link information to the ICF
ICF Category
Item included in SwiSCI
Response format
b130 Energy and drive functions
Fatigue
Polytomous (0 insignificant problem to 3 chronic problem)
b134 Sleep functions
Spinal cord injury secondary condition scale (SCI-SCS)
Dichotomous
b152 Emotional functions
Mental health subscale of the SF-36
Polytomous
(1 All of the time to
6 None of the time)
Identify ICF categories
Co-calibration of items along a common metric while maintaining structure of ICF
Rasch Measurement Model
Standardized units:
Range from 0 to 100 4

5. Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study (SwiSCI) as a case in point
Illustration of operationalization of b1 Mental functions by integrating items from various existing instruments

6. Conclusion
We have illustrated one approach toward developing a system for standardized reporting of functioning which
builds upon existing methods for data collection.
enables comparability of functioning information based on the ICF.
enhances comprehensive, reliable and understandable foundation for decision making at all levels of health its related systems.
Acknowledgments:
The authors would like to acknowledge the extensive support of Carolina Saskia Ballert in this project.

7. Thank you for your attention!