A Knowledge-Based System for Rehabilitation of Post-Stroke Patients

Knowledge-based systems are widely used in health care and more recently in rehabilitation. The most complex and demanding task performed by physical therapists is the rehabilitation of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or stroke patients. The repercussions of stroke are very subjective, and it can be very complex and demanding to assess and treat post-stroke patients. This research developed a prototype Rehabilitation Expert System for Post-Stroke Patients (REPS). The system assesses a patient based on internationally validated criteria then recommends treatment from a set of commonly used rehabilitation methods. Both the assessment and recommendation are based on the experience of physical therapists at the Fjórðungssjúkrahúsið á Akureyri (FSA) University Hospital in Akureyri, Iceland. REPS demonstrates the viability of knowledge-based systems in the field of physical therapy and post-stroke rehabilitation, in particular.