Process / pipelineFunctional assessment

Functional Independence Measure

The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is a comprehensive 18-item scale assessing functional independence and burden of care in patients with disability across motor and cognitive domains. Developed by Granger and colleagues in 1987, FIM has become the standard outcome measure in rehabilitation medicine, mandated by Medicare for documenting rehabilitation outcomes and discharge planning in inpatient rehabilitation facilities.

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Sources

  1. Granger, C. V., Deutsch, A., & Linn, R. T. (1998). Advances in functional assessment for medical rehabilitation. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 5(2), 27–35. DOI: 10.1310/VQXN-1V12-VFMA-LFHN
  2. Hamilton, B. B., Laughlin, J. A., Fiedler, R. C., & Granger, C. V. (1994). Interrater reliability of the 7-level Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 26(3), 115–119. link

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Referenced by

ScholarGateFunctional Independence Measure Scale (Functional Independence Measure Scale). Retrieved 2026-06-04 from https://scholargate.app/en/rehabilitation/fim-functional-independence