Disability Rating Scale

This established scale was developed as a method of rating the effects of traumatic brain injury to determine how long recovery might take. The DRS provides insight into the patient's cognitive impairment by tracking progress over time. Key aspects of disability are assessed, including the impairment and handicap of an individual. Eye opening, communication ability, and motor response are among the capabilities measured. Data that reflects these aspects of function can predict the patient's length of stay in rehabilitation and the ability to return to employment. A primary advantage of the DRS is its ability to track patient progress. Its ease in assessing a patients progress makes the scale a valuable clinical tool. Scaling a person's general behavioral disability is another benefit of the DRS.