Reviewer: Elliot J Roth, MD (Shirley Ryan AbilityLab)
Description: This is a well-written second edition of an important reference based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), the accepted standard for assessing, documenting, and reporting functioning and disability. It is not clear from the book exactly what is different about, or added to, this edition, but presumably more codes and core sets have been added.
Purpose: It is intended as an easily readable, accessible, and handy guide for use in clinical rehabilitation practice and, although it typically would not be read cover to cover, it could serve as a valuable and useful reference on the desks of practitioners and investigators.
Audience: Although the book is easy to understand and could be used by trainees, it is directed primarily to practitioners and investigators.
Features: ICF is "used in healthcare to collect and use data in a uniform way" regarding functioning. ICF Core Sets are tools to implement in clinical practice comprised of selections of categories of ICF codes considered most relevant for assessing and reporting on a particular focused group of persons. Of note, well-written and relatively brief introductory chapters describe the codes and their uses, and then more than one-half of the book is devoted to specific examples. Tables and figures are plentiful and clear. References are appropriate and timely. The index is fair.
Assessment: This is a clearly written, easily accessible, practical, and useful reference regarding the ICF codes and their applications. The only potential comparison might be to the first edition of this book, and it is not clear what is new or different about this second edition.
