Validation of a Brief Cognitive Screening Examination in an Adult Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Population

Objective: To establish validity of a Brief Cognitive Screening Examination (BCSE) to identify patients requiring further cognitive testing. Methods: A total of 100 adult inpatients at a university acute inpatient rehabilitation facility were given the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clock Draw Test (CDT), and BCSE. The BCSE is a 2-minute test to assess registration, concentration, working memory, and calculation. Results: Univariate linear regression analysis demonstrated that BCSE scores of 16 predicted the MMSE score of 28 (P < .01) and BCSE of 12 or less predicted the MMSE less than 24 (P < .01). Conclusion: The BCSE is a valid, time-efficient, bedside cognitive screen that identifies patients who would benefit from further cognitive evaluation.