Barthel Index (BI) [D.W. Barthel, 20th century American psychiatrist] , a disability profile scale developed by D.W. Barthel in 1965 to evaluate a patient’s self-care abilities in 10 areas, including bowel and bladder control. The patient is scored from 0 to 15 points in various categories, depending on his or her need for help, such as in feeding, bathing, dressing, and walking. It is used to assist in the determination of the level of ability for self-care related to the requirements for daily living.
