Post-COVID Recovery Assessment Clinics: A Real Need of Time

Abstract

COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory and vascular disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. This virus was first identified in Wuhan, China and caused an ongoing pandemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020. Reports suggest that patients experience persistent deficits in pulmonary and cognitive functioning, as well as multifaceted health issues and worsened quality of life. From records in Italy and France, COVID-19 survivors experience the return of symptoms. COVID-19 survivors need specialist investigation once they have been discharged from hospital. No proper guidelines are recommending that COVID-19 survivors should be under assessment. We intended to provide a model to assist local healthcare systems to establish post-COVID recovery assessment clinic(s) for CVOID-19 survivors. Our model will enable COVID-19 patients’ access to multi-professional advice, so that they are put onto the right clinical pathway to treat their symptoms. Furthermore, the findings of different specialties in post-COVID recovery assessment clinic(s) may help doctors determine the best discharge plan for COVID-19 patients.

Scoping review of rehabilitation care models for post COVID-19 condition

“…No articles reported on children. When described, the settings of rehabilitation care models were outpatient rehabilitation (11 studies), 17 , 35 , 38 , 44 , 46 , 51 , 53 , 55 , 59 , 62 , 63 community-based rehabilitation (nine studies) 30 , 31 , 49 , 52 , 53 , 55 , 57 , 59 , 63 and inpatient rehabilitation (six studies). 17 , 30 , 42 , 44 , 46 , 53 Study designs included conceptual model proposals (12 studies), 30 , 32 , 38 , 49 , 52 , 55 – 60 , 63 literature reviews (eight studies), 31 , 34 , 37 , 39 , 48 , 54 , 64 , 65 qualitative articles, such as surveys, interviews, focus group discussions and Delphi methods (six studies), 40 , 41 , 45 – 47 , 51 cohort studies (six studies), 32 , 35 , 36 , 42 , 44 , 53 letters and practice pointers (four studies) 17 , 33 , 43 , ...…”

“… 30 , 32 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 46 , 49 , 52 , 54 – 63 A total of 18 components were described. The most common components were multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams (18 studies; 95%), 30 , 32 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 46 , 49 , 52 , 54 , 55 , 57 – 63 continuity and coordination of care (11 studies; 58%), 38 , 41 , 46 , 49 , 54 , 56 – 58 , 60 , 61 , 63 people-centred care and shared decision-making between clinicians and patients (10 studies; 53%), 38 , 41 , 46 , 49 , 54 , 55 , 58 , 61 – 63 integrated care (10 studies; 53%), 38 , 41 , 44 , 46 , 52 , 54 , 58 , 60 , 61 , 63 evidence-based care (eight studies; 42%), 41 , 42 , 44 , 46 , …”

“…A total of nine functions were described. The most common functions were standardized symptoms assessment and screening (19 studies; 100%), 30 , 32 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 44 , 46 , 49 , 52 , 54 – 63 telehealth or virtual care (14 studies; 74%), 38 , 41 , 44 , 46 , 49 , 52 , 54 – 56 , 58 , 60 – 63 follow-up system (13 studies; 68%), 30 , 32 , 42 , 44 , 46 , 49 , 52 , 54 , 57 – 60 , 63 referral system (12 studies; 63%) 30 , 32 , 38 , 41 , 46 , 52 , 54 , 55 , 58 – 61 and home-based care (seven studies; 37%). 38 , 49 , 54 – 56 , 58 , 59 …”

“… 17 , 30 , 32 – 35 , 38 – 44 , 46 – 50 , 52 – 58 , 60 – 64 Ten different professions were proposed. The most common professionals were physiotherapists (29 studies; 97%), 17 , 30 , 32 – 35 , 38 – 44 , 46 – 49 , 52 – 58 , 60 – 64 occupational therapists (22 studies; 73%), 17 , 32 , 35 , 38 – 43 , 46 , 47 , 49 , 52 – 55 , 58 , 60 – 64 psychologists (16 studies; 53%), 38 , 40 – 44 , 46 , 47 , 52 , 54 , 57 , 58 , 60 , 61 , 63 , 64 speech and language therapists (13 studies; 43%), 32 , 38 , 40 – 43 , 47 , 54 , 58 , 60 , 61 ...…”