Dataset Information

Integrating healthcare for follow-up of adult COVID-19 patients in an outpatient clinic: A matter of cooperation.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale aims and objectives

A large number of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) need outpatient follow-up after hospitalization. As these patients may experience a broad range of symptoms, as do patients infected with the related SARS-CoV-1 virus, we set up a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic involving pulmonologists, internists, and geriatricians. Patients were allocated to a specialist based on symptoms reported on a self-developed questionnaire of expected symptoms of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of this outpatient clinic.

Methods

In this retrospective study, the medical records of patients who presented to the outpatient clinic for follow-up after hospitalization for COVID-19 up to 31 August 2020, were reviewed.

Results

In total, 266 patients were seen at the outpatient clinic at least once. Overall, 100 patients were seen by a pulmonologist, 97 by an internist, and 65 by a geriatrician. A referral between these 3 medical specialists was needed for only 14 patients (5.3%). Fifty patients were seen by a psychologist, mostly those with a HADS score >10. Only 5 (2.2%) of the 221 patients who were not directly referred to a psychologist based on triage needed psychological support. Forty-eight patients (18%) were also seen by a physiatrist.

Conclusion

Identifying which medical specialist (pulmonologist, internist, and/or geriatrician) should see patients attending a post-COVID outpatient clinic based on patient-reported symptoms proved an effective approach to managing the flow of post-COVID patients.

SUBMITTER: Klinkert AF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8827273 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Integrating healthcare for follow-up of adult COVID-19 patients in an outpatient clinic: A matter of cooperation.

Klinkert Aryan F AF Baptista Lopes Vania V van Baar Janwillem M JM Broeders Mariëlle E A C MEAC van Rijswijk H N A J Rein HNAJR Cornegé-Blokland Esther E Siegers-Siebelink Corrie C Kerckhoffs Angèle P M APM Keijsers Carolina J P W CJPW

Health science reports 20220209 2

<h4>Rationale aims and objectives</h4>A large number of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) need outpatient follow-up after hospitalization. As these patients may experience a broad range of symptoms, as do patients infected with the related SARS-CoV-1 virus, we set up a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic involving pulmonologists, internists, and geriatricians. Patients were allocated to a specialist based on symptoms reported on a self-developed questionnaire of expected symptoms of C ...[more]

PMID: 35155829

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Project description:BackgroundSince 2020, several specialized follow-up outpatient clinics have been established across Germany to address the complex needs of patients with Long COVID/ Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC). This article reviews the current landscape of these specialized clinics in Germany and critically evaluates their diagnostic and treatment algorithms.MethodsThis study employed a mixed-method approach, combining publicly available information on post-COVID-19 outpatient clinics with an observational cross-sectional online survey among lead doctors of PCC follow-up outpatient clinics in Germany. The survey was conducted from November 2023 to January 2024. Descriptive statistics and t-tests for group-comparisons were employed, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.ResultsAt the time of the survey, 112 specialized PCC outpatient clinics were identified in Germany through publicly available information. Forty-five PCC outpatient clinic lead doctors (40.2%) responded to our survey. Treatment of PCC patients is personalized and symptom-oriented rather than standardized. Patient characteristics of the two identified main treatment domains, focusing on respiratory and neurocognitive symptoms, differed only in sex distribution. A higher proportion of females (63.9%) presented with pulmonary symptoms compared to patients with neurocognitive impairments (50.2%, p < 0.05). The level of distress among patients is generally perceived as high and outpatient clinic lead doctors are convinced that their outpatient counseling services offer significant benefits.ConclusionsAs the demand for PCC follow-up outpatient clinics persists, the establishment of new services continues, particularly to address the growing need for neurocognitive care services. PCC outpatient care is currently personalized and symptom-orientated, leading to high variability across clinics. Further standardization of treatment protocols and diagnostic algorithms could improve patient care and facilitate professional exchange.

Dataset Information

Integrating healthcare for follow-up of adult COVID-19 patients in an outpatient clinic: A matter of cooperation.

Rationale aims and objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

Integrating healthcare for follow-up of adult COVID-19 patients in an outpatient clinic: A matter of cooperation.

Similar Datasets

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