Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, part of Mass General in Massachusetts has established a specialized program, dedicated to supporting patients who are recovering from COVID-19 after being hospitalized—amongst the first of its kind to appear in the country. When it first launched, the program began as wholly virtual, to abide by physical distancing protocol. Telemedicine, or online visits by computer or phone, continues to be a viable option for some patients seeking treatment and will be recommended by the patient’s care team, as appropriate.
To ensure that the patient has access to a comprehensive system of support, the program is rooted in a multidisciplinary approach and is run by a team consisting of physiatrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and case managers. The team at Spaulding also works with the patient’s primary care physician, and other providers, to ensure the care plan is tailored to the patient’s history, current case, and recommended treatment techniques.
As far as the length of time it takes for a patient to recover, this remains unknown. Spaulding and Mass General are working to collect standardized data to follow the patient recovery from COVID-19 over time to learn more about various recovery trajectories.
For more information visit:
https://www.massgeneral.org/news/coronavirus/beyond-the-ventilator