A demand–capacity mismatch between rehabilitation need and service provision as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? Early clinical observations from a large teaching hospital in London. (December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tahtis, Vassilios; Wilson, Nicky; Northfield, Frankie; Cook, Donna; Gregory, Kate; Reilly, Charles C.
• Is Part Of: Physiotherapy. Volume 113(2021)
• Page Start: 153
• Page End: 159
• Publication Date: 2021-12
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- Rehabilitation -- Respiratory infection -- Intensive care medicine -- Infectious diseases; Physical therapy -- Periodicals; Therapeutics, Physiological -- Periodicals; 615.8205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physio.2021.03.007
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-9406

Abstract

Abstract: In this short report the authors characterise inpatient bed occupancy and predicted rehabilitation need of patients cared for in two acute hospitals of a large London NHS Trust during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, including 394 people with confirmed COVID-19. Data were captured on a single day (17 th April 2020) from the two Trust hospitals to inform discharge planning in line with national COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service policy guidance. Our data suggests that the proportion of COVID-19 patients predicted to require rehabilitation upon hospital discharge may be greater than the estimates described in the national COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service policy guidance; posing the question is there a demand–capacity mismatch between rehabilitation need and service provision as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic?