Strategies for managing COVID-19 patients with PICS
Effective and efficient rehabilitation care is needed to manage COVID-19 survivors with PICS. We propose strategies, based on available evidence, which could be adopted by critical care clinicians in the rehabilitation care of COVID-19 patients with PICS. These considerations stem from data from developed countries and indirect evidence from knowledge of critical care rehabilitation; and we suggest they are adapted to suit the peculiarity of the African healthcare system. These considerations are not mutually exclusive, and its practice is iterative [i.e. a lot of clinical discussion with the multidisciplinary members] across the continuum of care.
Rehabilitation care for COVID-19 patients with PICS admitted in the ICU should include early ICU rehabilitation upon admission, screening on discharge, and discharging into a post rehabilitation program such as primary healthcare centers or rehabilitation homes. Patient/family education, efficient and effective communication between healthcare workers - discharger and the receiver, patients/family should be a continuous process throughout the continuum of care (See Figure 1).