COVID-19 Follow-up care paths and Long-term Outcomes Within the Dutch health care system: a combined rehabilitation, pulmonary, and intensive care perspective (CO-FLOW study)

After hospital discharge, COVID-19 patients follow different aftercare pathways, such as in a rehabilitation center, nursing home or physiotherapy practice. Little is known about the eventual recovery after COVID-19 and the effect of these aftercare pathways. Background The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a rapid development of aftercare for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Whether this aftercare provides the right care in the right place for patients who experience long-term complaints after COVID-19 is unknown. Goal Mapping the long-term consequences of COVID-19 in patients who have been hospitalized and further developing aftercare pathways. Research design COVID-19 patients who have been hospitalized in the Rotterdam-Rijnmond and Delft region will be followed for 2 years. Data is collected about patient flows in the various aftercare pathways, care use, facilitating and hindering factors in the aftercare process as experienced by healthcare professionals and patients, (work) participation, quality of life and (predictors of) physical, cognitive and psychological recovery. Measurements are taken at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after hospital discharge. The first results It is expected that patients who have had COVID-19 may continue to experience complaints in various areas for a long time after hospital discharge. The research provides insight into the long-term consequences of COVID-19 and makes aftercare better tailored to the patient. 650 patients are participating in the study. Interim analyzes show that despite often good recovery from lung damage and lung function, 51% of patients are still tired six months after hospital discharge, which has an impact on the quality of life. These results can be read in the articles below. Persistent health problems beyond pulmonary recovery up to 6 months after hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 CO-FLOW: COvid-19 Follow-up care paths and Long-term Outcomes Within the Dutch health care system: study protocol of a multicenter prospective cohort study following patients 2 years after hospital discharge