US study suggests home health care improves COVID-19 outcomes

The findings of a new study by the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Penn Nursing suggest that 94 per cent of the COVID 19 patients discharged to home health care which included skilled nursing and physical therapy achieved statistically significant improvements in symptom burden and functional outcomes and 87 per cent had no adverse events The study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine states no data has been available on the outcomes of COVID 19 patients discharged home after hospitalisation and their recovery needs The survivors of COVID 19 are a vulnerable population who often have health ramifications from their illness and hospital stay Upon returning home from acute care large proportions of survivors experience functional dependencies pain dyspnea and exhaustion In the study rich data from more than 1 400 COVID 19 patients admitted to home health care after hospital discharge describes home visit care and recovery extent The study indicates that increasing referrals to home health care has the potential to provide support and achieve improved recovery for these patients