COVID‐19 rehabilitation delivered via a telehealth pulmonary rehabilitation model: a case series

Abstract

Abstract International statements have suggested the pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) model as an appropriate rehabilitation option for people recovering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). In this case series, we present our COVID‐19 telehealth rehabilitation programme, delivered within a PR setting, and discuss the management of our first three cases. All patients were male, with a median age of 73 years. Following hospital discharge, the patients presented with persistent limitations and/or symptoms (e.g. breathlessness, fatigue, and reduced exercise capacity) which warranted community‐based rehabilitation. Patients were assessed and provided with an initial six‐week rehabilitation programme supported via telehealth using a treatable traits approach. Patients demonstrated improvements in exercise capacity and breathlessness; however, fatigue levels worsened in two cases and this was attributed to the difficulties of managing returning to work and/or carer responsibilities whilst trying to recover from a severe illness. We found that PR clinicians were well prepared and able to provide an individualized rehabilitation programme for people recovering from COVID‐19.

Keywords

• COVID‐19
• exercise
• pulmonary rehabilitation
• rehabilitation
• telehealth