Almost half of COVID-19 patients suffer long-term health problems

The researchers discovered that nearly half of those who survived COVID-19 suffered long-term effects.

Furthermore, there was no additional treatment for the 40% of patients who were discharged in poor health.

According to a new study, 45 per cent of patients who were hospitalized and treated for COVID-19 were still experiencing related health problems when they were discharged.

Dr Alecia K. Daunter, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and the study’s lead author, says, “Physicians and others in the healthcare system were working appropriately to discharge patients.”

She added “[Patients] survived, but these people left the hospital in worse physical condition than they started. If they needed outpatient therapy or are now walking with a cane, something happened that impacted their discharge plan.”

The researcher explains why this happened so frequently in the early stages of the pandemic:

“[Doctors and hospitals] needed to keep patients safe while maximizing available beds and minimizing exposure to staff. I think that contributed to many people not being assessed by a therapist or [physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R)] physician.”