Outcomes of COVID‐19 Patients After Inpatient Rehabilitation

Groah, Suzanne L.; Pham, Cynthia T.; Rounds, Amanda K.; Semel, Jennifer J.

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation outcomes of COVID‐19 patients are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to describe COVID‐19 patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation and their rehabilitation outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective observational cohort study of all inpatients from a rehabilitation hospital between March 1 and September 30, 2020. Inclusion criteria are: ≥18 years of age and admission and discharge within the study time frame. The initial search yielded 920 patients; 896 met the inclusion criteria. Data was derived from the eRehabData database. Subjects were stratified by COVID‐19 status and rehabilitation impairment. Data included age, gender, body mass index (BMI), length of stay (LOS), discharge location, and functional ability measures for self‐care and mobility (FA‐SC, FA‐Mob). Descriptive statistics included age, BMI, gender, LOS, and discharge location. One‐sample t‐tests were used to assess the difference of age, BMI, LOS, FA‐SC, FA‐Mob, and FA efficiency between COVID‐19+ and COVID‐19‐ patients. RESULTS: COVID‐19+ patients were younger (59·4 years vs 62·9 years; t(894)= ‐2·05, p=0·04) with a higher mean BMI (32 vs 28; t(894)= 3·51, p<0·01) than COVID‐19‐ patients. COVID‐19+ patients had equivalent or superior improvements in FA‐SC and FA‐Mob, functional change efficiency, and LOS than COVID‐19‐ patients. Comparing Medically Complex patients, those with COVID‐19 had greater FA‐SC and FA‐Mob efficiencies than COVID‐19‐ patients. COVID‐19+ patients had similar rates of return to the community. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COVID‐19 who meet the admission criteria for inpatient rehabilitation can benefit from inpatient rehabilitation similarly to their non‐COVID‐19 counterparts with similar rehabilitation‐specific diagnoses. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.