The RCA is leading a province-wide initiative to track utilization of outpatient rehab services by patients recovering from COVID-19. The initiative is the first to gather provincial data on a programmatic level and will provide a clearer picture of these individuals, their needs and the impact on the rehabilitative care system.

Rehabilitation programs across the province have provided services to individuals recovering from COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, and some have created new programs tailored specifically to their needs. By collecting and analyzing data from these programs, the RCA will be able to determine utilization and best practices for this patient group and provide a better understanding of the resources required to develop and sustain COVID-19 specific services. With an estimated 20 per cent of individuals experiencing long-term symptoms, the demand for outpatient rehab services is expected to grow.

Thirteen sites across the province are submitting standardized data in the following areas:

  • Demographics: e.g., age, gender, referral source
  • Clinical presentation: e.g., hospitalization (acute care, ICU, inpatient rehab), presenting symptoms being addressed by outpatient rehab program
  • Utilization: e.g., date of first visit and discharge, attendances by specialization (PT, OT, SLP, SW, KIN, psychologist, etc.)
  • Outcome measures: post-COVID functional scale, one-minute sit-to-stand test

Data will capture patients seen from October 2021 to March 2022 and will be submitted at three points in time (January, March and June). The RCA will analyze and share data at an aggregate level with participating sites and provincial stakeholders.

For more information, please contact Katie Churchill, Project Manager.