Eighty-nine healthcare facilities have been approved to launch a comprehensive inpatient and outpatient healthcare program for the recovery and rehabilitation of people who had COVID-19, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday.
The National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) has been tasked with coordinating the facilities and services, said Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center.
People with post-acute COVID-19 need interdisciplinary care to assist them in recovery, so the program was started for people who experience COVID-19 symptoms within six months of being released from isolation, NHIA Medical Affairs Division executive officer Huang Chao-chieh (黃兆杰) said.
Photo: courtesy of CEEC
Attending physicians at the approved facilities would primarily be from thoracic medicine and infectious disease departments, but they would be able to consult with doctors in other departments if necessary, he said.
“It will be more convenient for the patients, as they won’t need to book appointments at different departments,” Huang said.
“They only need to book an appointment at the comprehensive outpatient clinic to receive treatment from physicians of different departments,” he added.
As of Tuesday, the NHIA had approved 89 healthcare facilities to open clinics for COVID-19 survivors, he said.
The NHI budget would cover program medical care covered by the NHI system, while the program’s administrative expenses would be covered by the Department of Medical Affairs and other resources covered by other ministry departments, Chen said.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) would provide recovery guidelines and isolation data for COVID-19 survivors, the Department of Mental and Oral Health would provide psychological assessments, and the Department of Long-Term Care and the Department of Social Assistance and Social Work would assess their support networks, referring them to welfare resources if needed, the center said.
The CDC’s recovery guidelines say that while most people with acute COVID-19 recover within four weeks, some people continue to experience symptoms after recovering from the initial infection, with the condition comprising various types or combinations of health problems, including multiple organs, and lasting for varying periods.
People’s post-COVID-19 conditions have affected organ systems and presented clinical symptoms such as fatigue, muscular weakness, joint pain, shortness of breath, chest pain, depression, headaches, hair loss, blood clots and chronic kidney disease, among others.
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