Adaptations to rehabilitation services during the COVID-19 pandemic proposed by scientific and professional rehabilitation organizations

Abstract

Objective: To describe adaptations in the provision of rehabilitation services proposed by scientific and professional rehabilitation organizations to avoid interruptions to patients’ rehabilitation process and delays in starting rehabilitation in patients with COVID19. Methods: A narrative review approach was used to identify the recommendations of scientific and professional organizations in the area of rehabilitation. A systematic search was performed in the main databases in 78 international and regional web portals of rehabilitation organizations. A total of 21 publications from these organizations were identified and selected. Results: The results are presented in 4 categories: adequacy of inpatient services, including acute care services and intensive care unit for patients with and without COVID19; adequacy of outpatient services, including homebased rehabilitation and telerehabilitation; recommendations to prevent the spread of COVID19; and regulatory standards and positions during the COVID19 pandemic expressed by organizations for protecting the rights of health workers and patients. Conclusion: Health systems around the world are rapidly learning from actions aimed at the reorganization of rehabilitation services for patients who are in the process of recovery from acute or chronic conditions, and the rapid response to the rehabilitation of survivors of COVID19, as well as from efforts in the prevention of contagion of those providing the services.