By Janet Coulter, MSN, MS, RN

COVID-19 remains a major public health concern. As health care professionals, we stay up to date on the latest data and treatments.  But what about the public? Does the general public have an understanding of the basics regarding prevention, symptoms, treatments, and how to communicate with their health care provider? Prime and The National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC) have developed a comprehensive guide for the public on COVID-19.  The goal of this comprehensive guide “Smart and Safe Recovery From COVID-19 is to help the public understand the process of working with their health care provider to develop a plan for safe recovery at home. The guide discusses the possible signs of COVID-19 from asymptomatic to severe, life-threatening symptoms that require hospitalization. Also included are options for getting tested, treatment, monitoring symptoms, isolating to prevent COVID-19 transmission, recovering from COVID 19 at home, and commonly used tools to monitor recovery at home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of conditions that puts a person at higher risk for serious illness including hospitalization and death is included.  Cheri Lattimer, Executive Director for the National Transitions of Care Coalition shared,  “We felt it was important for patients, residents, beneficiaries, clients and their identified family caregiver to have the information to engage their providers and care teams in addressing the issues and concerns of COVID-19.  If patients don’t know the questions to ask, they really cannot be fully engaged or involved in their care.”

The guide includes two standalone tools (“Checklist for Home Recovery From COVID-19” and “Health Management Form/Medication List”) that can be printed out and used during telehealth or in-person appointments. The “Checklist for Home Recovery From COVID-19” can be used to develop an at-home COVID-19 care plan with their health care provider and “Health Management Form/Medication List” can be used to organize and prepare important health information prior to a visit with a health care provider. This guide is not intended to replace the advice of a health care provider but to help the public to work with their physician to create a plan for recovery.

The Smart and Safe Recovery From COVID-19 pathway provides guidance for people who are:

  • Seeking testing for suspected COVID-19 or following an exposure
  • Recovering at home from mild or moderate COVID-19 that did not require a hospital stay
  • Preparing to leave, or have recently left, the hospital following treatment for severe COVID-19

You can access the guide at https://images.agoramedia.com/everydayhealth/gcms/54PR205-COVID-TOC-Pathway-revised.pdf

For COVID-19 related CEs go to https://www.pathlms.com/courses?category_ids%5B%5D=1781&slug=cmsa and type COVID-19 in the keyword search!

Janet S. Coulter, MSN, MS, RN, is a Certified Case Manager. She is a transplant case manager who has also worked as a staff nurse, charge nurse, nurse educator, nurse administrator, case manager, case management team leader, and Director of Case Management for a managed care organization. Janet is currently serving a fifth term as President of the CMSA Southern Ohio Valley Chapter and serves on the Editorial Board of CMSA Today.