Care models are informed by five key principles, including multidisciplinary expertise, patient-centered approach<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b><\/p>\n
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MONDAY, May 20, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Definitions of long COVID and care models are evolving, but considerable variability is seen in these models, according to a review published online May 21 in the Annals of Internal Medicine<\/em>.<\/p>\n Roger Chou, M.D., from the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, and colleagues performed a scoping review on definitions of long COVID and provide an overview of care models. Thirty-eight of 1,960 screened citations were included in the review.<\/p>\n The researchers noted variation with respect to timing since symptom onset and minimum duration required for diagnosis in five clinical definitions of long COVID; one additional definition was based on symptom scores. Five key principles informed 49 long COVID care models: a core “lead” team, multidisciplinary expertise, comprehensive access to diagnostic and therapeutic services, a patient-centered approach, and providing capacity to meet demand. A framework for distinguishing models included seven characteristics: home department or clinical setting, clinical lead, collocation of other specialties, primary care role, population managed, use of teleservices, and whether the model was practice- or systems-based. Ten representative practice-based and three systems-based models of care were identified using this framework.<\/p>\n “A standardized, valid, and reliable definition is needed to accurately identify patients who could benefit from long COVID models of care and to advance research in this field,” the authors write.<\/p>\n