The Effectiveness of Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy in the Treatment of Patients With COVID-19 in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting
Leah Bellinger, Nelle Hannah Ouellette, Julie Robertson
Abstract
Purpose The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has resulted in prolonged hospitalizations due to complications of moderate-to-severe COVID-19, leaving many with significant debilitation and functional impairment. The purpose of this research study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of physical, occupational, and speech therapy in the treatment of individuals recovering from COVID-19 in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. Method An observational pretest–posttest study of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 admitted to Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation was conducted. Results from the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF PAI), the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), the Modified Barthel Index–Shah Version (mBI), the Orientation Log, and the Cognitive Log were collected and analyzed utilizing a paired t test. Results Statistically significant improvements ( p < .05) in IRF PAI ( p = 2.02 × 10 −14 ), 6MWT ( p = 2.29 × 10 −9 ), mBI ( p = 5.95 × 10 −9 ), Orientation Log ( p = 1.81 × 10 −2 ), and Cognitive Log ( p = 9.21 × 10 −4 ) scores demonstrate that physical, occupational, and speech therapy improved the mobility, self-care, and cognitive performance of individuals recovering from COVID-19 at the inpatient rehabilitation level of care. Conclusions These findings can be used to impact the appropriate progression of patients through the health care continuum. As treatment of COVID-19 continues to evolve, ongoing research in this area of practice is warranted to continue to demonstrate the role of rehabilitation in the recovery process.