We finally have enough research and enough answers and enough patients and enough confirmed cases that have received care. We can start making some recommendations and have at least a minimal amount of evidence for some guidelines on treatment.
The World Confederation of Physical Therapy has published acute care guidelines for care of patients with COVID-19 specific to PTs. There are plenty of guidelines for physicians and nurses right now, most with a fiar amount of evidence, but not PT. We haven’t gotten much to guide us.
My favorite part of these guidelines is that it makes recommendations for who should and should NOT be seen for PT in a critical care setting. I feel like these recommendations for service triage will be modified for application to other settings. So many therapists are reaching out right now because they are struggling with the lack of definition of “essential” and this could be the answer. Some states (like Michigan) have taken it upon themselves to define “essential” as life-saving or life-sustaining care.
How do you feel your employers are doing with utilizing the term “essential” when it comes to patient triage? Take a look at these guidelines for triage and treatment.
What are you doing for patients who have COVID-19? Let me know in the comments.
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Doctor B (the PT) 