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The Critical Role of Rehab in COVID-19 Recovery As the number of COVID-19 patients in recovery increases, so will the need for rehabilitation. Twenty percent of patients recovering from COVID-19 will require facility-based rehab, according to a recent study in the Journal of Rehabilitation Management. 1 Further, the study underscored that inpatient rehab plays a unique and positive role in treating patients recovering from COVID-19. This guide provides research fndings and key strategies hospitals can utilize to improve outcomes through rehabilitation for the care of patients recovering from COVID-19. Benefts of Rehab for Patients Recovering from COVID-19 Rehab has proven to be essential for the full recovery of patients following an elective surgery or an injury, and is now shown to be essential as patients proceed past an active coronavirus status. It is expected that at least 700,000 Americans recovering from COVID-19 will require inpatient rehabilitative care, according to Health Affairs. 2 Extended stays in an intensive care unit and mechanical ventilation often cause muscle weakness and brain damage. After just three days, patients in the ICU may lose up to 9% of muscle mass, while some reports indicate that brain scans of COVID-19 patients may resemble that of a traumatic brain injury. Many patients whose illness warrants an inpatient hospital stay will need rehabilitation after discharge, but will be too weak to tolerate the usually required three hours of therapy per day, according to healthcare advisory organizations, including the Marwood Group. To combat this issue, temporary regulatory changes, such as the waiving of the three-hour rule and pre- authorization requirements, will lead to an infux of Medicare benefciaries who qualify for inpatient rehabilitation. This expanded access to rehabilitation is critical since early integration of post-acute rehabilitative care has proven to be a vital part of recovery for COVID-19 patients. Further, "early rehabilitation of the COVID-19 patients can enhance pulmonary, respiratory function, reduce complications, improve function, cognitive impairments and quality of life, " according to Journal of Rehabilitation Management. Benefts of Partnerships in Post-Acute COVID-19 Recovery Strong partnerships between short-term acute care hospitals and post-acute providers are more important than ever. Two of the key benefts include: 1. Overfow relief and increased patient access, with the opportunity to utilize rehabilitation for COVID-19 patient recovery. Rehabilitation programs are equipped to provide new avenues of support to help relieve overwhelmed hospitals while addressing the broader scope of patients with medical and functional impairments. 2. Support in making clinically appropriate decisions for patient rehabilitative care. The proven ability of early rehabilitation to reduce disability, improve clinical outcomes and reduce readmissions creates the best opportunity for patients to reach a full recovery. Continued > 1 Medicine edicine.