🗞️   Evaluation of an outreach programme for patients with COVID-19 in an integrated healthcare delivery system: a retrospective cohort study

Objectives In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, health systems implemented programmes to manage outpatients with COVID-19. The goal was to expedite patients’ referral to acute care and prevent overcrowding of medical centres. We sought to evaluate the impact of such a programme, the COVID-19 Home Care Team (CHCT) programme. Design Retrospective cohort. Setting Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Participants Adult members before COVID-19 vaccine availability (1 February 2020–31 January 2021) with positive SARS-CoV-2 tests. Intervention Virtual programme to track and treat patients with ‘CHCT programme’. Outcomes The outcomes were (1) COVID-19-related emergency department visit, (2) COVID-19-related hospitalisation and (3) inpatient mortality or 30-day hospice referral.

BMJ     Jan 09, 2024