Starting in 2021, the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) implemented the Post Covid-19 Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program for patients with serious illness. Most of them are people who were hospitalized and the goal is for them to recover their social and/or work life as soon as possible, said Dr. Célida Duque Molina, director of Medical Benefits.
Check the health status of Covid-19 survivors
Leading a supervision tour of the Regional General Hospital (HGR) No. 72 in Tlalnepantla, State of Mexico, he indicated that on the instructions of the general director of the IMSS, Maestro Zoé Robledo, rehabilitation therapies are continued for people who have persistent symptoms after infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
“What patients most often refer to is shortness of breath and fatigue, but with a three to four-week rehabilitation program they can perfectly return to their activities.”
In this case, for months it has been described the Post Covid-19 Syndrome as the stage of the disease that is maintained months after discharge from the hospital. Although it seems that there is a possible recovery, the quality of life does not return to what it was before the infection. The manifestations vary greatly but range from fatigue or tiredness to alterations in pulmonary function, neurological, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, osteoarticular, and dermatological disorders, among others.
Based on current scientific evidence, the WHO published the first clinical guideline on this topic. It is based on the Delphi method, which is a structured communication technique, developed as a systematic and interactive prediction method, based on a group of experts. It is a prospective technique used to obtain essentially quantitative information about the future.
The 27-page document offers an overview of the Post Covid-19 Syndrome and shows some studies that have been carried out. If you are interested in downloading the guide, you can do so at this link.
What does comprehensive post-Covid-19 rehabilitation consist of?
He said that in HGR No. 72 the beneficiaries obtain their appointment at the Rehabilitation Service in less than a week. If required, in addition to pulmonary function, muscular and neurological therapy is offered. In addition, training is provided to patients so that they can continue their rehabilitation process at home.
Dr. Duque Molina added that this type of comprehensive management, in addition to covering patients with post-COVID rehabilitation, also considers older adults or people who have suffered cerebral thrombosis or a fracture, among others.
In her message, the head of the Medical Benefits Service at the IMSS State of Mexico East, Dr. María de los Ángeles Dichi Romero, pointed out that work is being done on the recovery of Rehabilitation services. This hospital does an extraordinary job in this matter, which is why its capacities are reinforced to meet the objective of offering patients a hundred percent recovery.
Dr. Duque Molina and authorities from the Institute at the Central Level, the IMSS Representative Office in the State of Mexico East and HGR No. 72 went to this hospital with more than 30 years of experience to supervise the areas of Rehabilitation, Emergencies, Hospitalization, COVID care areas, Respiratory Triage, Tocosurgery Admission, Intermediate Observation and Adults, among others.
In each of these services, the quality and timeliness of the care provided to beneficiaries of the eastern zone in the State of Mexico, both to patients with coronavirus and those who have other types of ailments, was reviewed.
In this sense, Dr. Alfredo Mercado Aguirre, director of HGR No. 72, indicated that this hospital provided one hundred percent COVID care and more than 200 hospitalized patients were treated in one day. It was carried out in a very important reconversion process where doctors from various specialties joined the COVID Response Teams, and work is currently being done to normalize medical services, while continuing to care for people with coronavirus.