Clinical Pathway for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients with COVID-19 in Family Practice
Maria Victoria P. Cruz, Noel L. Espallardo, Policarpio Joves, Jr., Anna Guia O. Limpoco, Jane Eflyn Lardizabal-Bunyi, Ranali P. Mendoza, Michael Ian Sta Maria, Jake Cortez, Mark Bitong, and Johann Montemayor
Background
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread worldwide, causing a pandemic. The Philippines ranks 3rd in Southeast Asia with more than 15,000 confirmed cases, and a case fatality rate of 6.01%, close to the global average of 6.33%.
Objectives
This clinical pathway was developed to guide family and community physicians on the diagnosis and initial management of COVID-19 in terms of 1) clinical history and physical examination; 2) laboratory and ancillary procedures to be requested; 3) pharmacologic interventions; 4) non-pharmacologic interventions, and 5) patient outcomes to expect.
Methods
The Â鶹ֱ²¥ Clinical Pathways Group reviewed the published medical literature to identify, summarize, and operationalize the evidence in clinical publication on the management of patients with COVID-19 in family and community practice.
Recommendations
The recommendations are time-bound tasks on patient care processes, in terms of history and physical examination, laboratory tests, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. The recommendations are presented as a table and algorithm.
Implementation
At the clinic level, self-audit using the recommendations of this clinical pathway as the standard may be done. At the organizational level, the Â鶹ֱ²¥ should establish a new model of quality improvement initiative where self-practice audits are included as part of the program.
