P20 Covid supported discharge: a Liverpool experience

Introduction The Liverpool Community Respiratory team (CRT) is a multi-professional team supporting patients with COPD exacerbations to reduce hospital admissions and length of stay. During the first wave of the Covid 19 pandemic, CRT piloted a service to support and monitor patients hospitalised with covid 19 pneumonia on discharge. Patients were provided with telehealth equipment for remote physiological monitoring, and were called daily by a member of the team. Results 157 patients (87 male, mean age 59.7, range 21–88) were supported by the CRT covid discharge service between May 2020 and May 2021. 11 (7%) were readmitted, 4 withdrew and 1 died at home. 141 completed 10–14 days of support. Mean hospital stay was 13.7 days (range 11–112). 8 were current smokers, 52 were ex smokers and 87 had never smoked. Mean BMI was 31.4 (range 18.5–54.5). Chair based exercises were introduced early and 141 were offered pulmonary rehabilitation, of whom 135 (95.7%) agreed to a referral; only 6 declined. Feedback from all patients supported by CRT was positive. We noted that anxiety levels improved subjectively during the period of CRT support so introduced GAD7 to further assess this. Although 28 patients achieved the minimal clinically significant difference, this was not seen consistently across the group. Conclusions Supported discharge after hospitalisation with covid pneumonia is safe and well-liked by patients. Readmissions were rare and pulmonary rehabilitation uptake was high. There may be some benefit in term of anxiety management, but numbers were too low for this to be proven.