Rehabilitation of Covid-19 patients requires significant investments in both modern equipment and staff
The physically demanding and complex work performed by hospital staff around the world due to the corona pandemic is now transferring to follow-up care and the rehab sector, which are facing major challenges. Arjo has extensive experience of working together with healthcare to ensure the right care environment, know-how and expertise among staff, as well as processes, procedures and equipment. All of these efforts aim to empower movement throughout the care process – a job now becoming more important than ever.
Many intensive care patients undergo highly demanding treatment for a long period of time, and subsequently experience several long-term functional impairments, such as muscular weakness and reduced mobility as a result of a loss of muscle or muscle function. Reduced mobility also makes it difficult for patients to independently manage activities in daily life, making the recovery phase after Covid-19 both staff intense and costly.
Research shows that there is a clear link between mobility and people’s physical and mental well-being. The WHO recommendations for the management of Covid-19 patients stress the importance of actively mobilising ICU patients as early as realistically possible in the course of the illness, when it is safe to do so.*
“Mobility, even at the very early stages of recovery is crucial to patient rehabilitation, and can lead to quicker recovery and with that reduced workload, fewer work injuries and higher job satisfaction for healthcare staff,” says Kristian Waldeck, responsible for Medical Affairs at Arjo. “There are evidence-based models and methods for making improvements, which should be utilized to a much higher degree,” he adds.
With the right skills for healthcare professionals and the right work procedures and processes, patient handling equipment, such as standing and raising aids, will be a valuable solution for patients striving to increase their mobility during rehabilitation.
Another important area for the care and rehabilitation of Covid-19 patients is preventing blood clots in the veins, also known as venous thromboembolism (VTE), something costing the global healthcare sector billions of dollars every year. Arjo’s solutions for VTE prevention, such as IPC pumps and garments, jointly comprise a simple, comfortable and therapeutically effective solution that stimulates movement, resulting in blood circulation in the legs’ deep veins.
By helping patients maintain their mobility using modern equipment, several complications can be avoided, thereby increasing their independence and improving their self-esteem. At the same time, healthcare professionals experience less stress and a lower risk of work-related injuries, which increases productivity, improves work satisfaction and reduces staff turnover. Overall this leads to an increased quality of care and reduction of healthcare costs. Joacim Lindoff, Arjo President & CEO, together with Katharina Stibrant Sunnerhagen, Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, has also published an opinion piece in Göteborgs-Posten on this topic (please note that the article is in Swedish):
Add resources for us to handle the rehabilitation of covid-19 patients
*Clinical management of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) when COVID-19 disease is suspected. WHO Interim guidance March 2020
For further information, please contact:
Kornelia Rasmussen, EVP Marketing Communications & Public Relations
Tel: +46 (0)10 335 4810
E-mail: kornelia.rasmussen@arjo.com
Maria Nilsson, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Tel: +46 (0)10 335 4866
E-mail: maria.nilsson@arjo.com
About Arjo
At Arjo, we are committed to improving the everyday lives of people affected by reduced mobility and age-related health challenges. With products and solutions that ensure ergonomic patient handling, personal hygiene, disinfection, diagnostics, and the effective prevention of pressure ulcers and venous thromboembolism, we help professionals across care environments to continually raise the standard of safe and dignified care. Arjo has approximately 6,000 employees worldwide and customers in over 100 countries. In 2019, Arjo sales amounted to SEK 8.9 billion. Arjo is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and its head office is located in Malmö, Sweden. Everything we do, we do with people in mind. www.arjo.com
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