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. 2022 Jul 13:10:936000.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.936000. eCollection 2022.

Remote Monitoring and Holistic Care of Home-Isolated COVID-19 Positive Healthcare Workers Through Digital Technology During the Omicron (B1.1.529) Wave: A Prospective Cohort Study From India

Siddharth Jain  1 , Amit Agarwal  1 , Anupriya Bhardwaj  1 , Pvm Lakshmi  2 , Manvi Singh  1 , Anil Chauhan  1 , Meenu Singh  1   3
Affiliations

Remote Monitoring and Holistic Care of Home-Isolated COVID-19 Positive Healthcare Workers Through Digital Technology During the Omicron (B1.1.529) Wave: A Prospective Cohort Study From India

Siddharth Jain et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Remote monitoring through digital technology offers a promising solution for the diverse medical, psychological and social issues that plague patients with COVID-19 under home-isolation, but remain neglected due to a lack of streamlined medical services for these patients.

Methods: This prospective cohort study determined the feasibility of remote telemonitoring of healthcare workers with mild COVID-19 under home isolation during the Omicron (B1.1.529) wave and characterized their clinico-demographic profile. A holistic monitoring model comprising of mandatory phone calls at the beginning and end of isolation, assisted by home oximetry, predesigned google forms, and opt-in software-based (eSanjeevani OPD) teleconsultation was employed. Factors associated with development of symptomatic disease were also determined.

Results: Out of 100 COVID-19 positive healthcare workers under home-isolation, data for 94 participants was available [median age 27(20-52) years, 56(60%) females]. 93(99%) patients were previously vaccinated for COVID-19 (median time from last dose = 248 days); 34(36%) had a past history of COVID-19. Fever (67%), myalgia (69%), sore throat/dry cough (70%), and running nose (45%) were the most common symptoms. No patient progressed to moderate-severe disease or required care escalation during the remote monitoring period. Most participants reported several additional psychosocial concerns which were adequately addressed. Symptomatic patients had higher BMI (24.1 vs. 21.8kg/m2, p = 0.01) compared to asymptomatic patients. Age, past infection with COVID-19, and time since last vaccine dose were not different between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.

Conclusion: COVID-19 patients under home isolation have multi-faceted medical and psychosocial issues which can be holistically managed remotely through digital technology.

Keywords: COVID-19; cohort; digital technology; healthcare worker (HCW); remote monitoring.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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