The impact of COVID-19 on the patient, clinician, healthcare services and society: A patient pathway review.

Abstract

The spread of COVID-19 infection has changed the world. Population-based studies of COVID-19 are limited because it is unknown why events happen or why certain outcomes occur. An alternative approach called the patient pathway review evaluates what happens to individuals in detail. In the "ideal" pathway patients with COVID-19 will seek medical attention and COVID-19 will be identified and they will either be admitted to hospital, managed in the community or they will self-care. However, in the "real-world" pathway, patients may delay seeking medical attention and it is variable who the patient decides to seek help from and some patients may be initially misdiagnosed. The eventual outcome will be recovery from the acute infection or death but there may be a spectrum of healthcare needs for patients from those who care for themselves in the community to those who are hospitalized and require intensive care. The patients may or may not have short- and long-term adverse effects. People infected with COVID-19 can take on different paths which depend on the patient's decision making, clinical decision making, and the patient's response to the infection. Desirable pathways are those where patients have good outcomes and also limit the transmission of the virus.