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Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC) COVID-19 Recovery Service
  1. Oliver O'Sullivan1,2,
  2. R Barker-Davies1,3,
  3. R Chamley4,5,
  4. E Sellon5,6,
  5. D Jenkins5,6,
  6. R Burley7,
  7. L Holden6,
  8. A M Nicol8,
  9. R Phillip8,
  10. A N Bennett1,9,
  11. E Nicol6,10 and
  12. D A Holdsworth4,5
  1. 1 Academic Department of Military Rehabilitation, Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Stanford Hall, Loughborough, Nottinghamshire, UK
  2. 2 Headquarters Army Medical Services (HQ AMS), Camberley, Surrey, UK
  3. 3 School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK
  4. 4 Academic Department of Military Medicine, Birmingham, UK
  5. 5 Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
  6. 6 Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, UK
  7. 7 Headquarters Defence Primary Healthcare, Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK
  8. 8 Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, Stanford Hall, Loughborough, Nottinghamshire, UK
  9. 9 National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
  10. 10 Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to LtCol D A Holdsworth, DCRS Clinical Lead, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham B45 9UA, UK; david.holdsworth{at}ouh.nhs.uk

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes significant mortality and morbidity, with an unknown impact in the medium to long term. Evidence from previous coronavirus epidemics indicates that there is likely to be a substantial burden of disease, potentially even in those with a mild acute illness. The clinical and occupational effects of COVID-19 are likely to impact on the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces. Collaboration between Defence Primary Healthcare, Defence Secondary Healthcare, Defence Rehabilitation and Defence Occupational Medicine resulted in the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre COVID-19 Recovery Service (DCRS). This integrated clinical and occupational pathway uses cardiopulmonary assessment as a cornerstone to identify, diagnose and manage post-COVID-19 pathology.

  • infectious diseases
  • internal medicine
  • occupational & industrial medicine
  • primary care
  • rehabilitation medicine
  • cardiac epidemiology

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Footnotes

  • Contributors DAH, EN and RB conceived the idea of Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre COVID-19 Recovery Service, which was developed in a group by DAH, EN, RB, LH, AMN and ANB. The pathway was delivered after intellectual and practical contributions from DAH, EN, ANB, RB-D, OO, RC, ES, DJ, ANB and RP. The manuscript was drafted by OOS and DAH and critically reviewed by all authors.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.