Palliative Opioids May Be a Bridge to Care for Rural Long-Term Care Facility Residents with Severe COVID-19 Symptoms

PURPOSE: Long term care facility (LTCF) residents are at high risk for severe COVID-19 symptoms, but those in rural and resource-limited areas, such as West Virginia (WV) and the larger Appalachian region, may experience delays in obtaining higher levels of medical care due to isolated geography and limited transportation. The study examined the outcomes between residents from 1 LCTF in WV who were moved to a hospital as compared to those remaining in the facility. METHODS: This cohort study compares mortality outcomes among severely symptomatic residents desiring hospitalization and those electing to stay at the facility receiving palliative opioids with supplemental oxygen. FINDINGS: Forty residents tested positive for COVID-19 with 11 developing severe respiratory symptoms. Eight residents elected to receive care at the LTCF while 3 desired hospitalization. Mortality was assessed at 4 time points and was not statistically different between those who were hospitalized versus those who received palliative opioids at the LTCF. Although not significant, the difference in mortality between those hospitalized (66.7%) and those receiving opioids at the LTCF (12.5%) in the acute phase trended toward significance (P = .072). Overall mortality at the 6-month time point among all residents who developed severe respiratory symptoms at this LTCF was 54.5%. CONCLUSIONS: LTCF residents choosing different levels of therapeutic intervention for severe COVID-19 symptoms had no mortality difference. Palliative opioids may be an effective treatment for LTCF residents with severe COVID-19 and also a bridge to care in rural areas with limited resources until more advanced treatments can be accessed.