Can Outpatient Rehabilitation Be Continued During the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Report from a Japanese Regional Medical University Hospital

OBJECTIVE: To describe the operation of an outpatient rehabilitation practice at a Japanese hospital severely affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN: Analytical observational study. SETTING: Outpatient rehabilitation department in Saitama, Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Number (N=953) of outpatients from January 2019 to July 2021. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: This paper begins with a review of the infection control measures that were initiated after declaration of a state of emergency in April 2020. The effects of the pandemic were then examined by comparing the daily average number of outpatients from January 2020 to July 2021 with that noted for the same duration during 2019. RESULTS: In April 2020, the average daily number of patients decreased by 77.1% compared with the number in 2019 and was further decreased by 65.7% and 63.7% in May and June 2020, respectively. The time limitations on rehabilitation were lifted in June, and the number of patients increased by 82.3% in July 2020. Thereafter, it remained at approximately 80% throughout the rest of the year compared with that noted in 2019. From January 2021 to July 2021, the number of patients approached the number noted during normal practice or was even higher. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of infection control measures, adjustments to procedures, and widespread vaccination permitted the continuation of our outpatient practice.