APTA Cross Sections and Academies Recommendations for COVID-19 Core Outcome Measures

Area of Science:

• Physical therapy
• Rehabilitation science
• Infectious disease management

Background:

• The emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020 presented a significant health challenge in the U.S.
• Limited established best practices exist for evaluating physical therapy patients with COVID-19.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide guidance on best practice recommendations for physical therapists and researchers.
• To outline the selection process for core outcome measures for individuals with or recovering from COVID-19.

Main Methods:

• An expert task force was convened, comprising leaders from nine American Physical Therapy Association academies/sections.
• The task force aimed to develop recommendations for core outcome measures specific to the COVID-19 population.

Main Results:

• This perspective offers guidance on recommended core outcome measures for physical therapists.
• The process used to select these core measures is detailed and discussed.

Conclusions:

• Core outcome measures are essential for monitoring patient progress and changes.
• These measures facilitate tracking across the continuum of care for both individual patients and populations.