A prospective cohort of clinical and epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 patients post-discharge in Tehran, Iran (Tele-COVID-19): Research protocol and baseline findings

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020 Given the severe shortage of hospital beds leading to early discharges and insufficient patient education regarding home care routines and isolation protocols, close follow-up with patients and their immediate relatives is an integral part of care transition from hospital to home among COVID-19 patients OBJECTIVE: We designed the Tele-COVID-19 prospective cohort to follow-up COVID-19 patients in Tehran, Iran, to help improve healthcare delivery and recording of patients' clinical profile post-discharge METHODS: All adult patients admitted to COVID-19 wards of teaching hospitals of Tehran, Iran, were eligible to participate At baseline, patients were recruited from four major hospitals from March 9, 2020, to May 20, 2020 Telephone follow-ups led by volunteer medical students were made on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 post-discharge Data were collected on a range of socio-demographic, epidemiological, and clinical characteristics using a standard questionnaire RESULTS: Out of 950 confirmed COVID-19 patients who were approached, 823 consented and were enrolled in the cohort (response rate = 86 6%) A total of 449 (54 5%) participants were male and the mean (SD) age of participants was 50 1 (12 6) During the initial data collection phase, >5000 phone calls were made and over 577 reports of critical cases in need of urgent medical attention were recorded CONCLUSIONS: Tele-COVID-19 will provide the patients with sufficient education on homecare and isolation as well as medical advice on care and proper use of drugs In addition, by preventing unnecessary hospital returns and diagnosis of household transmissions at the earliest stages, this cohort would help with effective disease management in resource-restricted settings INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT: DERR1-10 2196/23316