Updated guidelines for supporting patients in their home
Around 80% of people who test positive for COVID-19 are likely to only experience mild symptoms and can be appropriately cared for in their home. Some people with moderate symptoms can be safety cared for in the home with appropriate monitoring. These people can receive holistic care from a GP in the comfort of their own home which minimises the impact on our entire healthcare system.
These updated guidelines contain information for general practitioners (GPs) who are providing home-based care in a private residential home (including public or community housing), in residential aged care facilities and supported accommodation, for patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and who are not deemed to be high risk for severe disease or hospitalisation.
The guidelines include advice and information on:
- supporting patients through a COVID-19 diagnosis
- determining medical and social risk factors and disease severity
- determining home-care suitability and the appropriate monitoring protocol
- escalating care where necessary.
This document is general guidance for GPs and should be used to support any local or other more contemporaneous advice, such as the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce guidelines and HealthPathways.
A guide, action plan and symptom diary is available to share with patients, noting that the patient resource is currently being updated and will be available in early December 2021.