2.2.1. A Follow-Up Health Consultation Program after Recovery from COVID-19

The follow-up health consultation program for recovered patients was developed by the Daegu-Gyeongsangbukdo branch of the Korean Family Medicine Association in cooperation with Metropolitan Daegu and the Daegu Medical Association to encourage the provision of health care for patients released from quarantine. The program is described in detail elsewhere [15]. The professional healthcare providers comprised 20 familymedicine specialists who were willing to volunteer for the program; these providers undertook consultations in accordance with structured guidelines published by the Daegu-Gyeongsangbukdo branch of the Korean Family Medicine Association. Using a mobile phone dedicated to individual patient consultations, they called all patients who agreed to participate and asked them about their physical and mental health status. Moreover, they provided emotional support, such as encouragement and reassurance, along with health education to minimize the risk of spreading the virus in the community and to make patients aware of the possibility of reactivation or re-infection of the disease. Each patient was able to call the cellphone of the doctor in charge at any time; if the phone was not answered, the patient received a call-back. In situations requiring further evaluation and treatment, doctors provided medical advice to enable the patient to visit a medical institution or hospital promptly. Patients were provided with a guide for self-care after discharge, the aim of which was to educate them about COVID-19.
