Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis

Policy Assessment

Describe The Healthcare Program or Policy Outcomes

This policy guideline seeks to ensure that COVID-19 patients who are in home care can safely end their isolation without the risk of reinfection of infecting others. It is based on the evidence that COVID-19 patients who have become immunocompromised may remain infectious even 20 days after symptom presentation and this require additional COVID-19 testing with an infectious disease control expert or specialist. Therefore, the policy guideline assists public health officials and healthcare providers in managing COVID-19 patients who are in any other isolation facility (e.g., hotel, at home or dormitory room).

How was the success of the program or policy measured?

The success of this policy guideline is measured by a reduced number of COVID-19 transmission from recovered patients, so much so that there is no justification for quarantine or retesting. Whereas there are millions of COVID-19 infections globally, investigations have so far revealed a few cases of reinfection (Roy, 2020 Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis), available evidence also show that some recovered patients would have a degree of immunity for at least 90 days after initial diagnosis and confirmation of COVID-19. This policy guideline would be considered successfully implemented if this degree of immunity persists to a level that there is no reinfection.

How many people were reached by the program or policy selected?

Currently, according to World Health Organization (2021), there are 199 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, with at least 4 million deaths. This policy guideline could be a potentially useful in the management of the 199 million confirmed cases, who might recover and get re-infected. As such, this policy guideline targets and may impact any COVID-19 patients who might recover and get re-infected.

At what point in program implementation was the program or policy evaluation conducted

The effectiveness of this guideline can be evaluated after testing for discontinuation has been done. It is only after testing negative for COVID-19 that a reinfection or non-reinfection can be established. The exitance of reinfection indicates that the guideline was not effectively implemented while a non-existence of reinfection indicates that the guideline was successfully implemented.

What data was used to conduct the program or policy evaluation

As indicated above, results from the testing for discontinuing isolation or precaution can be used as data for evaluating the successful or unsuccessful implementation of the guideline.

What specific information on unintended consequences was identified?

These guidelines might display different consequences between individuals infected with SAR-CoV-2 and those exposed to SAR-CoV-2. Therefore, as per the guidelines, a 14-day quarantine is recommended after exposure depending on the time taken to develop the illness upon infection. As such, it is possible that an infected individual can leave isolation earlier than an individual who is quarantined based on the suspicion that they are infected. Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis

What stakeholders were identified in the evaluation of the program or policy? Who would benefit most from the results and reporting of the program or policy evaluation?

The main stakeholders of focus in this guideline are COVID-19 patients under home-based isolation. Nonetheless, other stakeholders include public health officers and healthcare providers.

Did the program or policy meet the original intent and objectives? Why or why not?

Given the guideline under review, this might be difficult to determine at the moment. Kindly advise on the way forward.

Would you recommend implementing this program or policy in your place of work? Why or why not?

Yes, I would recommend the use of this practice guideline in my place of work because it would play a critical role in avoiding the reinfection of immunocompromised COVID-19 patients several days after symptom onset. This would especially be useful for a safe discontinuation of isolation for patients not in the hospital setting, avoiding the risk of infecting several others whom they may be in contact with. Healthcare Program/Policy Evaluation Analysis

Identify at least two ways that you, as a nurse advocate, could become involved in evaluating a program or policy after 1 year of implementation.

References

Roy, S. (2020). COVID-19 reinfection: myth or truth?. SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine,
2(6), 710-713. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42399-020-00335-8
World Health Organization. (2021). Coronavirus Dashboard. Overview. Retrieved 4^th August 2021 from https://covid19.who.int/