The legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic for the healthcare environment: The establishment of long COVID/ post-COVID-19 condition follow-up outpatient clinics in Germany

Background Since 2020, several specialized follow-up outpatient clinics have been established across Germany to address the complex needs of patients with Long COVID/ Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC). This article reviews the current landscape of these specialized clinics in Germany and critically evaluates their diagnostic and treatment algorithms. Methods This study employed a mixed-method approach, combining publicly available information on post-COVID-19 outpatient clinics with an observational cross-sectional online survey among lead doctors of PCC follow-up outpatient clinics in Germany. The survey was conducted from November 2023 to January 2024. Descriptive statistics and t-tests for group-comparison were employed, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results At the time of the survey, 112 specialized PCC outpatient clinics were identified in Germany through publicly available information. Forty-five experts (40.2%) responded to our survey. Treatment of PCC patients is personalized and symptom-oriented rather than standardized. Patient characteristics of the two identified main treatment domains, focusing on respiratory and neurocognitive symptoms, differed only in sex distribution. A higher proportion of females (63.9%) presented with pulmonary symptoms compared to patients with neurocognitive impairments (50.2%, p < 0.05). The level of distress among patients is generally perceived as high and outpatient clinic lead doctors are convinced that their outpatient counseling services offer significant benefits. Conclusions As the demand for PCC follow-up outpatient clinics persists, the establishment of new services continues, particularly addressing the growing need for neurocognitive care services. PCC outpatient care is currently personalized and symptom-orientated, leading to high variability across clinics. Further standardization of treatment protocols and diagnostic algorithms could improve patient care and facilitate professional exchange.