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PURPOSE: Post-COVID clinics were variably implemented nationwide to help improve post-acute care, including for survivors of critical illness with post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). However, little is known about how post-acute care changed over the course of the pandemic and if disparities in utilization exist.

METHODS: We retrospectively collected demographic, clinical, and utilization data up to 18 months after discharge for all patients with COVID-19 admitted to an ICU at three Mass General Brigham hospitals during two waves of the pandemic, from March 11-May 31, 2020 (wave one) and December 1, 2020–February 28, 2021 (wave two). We used chi-square (or Fisher’s exact) tests to compare hospital discharge needs, prevalence of PICS symptoms, and outpatient utilization between waves.

RESULTS: In wave one, 472 patients were discharged and 299 (63.3%) survived to at least one month; in wave …