Washington University School of Medicine announced a new clinic specifically targeting patients who recovered from Covid-19 but continue to suffer from a wide range of symptoms. Covid Long Haulers in St. Louis and the surrounding area will have access to top-notch care in this multispecialty service line.

The Care and Recovery After COVID-19 (CARE) Clinic recognize people with long Covid presents with diverse issues and complications. Patients often complain about problems in the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, blood, insomnia, sleep, and mood disorders. To facilitate care coordination, the CARE clinic has access to specialists in Cardiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Hematology, Infectious Disease, Nephrology, Neurology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Pulmonology.

The team of specialists addresses each patient’s needs by providing a comprehensive individual assessment. Referrals, testing, and recommendations are coordinate from the central hub of the CARE Clinic.

The St. Louis Washington University CARE Clinic will schedule patients with Long Covid symptoms who have had a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 by a nasal swab test, a saliva test, or a blood antibody test.

Washington University is not the only institute launching post-Covid care clinics. The National Institute of Health (NIH) announced a new initiative to study the causes of the post-Covid condition. The influx of a $1.15 billion investment in new medical research funding will hopefully open the doors to preventative steps and, ultimately, treatment options.

Scientists continue to learn more about persistent symptoms after a Covid-19 infection. Popular terms for the condition include “long Covid” or “Covid long haulers.” The CDC uses the more descriptive term post-COVID condition to cover the set of post-infection signs and symptoms experienced more than four weeks after infection with SARS-CoV-2.

We know that SARS-CoV-2 enters the brain and causes inflammation. Scientists in Bethesda, Maryland, published a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine evaluating the brains of people who died from Covid-19. They noted inflammation and evidence of leaky blood vessels in the postmortem brain tissue.

Despite these findings, we do not know the specific reasons the virus causes persistent symptoms in some patients. Long Covid symptoms appear in some patients with severe Covid disease and those with mild or asymptomatic infections.

The CDC lists common symptoms of post-Covid complaints.

• Tiredness or fatigue
• Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”)
• Headache
• Loss of smell or taste
• Dizziness on standing
• Fast-beating or pounding heart (also known as heart palpitations)
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Cough
• Joint or muscle pain
• Depression or anxiety
• Fever
• Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities

FIGURE. Self-reported symptoms at the time of positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing results and unresolved symptoms 14–21 days later among outpatients (N = 274)* — 14 academic health care systems,† United States, March–June 2020

A recent study published in the Lancet evaluated patients six months after hospital discharge. Approximately 75% of the 1,655 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, China, continued to have at least one symptom six months after discharge.

Another Lancet study evaluated the neurolgic and psychiatric outcomes in 236 379 Covid-19 survivors six months after infection. One third met criteria for a neurological or psychiatric diagnosis within six months of infection. Anxiety, depression, muscle pain, substance abuse and insomnia were the most common reported conditions.

Patients in St. Louis and the surrounding area with post-Covid condition symptoms can find more information here.

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Date of Release: Oct. 23, 2020

VALHALLA N.Y. /PRNewswire/ — An increasing number of people who became ill from the coronavirus have physical, mental and emotional symptoms that linger well after an initial infection* — health issues that are sometimes referred to as “post-COVID syndrome.” The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) has established a Post-COVID-19 Recovery Program for those who have had, or suspect they had, a COVID-19 infection and continue to have health issues. The multidisciplinary program gives patients access to COVID-experienced physicians in primary care, pulmonology, cardiology, nephrology, mental and emotional health, radiology, and other specialties as needed.

Currently located on the campus of Westchester Medical Center, the WMCHealth Post-COVID-19 Recovery Program is one of the few of its kind in the nation and the only known to be operating in New York’s Hudson Valley region. 

Scheduling an Evaluation

The WMCHealth Post-COVID-19 Recovery Program is accepting new patients and takes most insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. Individuals can schedule an evaluation by requesting  an appointment online or by calling 833.329.0095.

After an evaluation, a physical exam and review of their COVID-19 history with a WMCHealth primary care physician, patients are assigned a clinical patient navigator who will guide them through a personalized treatment plan. If a patient has a primary care physician, s/he will receive detailed communication; if they do not, the program will help the patient establish a relationship with a primary care provider.

Know the Symptoms and Risks

While anyone exposed to COVID-19 – regardless of age or severity of their resulting illness – is at risk for the longer-term effects of the disease, the risk appears to be higher for individuals with diabetes, obesity, or chronic lung, heart, kidney, or liver disease; those with compromised immune systems; residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities; and patients who were on a ventilator, experienced delirium, or developed acute respiratory distress syndrome while being hospitalized for COVID-19. 

The lingering effects of a COVID-19 infection can include symptoms such as:

• Fatigue
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Headache
• Muscle weakness and joint pain
• Impact to the heart, lungs, brain, and blood cells
• Mental “fogginess,” confusion, anxiety, depression

Experience in COVID-19 Care

WMCHealth’s physicians and nurses have significant experience treating COVID-19 patients. WMCHealth was one of the very first New York State health care systems to launch COVID-19 diagnostic and antibody testing throughout its network, and to-date has conducted more than 80,000 diagnostic and 18,000 antibody tests.

In addition, WMCHealth was selected to participate in medication trials, as well as the use of convalescent plasma, and continues to optimize approaches to testing, acute care, and chronic care follow-up for those diagnosed with COVID-19.

Building Community Confidence with Safety Protocols
Each patient can be assured that all CDC guidelines are met or exceeded when it comes to WMCHealth provider offices and staff use of personal protective equipment. Additionally, special COVID-19 cleaning protocols are in use by WMCHealth emergency departments, medical practice offices, hospitals and surgery centers. 

About Westchester Medical Center Health Network

The Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) is a 1,700-bed healthcare system headquartered in Valhalla, N.Y., with 10 hospitals on eight campuses spanning 6,200 square miles of the Hudson Valley. WMCHealth employs more than 12,000 people and has nearly 3,000 attending physicians. From Level 1, Level 2 and Pediatric Trauma Centers, the region’s only acute care children’s hospital, an academic medical center, several community hospitals, dozens of specialized institutes and centers, skilled nursing, assisted living facilities, homecare services and one of the largest mental health systems in New York State, today WMCHealth is the pre-eminent provider of integrated healthcare in the Hudson Valley. For more information about WMCHealth, visit WMCHealth.org.

Press representatives interested in speaking with a WMCHealth representative regarding the Post-COVID-19 Recovery program can contact us at any time to schedule a discussion.  Patient testimonials may also be available.

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Symptom Duration and Risk Factors for Delayed Return to Usual Health Among Outpatients with COVID-19 in a Multistate Health Care Systems Network

Note to Editors:  Please feel free to use this as a sidebar

Do you know anyone who has had a COVID-19 infection and is still experiencing lingering effects of their illness, or who has ongoing health issues – physical, mental, or emotional? 

WMCHealth has established a treatment program for those who have ongoing health issues from a COVID-19 infection.  This Post-COVID-19 Recovery Program is available on our Westchester Medical Center campus in Valhalla, and getting an appointment is fast and easy.

These questions can help you decide if making an appointment with the Post-COVID-19 Recovery Program may be helpful:

1. Did you or someone close to you have a COVID-19 exposure, or test positive for COVID-19?
2. Did you have any symptoms or become ill at that time?
3. If yes, do you still have any symptoms or feel that you are not fully recovered physically or mentally?
4. Do you have any other health conditions that you are concerned about following your COVID-19 infection?
5. Have you seen a primary care doctor to see if you need follow-up care?

If you are having ongoing health issues during recovery from a COVID-19 infection, please do not delay seeking care — our COVID-experienced team is here to help. Our WMCHealth physicians will evaluate your condition, set up a custom treatment plan and make appointments with the appropriate specialists.  We will also follow up with your regular doctor to coordinate your ongoing recovery plan.

Please contact the WMCHealth Post-COVID-19 Recovery Program at 1.833.329.0095 or WestchesterMedicalCenter.org/WMCHealthPostCOVID19RecoveryProgram for more information and to request an evaluation that can be scheduled quickly and conveniently.  We accept most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid.

SOURCE WMCHealth

Related Links

http://www.WMCHealth.org

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