Hear leading experts talk about PM&R’s Role with combating Long COVID. PM&R physicians are uniquely qualified to help guide the multidisciplinary effort needed to develop a plan for this crisis. As a specialty, physiatrists are investigators, team leaders and problem solvers. Physiatrists see the whole patient AND the whole picture of the rehabilitation ecosystem. According to two recent publications from the Journal of the American Medical Association, ten to thirty percent of individuals who had COVID-19 reported at least one persistent symptom up to six months after the virus left their bodies. That means 3 to 10 million Americans are experiencing symptoms of Long COVID or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), which are varied and ongoing, including neurological challenges, cognitive problems such as brain fog, shortness of breath, fatigue, pain, and mobility issues. AAPM&R is leading a multidisciplinary PASC collaborative with current nationwide PASC clinics to foster an ongoing, patient-centered, clinical exchange for treating and learning more about all long-term issues resulting from COVID-19. We anticipate the collaborative will produce guidance on how current clinics are structured and for optimizing symptom assessment and treatment plans based on the latest scientific evidence.

During this session, we highlight and provide insight on the following items:

• How physiatrists are and will be involved across the care continuum, leading the rehabilitation care team
• Describe the quality improvement collaborative
• The case for how our leadership can help position rehabilitation and the specialty of PM&R within healthcare and how this is aligned with the vision for the specialty

Faculty:
Benjamin A. Abramoff, MD
Alba M. Azola, MD
John M. Baratta, MD, MBA
Surendra S. Barshikar, MD
Talya K. Fleming, MD