Multidisciplinary Quality Improvement Initiative


Advocacy

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The Academy has undertaken comprehensive efforts to support our call for a national plan to address Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC or Long COVID) and the 3 to 10 million Americans it is affecting. AAPM&R understands the need for focused, meaningful and ongoing clinical exchange between the medical community to assess and implement appropriate clinical practice for treating and following all long-term COVID issues, not just those issues requiring PM&R intervention, is necessary. The goal of the Collaborative is to foster engagement and share experiences to propel the health system towards defining standards of care for persons experiencing Long COVID-19/PASC.

In March 2021, we launched a Multi-Disciplinary PASC Collaborative of experts to develop:

  • clinical guidance to improve quality-of-care.
  • formal education and resources to improve experience-of-care and health equity.

The Collaborative will do this by: 

  • Discussing and establishing best practices and protocols, including assessment and treatment principles;
  • Disseminating learnings and developing resources for the medical community, ensuring inclusion of primary care providers and those attempting to develop a PASC clinic;    
  • Engaging patient/caregiver partners to develop and disseminate patient resources; and,
  • Promote patient-centeredness and health equity.    

The collaborative is led by:

  • Benjamin Abramoff, MD, MS – University of Pennsylvania – Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
  • Eric Herman, MD – Oregon Health & Science University – Chief Primary Care and Population Health Officer
  • Jason Maley, MD – Massachusetts General Hospital – Pulmonary & Critical Care

40+ Post COVID Clinics from across the country are participating with practitioners from multiple medical specialties and healthcare disciplines, as well as federal representation and patient organization representation.

The Collaborative’s guidance statements will be released a rolling basis. Along with guidance statement development, the Collaborative is focused on development of PASC clinical infrastructure guidance as well. As an estimated 80+ clinics have been created and the collaborative estimates that each can only handle 10-20 patients per week on average compared to the millions of people who have symptoms. The need for infrastructure guidance, pediatric guidance development and integrating health equity into each deliverable will be critical to the collaborative's goals and will support the overall call to action. 

Published Guidance

The collaborative is working to publish guidance on a rolling basis. Writing groups are working within a consensus process with 3 waves. All published guidance will be linked here as it becomes available.

Additional Resources

  • PASC Clinician Note Templates: Access the templates, to be used as a guide only.
  • Mental Health Guidance Statement: Access all of the tables, which include the treatment recommendation statements and pharmacologic agents used in depression, anxiety and PTSD.
  • Neurological Symptoms Guidance Statement: Access all of the tables, which include the initial treatment options, red flags, care guidance and more.
  • Pediatrics Guidance Statement: Access all of the tables, which include the methodology, recommendations, health equity considerations and more.
  • Autonomic Dysfunction Guidance Statement: Access all of the tables, which include the methodology, recommendations, health equity considerations and more.
  • Cardiovascular Complications Guidance Statement: Access all of the tables, which include the recommendations, health equity considerations/examples, rehabilitation approaches and more.  
  • Fatigue Guidance Statement: Access all of the tables, which include the methodology, recommendations, health equity considerations and more.
  • Breathing Discomfort Guidance Statement: Access all of the tables, which include the recommendations, health equity considerations/examples, rehabilitation approaches and more.  
  • Cognitive Symptoms Guidance Statement: Access all of the tables (also available in PowerPoint slides), which include the recommendations, screening tools, strategies, health equity considerations and more.


To learn more or get involved, email covidresponse@aapmr.org.