Treating veterans with “long covid” | va pittsburgh health care | veterans affairs

For many Veterans who have had COVID-19, symptoms linger long after the initial infection. To help these Veterans, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System established a multi-specialty clinic to

treat post-COVID conditions. While everyone is looking forward to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System clinicians have their eye on a long-term issue with the

disease – a health condition known as “long COVID.” VA Pittsburgh in January opened a clinic for Veterans who have recovered from the acute stage of COVID, but who continue to have

debilitating symptoms of the disease. Ten to 30 percent of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 report new, returning or worsened symptoms known as post-COVID conditions, according to

team member Dr. Erika Hoffman. The broad range of lingering symptoms includes sleep loss, heart and lung issues, and trouble with mental processes such as thinking, learning, problem-solving

and memory. “Many have multifaceted health issues and worsened quality of life,” said Hoffman. Some Veterans have rare symptoms such as hair loss and profound fatigue after minimal mental

or physical effort, said team member Dr. Anjali Das. Because no two patients present the same symptoms of post-COVID, the team provides each Veteran with a personalized treatment program and

three-month follow-up. The clinic’s multidisciplinary team includes physicians, psychologists, nurses, physical therapists, social workers, researchers and hearing and speech specialists.

They take a team approach to treating Veterans, addressing psychological, physical and mental health needs. Psychologist Austin Brown, for instance, assesses Veterans for mental health and

cognitive symptoms that can overlap and contribute to long-term recovery. Many Veterans with post-COVID conditions need help with the depression, fear, anxiety and even weight gain that can

come with a long-term, debilitating illness. “This assessment helps to ensure that every aspect of the Veteran's well-being is considered in the treatment recommendations created by the

team,” said Brown. Physical therapy’s role includes helping Veterans who have lung damage from COVID. They can instruct Veterans who are easily winded, for instance, on therapeutic

exercises to perform at home. Social workers help Veterans identify stressors and challenges. They also help Veterans find VA and community resources to help them deal not only with their

symptoms, but also with financial concerns, housing and food insecurity. In addition to clinical care, the team is gathering information on post-COVID conditions for research. “We plan to

create a registry and data repository that will provide a mechanism to store data, support the conduct of future research about long COVID, and foster collaborations with both VA and non-VA

facilities, such as UPMC,” said team member Dr. Lynn Baniak, associate chief nurse for research. Das said the clinic will remain if there is a need, but she also reiterated the best way to

prevent post-COVID conditions is to prevent COVID-19 illness in the first place.  “Many of the patients we have seen did not get or complete their series of COVID vaccinations,” she said. To

be seen in the clinic, Veterans should ask their primary care provider for a referral. Editor’s note: For information on how to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at VA Pittsburgh, see VAPHS

COVID-19 vaccines.