UH to launch COVID-19 Recovery Clinic

Comprehensive facility to serve patients of all ages, including children, young adults

University Hospitals has developed a comprehensive service called UH COVID Recovery Clinic for patients throughout Northeast Ohio and beyond affected by the post-acute residual symptoms of the novel coronavirus.

Officials with the health system said the clinic will promote pathways to healing for affected patients of all ages, including children and young adults.

The UH COVID Recovery Clinic will be centered at UH Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood and will operate under the direction of Dr. David M. Rosenberg, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine.

Rosenberg has decades of clinical experience and understands the importance of patient-centered care conducted in both a collaborative and integrated fashion, according to UH.

“It is estimated that 20

percent or more of individuals infected with COVID-19 will experience health problems for weeks, even months, after their body has cleared the virus, and unfortunately we know many are suffering in silence,” Rosenberg said.

Officials noted COVID-19 Long-Haul Syndrome can affect multiple organ systems in the body, including the pulmonary, hematologic, cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, renal, endocrine, gastrointestinal/hepatobiliary and dermatologic systems.

The impact on patients’ health can range from mild to severe with the latter being debilitating, Rosenberg said.

“The UH COVID Recovery Clinic was designed around the patient, so each individual has access to a vast network of medical specialists with the training and experience to recognize the syndrome, perform the appropriate diagnostic tests, and develop a personalized treatment plan to address every physical and behavioral aspect of the patient’s illness,” he added.

Clinicians involved in treating UH COVID Recovery Clinic patients will meet regularly to discuss patients in a collaborative fashion to ensure optimal outcomes, officials confirmed.

Additionally, research protocols have been established and patients will be given the opportunity to enter these “groundbreaking investigations.”

The clinic will offer both in-person and virtual care based on a patient’s specific symptoms and needs.

According to UH, potential specialty areas for referral include pulmonary, cardiology, sleep medicine, psychiatry, integrative health, neurology, neuropsychology, infectious disease, otolaryngology, digestive health and immunology.

Patients may be referred to the UH COVID Recovery Clinic by their primary care provider or they may self-refer.

Unique to the clinic is access to integrative health interventions such as acupuncture, stress management and relaxation techniques through UH Connor Integrative Health Network that have been shown to improve symptoms of COVID Long-Haul for patients of all ages.

Dr. Amy Edwards, associate medical director of pediatric infection control, UH Rainbow, is leading a team of pediatric specialists to create an assessment and treatment model for children.

“The pediatric piece of COVID long-haul has been overshadowed by the adult disease, however, we have treated children and teens who were previously healthy and are suffering from debilitating headaches, fatigue, and digestive issues,” Edwards said.

“We hope to discover optimal care plans for these kids so they can feel better and get back to their life before COVID-19.”

Rosenberg