Managing Patients with Long COVID in Primary Care
Diagnosing patients with long COVID can be challenging. We're here to help.
On this webpage, you'll find a collection of resources to help primary care clinicians in their treatment and care of patients with long COVID.
“COVID-19 impacts the entire body, which makes primary care management challenging for many providers. The information on long COVID is constantly evolving. There can be too much information, creating confusion among patients and providers alike. We are still learning why specific long COVID symptoms are present for certain people,” said David Duong, HMS instructor in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and director of equity, access, and advocacy at the HMS Center for Primary Care.
Chronic post-viral coughs
Lakshmana Swamy, MD, MBA, explains the pulmonary approach to post-viral chronic coughs.
Read more informative articles
We've gathered some articles with the latest information on Long COVID to better help you care for patients experiencing this condition.
- ‘We are struggling’: doctors faced with vacuum of information on long Covid
Article via The Guardian - Long Covid Patients More Likely to Have Gastrointestinal Problems, Study Finds
Article via New York Times - Long COVID: Rapid Evidence Review
Article via American Family Physician
- Post-COVID Conditions (e.g. Long COVID)
Resources via COVID-19 Real-Time Learning Network (Funded by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and IDSA) - Long Covid—an Update for Primary Care
Article via The BMJ - Management of post-acute covid-19 in primary care
Research via National Library of Medicine - Associations of Physical Inactivity and COVID-19 Outcomes Among Subgroups
Research via American Journal of Preventive Medicine - Researchers Tie Severe Immunosuppression to Chronic COVID-19 and Virus Variants
Article via JAMA Network - Post-COVID Conditions: Information for Healthcare Providers
Guidance via Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Attributes and predictors of long COVID
Research via Nature Medicine - Long COVID and Health Inequities: The Role of Primary Care
Study via Milbank Q. - Long Covid may be ‘the next public health disaster’ — with a $3.7 trillion economic impact rivaling the Great Recession
Article via CNBC - Scientists made mini brains and infected them with coronavirus. What they saw could explain Long COVID
Article via Fortune - Long COVID is an Unequal Burden
Article via Forbes - Considerations for Primary Care Providers in the Diagnosis of Long COVID
Article via Harvard Medical School Primary Care Review - Lifestyle influences long COVID risk
Article via The Harvard Gazette
Attend a virtual CME course
Join us on April 28, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET for a case-based, interactive CME course about managing patients with long COVID.
Learn long COVID presentations
Post-COVID conditions are heterogeneous (different underlying pathophysiologic processes) leading to varied presentations. We’ll walk through best practices for the patient visit to uncover presentations of long COVID.
Better diagnose the condition
Factors that complicate the physical presentation of long COVID can make diagnosis challenging. This can include physical deconditioning at baseline or after a prolonged acute disease course, nd pre-COVID comorbidities.
Implement the latest management approaches
Approaches will vary based on the individual patient’s needs, but many post-COVID conditions can be managed by primary care providers with the incorporation of patient-centered approaches.
Instructors
This course is taught by Harvard Medical School experts who will bring together their unique experiences with primary care, cardiology, and psychiatry to create a comprehensive program.
- David Duong, MD, MPH
Director, Primary Care Equity, Access and Advocacy, Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care - Anne-Marie Anagnostopoulos, MD
Instructor in Medicine, Cardiologist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - Kirsten Meisinger, MD, MHCDS
Faculty Director of Systems Transformation, HMS Center for Primary Care
Family Medicine Physician, Cambridge Health Alliance - Matthew Moll, MD MPH
Instructor in Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital - Samata Sharma, MD
Instructor in Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital - Lakshmana Swamy, MD, MBA
Critical Care Physician, Instructor at Harvard Medical, Medical Director, Assistant Professor at UMASS Medical, Boston Medical Center
Accreditation information
In support of improving patient care, Harvard Medical School is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Physicians
The Harvard Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s) ™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Nurse Practitioners and Registered Nurses
For the purpose of recertification, the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board and American Nurses Credentialing Center accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ issued by organizations accredited by the ACCME (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education). We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity with AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for re-licensure.
Physician Assistants
The National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) states that AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are acceptable for continuing medical education requirements for recertification. We would also suggest that learners check with their state licensing board to ensure they accept reciprocity with AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for re-licensure.
Canadian Accreditation
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada recognizes conferences and workshops held outside of Canada that are developed by a university, academy, hospital, specialty society or college as accredited group learning activities.
European Accreditation
The American Medical Association (AMA) has an agreement of mutual recognition of continuing medical education (CME) credit with the European Union of Medical Specialties (UEMS). Additional information regarding this agreement may be found here.