PM&R's Response to COVID-19

Advocacy

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AAPM&R Collaborations and Partnerships

AAPM&R is working to ensure PM&R is part of the national conversation about healthcare amidst COVID-19 and advocating for the federal support, legislation, regulation relief and resources that physiatrists need now.

Long COVID Education, Engagement, and Care Management

The Council of Medical Specialty Societies (CMSS) received supplemental funding to improve clinician education and engagement in the care of patients with Long COVID from the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Long COVID Research and Practice in partnership with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Academy is working with CMSS on this grant.

HHS Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Long COVID

Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD, FAAPMR, has been appointed to the HHS Secretary Advisory Committee on Long COVID. This committee will inform action of the Executive Branch on Long COVID and associated conditions, with a focus on health equity, by providing recommendations to the Secretary through the Assistant Secretary for Health.

NASEM Workgroup on Examining the Working Definition for Long COVID

Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD, FAAPMR, is participating on the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee that is examining and recommending a new definition for Long COVID.  

AHRQ COVID-19 Research Grants

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), announced the approval of 28 research grants designed to explore essential questions about the delivery of healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Check out the Academy's advocacy for this funding. 

Stay Up-to-Date

Public Health on Call Podcast with Dr. Whiteson

Jan 27, 2022

Jonathan Whiteson, MD, FAAPMR was featured this week on Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health podcast, Public Health on Call. In their January 26 episode, Dr. Whiteson talked about how the field of physiatry is well positioned to work with PASC patients, what has been learned about treating symptoms like fatigue and brain fog and the future agenda for research.

Dr. Whiteson has been working as a member of AAPM&R’s Multi-Disciplinary PASC Collaborative to publish guidance related to the treatment of patients with Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC or Long COVID) and provide additional education and resources to improve experience-of-care and health equity.

Currently available are our guidance statements for: 

In addition to his efforts with the PASC Collaborative, Dr. Whiteson also discussed PM&R’s role in Long COVID, why physiatrists are essential in treating patients with Long COVID and why AAPM&R’s leadership in its COVID-19 call to action is so important last July on the “Doctor Radio” show. Parts One and Two of this discussion can be listened to on the AAPM&R Online Learning Portal.