Shared Medical Appointments to Improve Equitable Access to Rehabilitative Care for Long COVID

Long COVID is an infection-associated chronic condition that can cause a wide variety of symptoms and long-term functional impairments. While investigation into curative treatment is ongoing, current standard management of Long COVID relies heavily on rehabilitative care by physical, occupational, and speech therapists. Unfortunately, many persons with Long COVID encounter financial barriers to receiving rehabilitative care, especially because some state Medicaid programs and safety net health insurance plans do not cover one-on-one rehabilitation visits. Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs) are group visits which can deliver multidisciplinary care, and they are widely reimbursed by health insurance plans. SMAs also offer the added benefit of peer support and camaraderie, and they are an efficient method for clinicians to deliver care to many patients at once. SMAs can serve as an innovative method of delivering rehabilitative care for persons with Long COVID who cannot access individual appointments with a physical, occupational, and/or speech therapist. The purpose of this clinical perspective is to present the rationale, development, and organization and content of a six-session curriculum of SMAs that was created to deliver rehabilitation principles for Long COVID management. The curriculum covers physical activity, daily living activities, and thinking and speaking. It includes identification of functional concerns and goals, instruction in rehabilitative strategies and tools, and troubleshooting challenges that are encountered as patients implement strategies. The content in this clinical perspective is intended to be easily adapted and delivered by other clinicians in order to facilitate more equitable access to Long COVID rehabilitative care.