Seeking Solutions: The Treatment Journey
Through our research with people with Long COVID, their caregivers, and health care providers, we learned about a wide range of experiences people have seeking medical assistance.
A person experiences symptoms and seeks out medical care
Sees health care provider who believes them and is educated about Long COVID
Receives Long COVID diagnosis
Referred to Long COVID clinic
To begin, a person experiencing Long COVID-like symptoms schedules a visit with a health care provider (likely their primary care provider) or visits an urgent care center or emergency room.
To begin, a person experiencing Long COVID-like symptoms schedules a visit with a health care provider (likely their primary care provider) or visits an urgent care center or emergency room.
At the appointment, the health care provider listens to and validates the experiences the person is describing, and has enough knowledge about Long COVID to elevate it as a possible cause.
At the appointment, the health care provider listens to and validates the experiences the person is describing, and has enough knowledge about Long COVID to elevate it as a possible cause.
The health care provider uses a set of diagnostic criteria based on patient-reported outcomes and biomarkers to diagnose the person with Long COVID. They may order other tests in the meantime to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other possibilities, but the diagnosis allows the person to more easily access Long COVID-related treatments, file for disability insurance, and request workplace accommodations.
The health care provider uses a set of diagnostic criteria based on patient-reported outcomes and biomarkers to diagnose the person with Long COVID. They may order other tests in the meantime to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other possibilities, but the diagnosis allows the person to more easily access Long COVID-related treatments, file for disability insurance, and request workplace accommodations.
The health care provider refers the person to the closest Long COVID clinic.
The health care provider refers the person to the closest Long COVID clinic.
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