Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19: A Journey for Patients and Mental Health Providers Reviewed; and Future Considerations for the Field of Mental Health

Friday, November 11, 2022

11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Location: Room 212-214

CE: 1.5 CME

Speaker(s)

Billina R. Shaw, MD, MPH, FAPA

Senior Medical Advisor
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration
Liz Sokolowski, MD

Fellow Physician
Duke University
Corvallis, Oregon

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Maria Chuop, MD

Resident Physician
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon

Moderator/Discussant(s)

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Anne Gross, MD, FACLP

Chief Medical Officer, Unity Center for Behavioral Health
Oregon Health & Science University
Oregon Health & Science University
Portland, Oregon

Speaker(s)

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Nathan Praschan, MD, MPH (he/him/his)

Clinical Fellow
Massachusetts General Hospital
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Disclosure(s):

Billina R. Shaw, MD, MPH, FAPA: No financial relationships to disclose

Liz Sokolowski, MD: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Maria Chuop, MD: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Anne Gross, MD, FACLP: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Nathan Praschan, MD, MPH: No financial relationships to disclose

Abstract: Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (including “Long-COVID”) is a common and disabling condition. Care for this population is underdeveloped and standards are poorly defined. Neuropsychiatric aspects of this condition, while also prevalent, have yet to be fully addressed. The role of Consultation-Liaison psychiatrists is essential to understand the differential diagnosis of such neuropsychiatric syndromes, to teach hospital colleagues about the illness, and advocate for patients who often feel unheard and poorly understood.

This workshop will aim to galvanize the psychiatry community into action toward higher quality care for those struggling with Long-COVID. First, we will discuss the unique lessons learned from a Long-COVID Neuropsychiatry clinic and how these can be helpful for other clinicians. We will then review the development of a group psychotherapy intervention for this specific population, as well as provide education and supervision pearls. Through a series of cases and written accounts, we will also provide a glimpse at the patients’ journey and emphasize an example of how utilizing a resident-led novel clinical modality has educated our patients, colleagues, and ourselves on how to transform the patient experience from isolation to connection. Lastly, we will discuss the alignment of federal efforts to address mental health aspects of Long-COVID on a broader scale.

Speakers:

Jordan Anderson DO is a Neuropsychiatrist currently leading a Long-COVID Neuropsychiatry clinic. He will be sharing an overview of Long-COVID, its neuropsychiatric manifestations, unique challenges, and management considerations.

Anita Everett MD DFAPA is the Director of the Center for Mental Health Services in the US, Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. She is a past president of the American Psychiatric Association and has received commendation for her work in national healthcare reform and advocacy. She will discuss aligning federal efforts to address mental health aspects of long-COVID on a broader scale.

Liz Sokolowski MD is a Hospice & Palliative Medicine fellow at Duke University. She led the creation of Long-COVID Group Psychotherapy in her fourth year of psychiatry residency, and will be reviewing its development, its content - including coping skills and strategies for treatment of Long-COVID patients, and its outcomes.

Maria Chuop MD worked with Dr. Sokolowski to develop the Long-COVID Group Psychotherapy modality during her psychiatry residency where she is now chief resident. She will be sharing an intimate look at patients’ experiences including impact on daily life, facing stigma, psychosocial struggles, and personal growth.

Anne Gross MD has held educational leadership positions at Oregon Health & Science University including the associate residency training director and the Consultation-Liaison psychiatry fellowship director. She will provide educational and supervision pearls for creating a trainee-led novel psychotherapeutic intervention and discuss future clinical, educational, and scholarly considerations for this patient population.

Learning Objectives:

Become familiar the key symptoms of Long-COVID, integrating unique features such as dysautonomia into the neuropsychiatric presentation and treatment plan
Describe ways to support the Long-COVID population through group psychotherapy and appreciating the psychosocial narrative
Identify ways to improve Long-COVID care at individual, institutional, and federal levels