UMC opens state’s 1st clinic for COVID ‘long haulers’

University Medical Center has opened a clinic dedicated to providing ongoing care for community members with long-term medical complications from COVID-19.

Following a pilot program, UMC this week officially launched the clinic for those with ongoing COVID symptoms, including heart and lung complications, pain, cognitive impairment, anxiety and a wide range of other health issues associated with what is often referred to as “long COVID.”

The clinic, which UMC said is the first of its kind in Nevada, also assists patients in enrolling in clinical trials for new therapies to treat these long-term symptoms.

“The UMC COVID-19 Recovery clinic serves as a vital resource for many patients who continue to face serious health issues associated with COVID-19,” UMC CEO Mason Van Houweling said in a statement.

Patients with long-term COVID-19 symptoms may face complex health issues requiring customized treatment plans, according to the hospital. Clinic physicians will work with these patients “to map out detailed journeys to better health and improved quality of life,” it said. Each patient receives a detailed treatment plan encompassing any necessary specialty care referrals, laboratory testing, imaging services and community resources.

The clinic’s unveiling comes a day after a comprehensive study was published in the Lancet medical journal on COVID “long haulers.” The study found that 68 percent of those hospitalized for COVID-19 had at least one ongoing symptom six months following the onset of the diseases. At 12 months, nearly half — 49 percent — continued to have at least one symptom.

The study followed nearly 1,300 patients of a hospital in Wuhan, China, the region where the virus first emerged.

The UMC COVID-19 Recovery Clinic is located at 4231 N. Rancho Drive, within UMC’s Rancho Quick Care location. Appointments are required. Community members can visit www.umcsn.com/COVIDrecovery or call 702-383-2019 for more information. Depending on the patient’s insurance coverage, a referral from a primary care physician may be required.

Contact Mary Hynes at mhynes@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Follow @MaryHynes1 on Twitter.