Comprehensive Long COVID Care for Underserved Communities: Innovative Delivery and Dissemination Models (Comunidad)

Purpose: The Comprehensive Long COVID Care for Underserved Communities: Innovative Delivery and Dissemination Models (COMUNIDAD) project will improve and expand Long COVID care in San Antonio and South Texas, and will test new, sustainable models of care through a 5-year program. Our team will do this by expanding holistic, multidisciplinary care at UT Health San Antonio; collaborating with community providers on best practices for basic Long COVID evaluation and management; and partnering with the community to disseminate up-to-date information about Long COVID among South Texas communities.

 

Media:

Making strides on the long road of long COVID

UT Health San Antonio awarded five-year, $5 million federal grant to expand access to Long COVID care

 

Publications:

Cheng AL, Herman E, Abramoff B, Anderson JR, Azola A, Baratta JM, et al. Multidisciplinary collaborative guidance on the assessment and treatment of patients with Long COVID: A compendium statement. PM R. 2025;17(6):684-708.

Verduzco-Gutierrez M, Fleming TK, Azolz AM. Considerations for long COVID rehabilitation in women. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2025;36(2):371-87.

Uhlig-Reche H, Rolin S, Karnik R, Lyons M, Verduzco-Gutierrez M. Compassion fatigue, work engagement, and psychological distress in health care workers treating patients with long COVID. PM R. 2025;1-8.

Blitshteyn S, Verduzco-Gutierrez M. Long COVID: A major public health issue. Am J Phys Med Rehabil.2024;103(9):e131-32.

Project Details

Project Period: April 2020 – Ongoing

PIs: Lisa Smith Kilpela, PhD; Joel Tsevat, MD, MPH; Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD

ReACH Team: Julio Cerroblanco, MBA; Sarah Lill, MA;                        Taylur Loera, BS; Raquel Romero, MD, MPH; Salomé A. Wilfred, PhD, MA

Partners: