Leadership Changes to Support Healthcare Providers with Long COVID Care

Abstract

Objective: To explore how public health leaders and long COVID stakeholders from the Midwest United States can best support healthcare providers in providing long COVID care and how they can help ease the burdens of such care. Data sources and study setting: Qualitative interviews with 34 long COVID stakeholders from the Midwest region of the United States, from 15 different stakeholder groups, were collected from December 2024 to February 2025. Study Design: The research design was a qualitative study in which key informant interviews were conducted with stakeholders of long COVID using a semi-structured interview. Data collection: Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted virtually using Microsoft teams, and interviews were audio recorded and transcribed using Microsoft teams. Interviews were then coded using NVivo for inductive coding, used to identify and describe themes. Principal findings: The challenges identified related to diagnosis, access to care, provider concern, communication, and treatment. Stakeholders identified that they have impact and influence related to helping patients get to diagnosis and treatment more quickly, setting or supporting policies, making long COVID a priority in their organizations, making it easier for people to access long COVID care, and to support the people who are giving long COVID care. Numerous strategies were offered by stakeholders for supporting healthcare providers who are providing long COVID care. These include better characterization of the disease, increased treatment options, increased prevention efforts, advocacy, communication strategies, support for providers, collaboration with stakeholders, policy development, and learning from the success of advancement of care for other chronic conditions. Conclusion: Long COVID is a novel condition that requires change leadership support especially in the areas of diagnosis, access to care, communication, treatment, and provider knowledge and relations. It will take a multidisciplinary approach from a variety of stakeholders to create and implement a plan to support healthcare professionals who provide long COVID care. If these changes can be implemented and maintained, those who are suffering with long COVID symptoms can get to diagnosis and treatment more quickly and receive better quality care and treatment. This will have a positive impact on long COVID patients, their family members, employers, schools, medical professionals, health systems, governments, and the economy.