Expanding Treatment for Colorado's Overwhelmed Long COVID Clinics

Colorado is facing a shortage of capacity to treat long COVID patients at specialized clinics, prompting public health leaders to explore ways to expand treatment options closer to home. Currently, three multidisciplinary clinics in the state have treated around 10,000 people since mid-2020, but this falls short of the estimated 228,000 to 651,000 Coloradans experiencing long COVID symptoms. One potential solution being considered is leveraging Project ECHO, which connects primary care providers with specialists to learn how to manage certain conditions locally. However, affordability and accessibility barriers, such as insurance coverage and disability payments, still need to be addressed to ensure comprehensive care for long COVID patients.