Mount Sinai Opens Long-Term Care Center for New York Communities Impacted by Pandemic

Two New York City neighborhoods, East Harlem and the South Bronx, were among the hardest hit during the pandemic and are now at the center of a new post-COVID care and research hub.

Mount Sinai has opened the new Mount Sinai-Internal Medicine Associates center on its Upper East Side campus to research what is commonly known as “long COVID” and provide targeted care to residents of the South Bronx and East Harlem, two neighborhoods that have faced the highest hospitalization and death rates, according to a report from the New York State Comptroller.

The center, Mount Sinai-Internal Medicine Associates, located at 17 E. 102nd St., is funded by a $5 million federal grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Mount Sinai said in a statement. The grant also supports outreach efforts to improve access to care and awareness of care options for residents of Harlem and the South Bronx.

The move comes as COVID rates have spiked in New York City this summer, according to data from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Black and Latino New Yorkers are experiencing higher rates of COVID, as well as more symptoms and health problems afterward. However, they are less likely to be diagnosed with long COVID, according to studies from the National Institutes of Health.

Here’s more on what you need to know about the new center, which opened July 30, based in part on written responses provided by Dr. Alex Federman, a professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and one of the project leaders.

What is long COVID?

Long COVID is a serious illness that can lead to chronic problems that require comprehensive care. It can include a wide range of symptoms and ongoing problems that can last for weeks, months, or even years after COVID-19 illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, the CDC says the groups most at risk are women and Hispanic and Latino people who face “health inequities” due to disability, economic, geographic, and other social factors. The most common symptoms of long COVID are fatigue, brain fog, and extreme flu-like symptoms, but the CDC has identified more than 200 symptoms of long COVID.

What is special about the new offer?

The new center has unique features intended to ease the burden of long-term COVID care. One of those features is its location in Mount Sinai’s primary care facility; that’s where patients are likely to first report symptoms of long COVID, Federman said.

This allows for coordination between long-COVID specialists, primary care physicians and other medical resources, reducing the time between a patient’s assessment and their care, he said. The center also offers a “navigator” to help patients with “brain fog” from long-COVID manage their appointments.

What is the goal of long COVID research?

While understanding of COVID and how to treat it has advanced, long COVID and how to treat it remains a mystery, Federman said. The research aims to understand the needs of long COVID patients as well as provide tailored care to Black and Hispanic communities that have been overlooked during the pandemic, he said.

“When the idea of ​​long COVID first emerged, people from underserved minority communities were vastly underrepresented in long COVID research,” Federman said. “There continues to be a great need for equitable trials and services to address the specific needs and experiences of people from underserved minority communities with long COVID.”

What is known, he said, is that disparities in health care in underserved communities have led to higher rates of infection and hospitalizations. Those disparities may contribute to a higher prevalence of long COVID and variations in symptoms across racial and ethnic groups.

Why this place?

In addition to being near a primary care center, the new location was chosen for its proximity to East Harlem and the South Bronx, two communities hardest hit by the pandemic. The conditions in these communities that increase the risk of infection are rooted in socioeconomic, geographic and systemic factors, according to the Department of Health. Historical neglect and lack of health care resources have led to chronic health inequities that can increase the severity of COVID symptoms, Federman said.

The goal is to reduce disparities among underserved communities, said Dr. Zijian Chen, director of the Mount Sinai Center for Post-COVID Care. “We encourage people who have symptoms after COVID-19, including high-risk minority groups, to seek care as we try to close a disparity gap,” Chen said.

Has the migrant crisis increased needs?

Federman said the migrant crisis has compounded the problem. More than 200,000 migrants have arrived in New York City since spring 2022, with varying health profiles and potential pre-existing conditions that could worsen the effects of long COVID, Federman said. Shelters and cramped living conditions make it easier for COVID to spread while having fewer resources available. They face the same challenges as other New Yorkers in these communities, but with more barriers to health care such as language, financial stability and legal status, he said.

What’s next?

In the long term, one goal is to de-dramatize long COVID and acknowledge patients’ suffering, Federman said. He said many patients have shared stories of how doctors ignored their complaints, leading to distrust and avoidance of health care. He expects the number of patients to increase in the coming months as community outreach builds trust and educates people about long COVID.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s definition of long COVID. Clarifying information from the CDC has been added.