Leading expert directs long COVID clinic at UT Health San Antonio
Contact: Steven Lee, (210) 450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu
SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 28, 2025 – Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD, professor and chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), has been chosen to serve on the U.S. Health and Human Services Advisory Committee on Long COVID.
Verduzco-Gutierrez is a nationally recognized leader in the care of individuals with long COVID, and directs the multidisciplinary long COVID clinic at UT Health San Antonio, providing comprehensive, patient-centered care for individuals with persistent post-COVID symptoms.
She becomes the only representative from Texas on the 14-member committee, which was formed to bring perspectives from outside the government to help inform action of the executive branch on long COVID and other infection-associated chronic conditions by providing recommendations to the HHS secretary through the assistant secretary for health.
“It is truly an honor to be involved in this federal advisory committee on long COVID,” Verduzco-Gutierrez said. “This is an opportunity for public-facing persons to provide collective advice to the secretary of health for long COVID. It will be great to offer my perspective as a physician researcher who has been caring for persons with long COVID and other infection-associated chronic conditions.”
Verduzco-Gutierrez is a renowned academic physiatrist who also serves as chief of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service Line at University Health and medical director of neurorehabilitation at Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospitals.
She has contributed to national initiatives and clinical trials, including the National Institutes of Health RECOVER study and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-funded projects, advancing research and care for marginalized groups with complex disabling conditions. With more than 100 publications, she is dedicated to improving education, research and access to care for those affected by long COVID.
Verduzco-Gutierrez served on the committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine that last year produced a universal working definition of long COVID.
The HHS advisory committee’s membership represents a diverse range of individuals and organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and other infection-associated chronic conditions.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio), a primary driver of San Antonio’s $44.1 billion health care and biosciences sector, is the largest academic research institution in South Texas with an annual research portfolio of $413 million. Driving substantial economic impact with its six professional schools, a diverse workforce of more than 8,500, an annual expense budget of $1.46 billion and clinical practices that provide 2.6 million patient visits each year, UT Health San Antonio plans to add more than 1,500 higher-wage jobs over the next five years to serve San Antonio, Bexar County and South Texas. To learn about the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit UTHealthSA.org.
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