NEW YORK, Oct. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Pulmonary Wellness Foundation (PWF), a New York City-based nonprofit organization whose team has been treating cardiovascular, pulmonary and complex medical patients for nearly three decades, announced the opening of its new COVID-19 Rehabilitation and Recovery Clinic at H&D Physical Therapy located at 815 Second Avenue between East 43rd and East 44th Streets in Manhattan.
New York has been one of the hardest hit states with the highest number of COVID-19 patients in the nation. The Pulmonary Wellness Foundation's COVID-19 Rehabilitation and Recovery Center will provide medical support to the hundreds of thousands of recovered COVID-19 patients in New York and the surrounding tri-state area as they continue on their path to health.
The new rehabilitation clinic, the first and only private post COVID-19 rehab in the state, opens two months after the nation's first online COVID Rehabilitation & Recovery Bootcamp launched in August. The Bootcamp, created by Dr. Noah Greenspan, a cardiopulmonary physical therapist, and founder of PWF, consists of online breathing and other therapeutic exercise programs, as well as patient education and support for COVID long-haulers.
Long-haulers are patients who recovered from the acute virus, but after 30, 60, 90 and even 120+ days, are still experiencing symptoms. Even months after infection, some are plagued by painful and disturbing symptoms that can include shortness of breath, coughing, trouble concentrating, heart palpitations, diarrhea, and difficulty sleeping. As of today, over 1000 COVID long-haulers globally have participated in the Bootcamp. In addition to increasing capacity for in-person rehabilitation at the center, Dr. Greenspan and his team will continue to treat patients through the online Bootcamp.
"Initially, it was thought that COVID was a flu-like respiratory virus that was two weeks and out. We know now that it is so much more complex than that," said Dr. Greenspan. "For many long-haulers, COVID has proven to be a respiratory condition superimposed on a cardiac condition, superimposed on a neurological condition, superimposed on a GI condition and while there are still so many more "unknowns" than "knowns," we are beginning to see patterns in patients and definitely beginning to see signs of hope for improvement."
Dr. Greenspan will work alongside Marion Mackles at the New York center, a cardiopulmonary physical therapist and chief of the Pulmonary Wellness Foundation's airway clearance program and musculoskeletal physical therapist, Greg Hullstrung, one of the founding partners of H&D Physical Therapy.
"We are very excited about working with the team at H&D Physical Therapy on this important mission," says Mackles. "I am looking forward to forming partnerships with each patient on their individual journey, which for a majority of COVID patients it begins with the most fundamental part of life - breath."
"Few physical therapists have the depth and diversity of experience that Noah and Marion offer this novel patient population," said Hullstrung. "We are excited about this partnership and look forward to developing a program that will become a respected model for the treatment of COVID-19 survivors worldwide."
Keeping Our Patients & Staff Safe During COVID-19
"Since day one, patient safety has always been our first, second and third priority. For that reason, all patients will be fully-monitored throughout their rehabilitation sessions, including continuous ECG, blood pressure and oxygen saturation in 5-minute intervals. Oxygen will also be available onsite to enhance the therapy for those that will benefit from it and we are confident that we have the right partners in H&D," says Dr. Greenspan.
About the Pulmonary Wellness Foundation
The Pulmonary Wellness Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization designed to serve as the world's most comprehensive and advanced pulmonary wellness hub and community for people living with pulmonary diseases. Respiratory illnesses affect millions of people of all ages, ethnicities, and socio-economic groups. More information is available at https://pulmonarywellness.org/.
About H&D Physical Therapy
H&D Physical and Occupational therapy was established in 1997 by physical therapists Greg Hullstrung and Rob DiLillo, with a mission to provide one-on-one integrated science-based holistic therapy. Their focus has always been on "treating people, not body parts."
SOURCE Pulmonary Wellness Foundation
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