Names of Project Lead(s) and Key Team Members

• Project Leads: Carla Kuon, MD; University of California at San Francisco (clinic, education)
• Key Team Members:
• Michael Peluso, MD, MPh, MHS; Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (clinic, research)
• Nikki Gentile, MD, PhD; University of Washington (education and research)
• Kathryn Hansen, ANP-BC; Vanderbilt University
• Iman Majd, MD, LAc; University of Washington
• Aiko Bailey, LAc; University of Washington
• Wu-Hsun Tom Yang, ND, LAc; University of Washington
• Other collaborators from the Long COVID Interest Group (affiliated with the International Congress on Integrative Medicine and Health).
• Additional contributing interdisciplinary members from the Osher Centers at UW, UCSF, and other interested Centers (via Open Proposal engagement).

Brief Project Description (150 words maximum):

Long COVID disproportionately affects women, marginalized communities, and low-income individuals, who face higher rates of infection, limited access to specialized care, and prolonged disability, economic hardship, and productivity loss. Lack of familiarity with integrative medicine approaches—effective for managing symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, persistent pain, and emotional stress—among clinicians further limits exposure to these helpful modalities, exacerbating existing health disparities.

This project addresses these disparities by increasing access to integrative care through evidence-informed educational resources. Deliverables include (1) CME-accredited guidance statements with pre- and post-training evaluations to measure changes in clinician knowledge, confidence, and competency, and (2) creation of video content for patients with Long COVID describing dietary recommendations, helpful supplements, mind/body exercises, pacing, addressing post-exercise fatigue, symptom management (3) patient-facing educational materials in Spanish and English, published online for widespread access.

By piloting these resources through UCSF in Collaboration with San Francisco Zuckerberg General Hospital, and the University of Washington Osher Centers and Long COVID clinics, this initiative aims to improve access to integrative medicine for underserved populations, inform future education projects, and enhance health equity across programs.

Brief Statement on Feasibility and Anticipated Impact (150 words maximum):

The proposed project is feasible within the 12-month timeline and aligns with the Osher Collaborative’s mission to advance integrative health equity through education. Collaborators bring multidisciplinary expertise to develop evidence-informed, accessible materials for diverse clinical settings.

Dr Kuon, Director of UCSF’s Long COVID OPTIMAL clinic and co-investigator in the Long COVID Care AHRQ Network, is a leading expert in clinical care for Long COVID. She provides international expertise in the clinical management of Long COVID and as creator of UCSF’s group medical visits, is an expert in developing and delivering protocolized care in a group setting. 

Dr. Peluso, Director of Zuckerberg General Long COVID Clinic, Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, UCSF, is a clinician and researcher in long COVID through the LIINC (Long-term Impact of Novel Coronavirus). He provides expertise in Long COVID research.  He is the PI on the Long COVID Care AHRQ Network.

The team’s combined expertise ensures the creation, piloting, and dissemination of resources to address clinician and patient education gaps in integrative care.

Impact:

1. Clinicians: Increased knowledge and confidence in applying integrative techniques to manage Long COVID, improving access for underserved and marginalized populations.
2. Patients: Empowerment through actionable education, addressing gaps in care and tailoring resources for adults, children, and disadvantaged groups.

This collaboration strengthens health equity by improving access to integrative care for Long COVID patients across diverse communities.

Total Budget Requested: $20,000