On September 9-10, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMU) co-hosted the Long COVID Physio International Forum. The forum featured 85 speakers from 19 countries who shared insights and solutions for those suffering from post-COVID symptoms and conditions. Over 800 people located in 35 countries across the globe registered to watch the event live and were welcomed by RMU’s Founding President and CEO, Richard P. Nielsen, PT, DHSc, ECS, who gave the forum opening address. “This is the first time RMU has been in an international forum in an international position with the entire world,” Nielsen stated.
The event trended on social media and was the most tweeted healthcare conference on September 11, with forum participants sharing their appreciation for the quality content and experienced presenters. RMU faculty member Mary P. Shotwell, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, attended the event and said, “Those chosen for the panels were experts in their field. They presented the data in an accessible manner, shared the lived experience of clients, and answered questions very well.”
Forum speakers covered various topics related to Long-COVID including the importance of patient-provider communication. RMU’s Interim Provost and Vice Provost of Academic Affairs, Malissa Martin, EdD, ATC, shared her experience of losing a loved one to Covid due to lack of healthcare and the importance of “believing your patient.”
Shotwell shared her insight regarding patient-provider communication, “When dealing with Long-COVID, or any patient or client with a chronic disease, it is critical to understand the individuality of the experience and to believe what the patient is telling you. Many of these physiological/psychological symptoms don’t come with numbers to accompany them, so you have to continue to dialogue with patients and get their perceptions about how they are doing.”
The forum also addressed the wide array of symptoms people can experience Post-COVID, including POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), vision changes, profuse sweating, loss of taste and smell, etc., and offering hope to forum participants like RMU Director of Academic Program Assessment Michelle Webb, EdD, OTD, OTR/L, CAPS, who said, “For those of us with Long-COVID, it was reassuring to hear that we are not alone.”
Forum organizers look forward to utilizing the content shared during the forum to develop more and better solutions for those suffering from Long-COVID. “The forum is research generating,” said Darren Brown, a Clinical Academic Specialist Physiotherapist HIV and Oncology and Chair of the Long COVID Physio. “Data will be collected from forum registration questions, Padlet content, Forum evaluation questions, and Symplur hashtag analysis to establish priorities in Long COVID, disability, and rehabilitation.”
Registration remains open to access forum recordings on demand here. To view participant feedback and responses, check out the LCP Forum (Long-COVID Physio International Forum) Padlet page here.
Forum Speakers from Rocky Mountain University:
Dr. Richard Nielsen, founding President and CEO of Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, USA
Dr. Malissa Martin, Acting Provost, Dean College of Health Science Lifelong Learning and Vice Provost Academic Affairs Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, USA
