Hospital Unveils Specialized Long-COVID Rehabilitation Program
CHICAGO, Ill. – November 24, 2025 – Metropolitan General Hospital today announced the launch of its Comprehensive Long-COVID Recovery Center, a specialized rehabilitation program designed to treat patients experiencing persistent symptoms more than three months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The program represents a $4.2 million investment in dedicated clinical space, diagnostic technology, and multidisciplinary staffing to serve what medical research identifies as a significant post-pandemic patient population.
The center operates on a referral-based model accepting patients across the Midwest region, with capacity to treat up to 500 new patients annually. Each patient receives a comprehensive evaluation from a core team of physiatrists, pulmonologists, neurologists, and cardiologists, followed by a personalized treatment protocol addressing the multi-system nature of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). According to recent federal data, approximately 13.7 percent of adults who have had COVID-19 report experiencing long COVID symptoms, representing an estimated 34 million Americans requiring specialized care.
“The medical community now recognizes long COVID as a complex, chronic systemic disease requiring specialized intervention,” said Dr. Rebecca Chen, Chief of Rehabilitation Medicine at Metropolitan General and Center Director. “Our program bridges the critical gap between primary care follow-up and the intensive, coordinated rehabilitation these patients need to regain function and quality of life.”
The clinical protocol incorporates findings from the National Research Action Plan on Long COVID and implements assessment tools from the NIH RECOVER Initiative. Patients undergo extensive autonomic nervous system testing, cardiopulmonary exercise evaluation, and neurocognitive assessment to establish baseline functional status. The program features a state-of-the-art facility equipped with tilt-table testing, continuous hemodynamic monitoring, and advanced pulmonary function diagnostics.
Market analysis indicates the global long COVID therapeutics market reached $3.2 billion in 2024, with healthcare institutions accelerating specialized program development to capture growing demand [²]. Metropolitan General’s center distinguishes itself through integration of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, including virtual reality-based cognitive rehabilitation, transcranial magnetic stimulation for chronic pain, and targeted physical therapy protocols for post-exertional malaise. A dedicated research component will track patient outcomes and enroll participants in three active clinical trials investigating antiviral therapies and microclot degradation treatments.
The program addresses demographic disparities identified in recent epidemiological studies, with specific outreach to communities showing higher long COVID prevalence rates. Data from the Agency for Health care Research and Quality shows adults aged 50-64 experience the highest symptom reporting rates at 17.9%, while women are disproportionately affected at 16.5% compared to 10.5% of men. The center employs culturally responsive care coordinators and offers telehealth options for rural patients outside metropolitan areas, where prevalence rates spike to 19.7%.
Insurance navigation specialists assist patients with coverage verification, as the hospital establishes in-network contracts with major carriers for long COVID rehabilitation services. Self-pay options and financial assistance programs are available for uninsured patients, addressing the documented 17.7% long COVID prevalence among uninsured adults under 65.
About Metropolitan General Hospital
Metropolitan General Hospital is a 600-bed academic medical center affiliated with the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. The hospital operates 12 specialized institutes and maintains Level I trauma certification. Its Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance ranks among the top 20 nationally for research funding, with 45 active clinical trials and $18 million in annual NIH grants. The hospital system employs 4,200 staff members across four hospitals and 28 outpatient centers, serving a catchment area of 2.3 million residents.
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