Long-/Post-COVID consultation hours

Outpatient clinics for long-COVID diseases are now being set up at Hannover Medical School (MHH) and University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG). The model institute outpatient clinics will initially be affiliated with the existing pilot structure at the Centres for Rare Diseases at MHH and UMG for one year. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Science have reached an agreement to this effect with the MHH, the UMG and all statutory health insurance associations. The aim is to enable those affected to receive structured and interdisciplinary treatment as quickly as possible if their needs go beyond general practitioner and specialist care. In particular, people affected by incapacity for work are to be helped.

Patient care is initially provided by service providers participating in SHI-accredited medical care in accordance with the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) guideline on 21.12.2023, the "Guideline on cross-professional, coordinated and structured care for insured persons with suspected Long COVID and diseases with a similar cause or manifestation". Patients are cared for by general practitioners; if the type, severity and complexity of the disease are appropriate, a referral to specialist care should be made. At the same time, the treating GPs/specialists can use a registration form to register patients at the MHH and UMG. The registration of patients via the registration form is carried out exclusively by the referring practice. In addition, the findings and questionnaire can be sent both by the referring practice and by the patients themselves. Due to the extraordinarily high number of medical inquiries and the associated long waiting time until outpatient presentation (months to years), continuous continuation of general practitioner and specialist medical care is essential.

Disease patterns treated

The services offered by the universities in Lower Saxony (MHH and UMG) are aimed at the general practitioners/specialists treating patients of all age groups with the following conditions, depending on the need and severity of the condition in each individual case:

• with long-COVID disease (suspected or already confirmed) or
• with long-COVID disease with similar symptoms as a result of another infection (post-acute) or
• with Long COVID-like symptoms following a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (post-vac) or
• with ME/CFS (suspected or already confirmed)
  • as a result of an infection with SARS-CoV-2
  • due to other causes

Required documents

The prerequisite is an examination of the necessity, suitability and possibilities of treatment in specialized outpatient care by the practicing practitioners (general practitioners and/or specialists). This is particularly the case if, due to the nature, severity or complexity of the illness, there is a need for interdisciplinary care from at least two or more specialist disciplines and the special medical expertise of a specialist area. This should be considered at the latest if the patient has been unable to work for three months, unable to attend school for four weeks or has ME/CFS of at least moderate severity.

Please note that we will only process complete requests submitted by a treating GP/specialist practice. A list of all requirements and necessary information can be found here:

• Registration form to be completed by a general practitioner and/or specialist
• Patient questionnaire
• Referral form
• E-mail address of the patient (for the purpose of making an appointment)
• Necessary preliminary findings: cardiological and pneumological examination results, abdominal ultrasound, laboratory values (basic laboratory: complete blood count, liver and kidney values, CRP, BSG, ferritin, NT-proBNP, HbA1c, thyroid parameters, hepatitis B/C serology)
• If available, other relevant previous findings such as discharge reports, rehab reports, imaging (e.g. X-ray, CT, MRI), other specialist findings (e.g. neurological, rheumatological and gastroenterological examination findings), other laboratory findings

IMPORTANT! Please do not send us any unsolicited CDs or electronic data carriers. Please only send copies of the above-mentioned documents, as we are unable to return findings. Incomplete requests cannot be processed.

Please send us the required documents by fax or post to the following address:

Hannover Medical School
Centre for Rare Diseases OE 5130
Long-/Post-COVID Consultation
Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1
30625 Hannover

Fax: 0511 532 161244
E-mail: fatigue@mh-hannover.de

Since there is a comparable care offer at the University Medical Center Göttingen, we ask that patients living in the Göttingen and Braunschweig regions (postal code areas 34xxx, 37xxx and 38xxx) send their inquiries directly to the University Medical Center Göttingen.