The Critical Care Recovery Clinic (CCRC)

The Critical Care Recovery Clinic (CCRC) was launched by the Institute for Critical Care Medicine (ICCM) as an initiative dedicated to addressing the multifaceted needs of critical care survivors. Our clinic is also designed to fill essential gaps in care after hospital discharge. 

The clinical team is composed of critical care physicians, critical care pharmacists, social workers, spiritual care providers, research coordinators, and administrative staff. Neha S. Dangayach, MD MSCR, and Maria Ronquillo, MD serve as co-directors for this clinic. This is a telehealth-based CCRC. Our CCRC is an active member of The Critical and Acute Illness Recovery Organization (CAIRO), a global collaborative of multidisciplinary groups dedicated to improving outcomes for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors.

An unintended but common consequence of critical illness is Post Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS). PICS can present anytime during recovery from critical illness. PICS can affect different domains including physical, cognitive, and mental health. In addition to patients, families can also suffer from unintended mental health and cognitive consequences of having a loved one in the ICU and this is referred to as PICS-F (PICS-Family).

The symptoms of PICS include:

Physical symptoms                           

  • Respiratory difficulties                     
  • Muscle weakness                             
  • Balance problems                             
  • Pain

Cognitive symptoms

  • Memory difficulties
  • Concentration difficulties
  • Slow mental processing
  • Trouble carrying out tasks

Mental Health symptoms

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)  
  • Sleep problems

Our mission is to create awareness about PICS among ICU survivors. We can help patients and families embark on the best possible trajectory of recovery; address important gaps in care after discharge from the ICU and serve as an additional layer of support. We collaborate with national and international scientific organizations to understand the longitudinal impact of critical care on patients. 

We are a telehealth clinic with a multi-disciplinary team approach. We assess and treat PICS, help patients process their complex hospitalization, manage spiritual care needs, and complete an updated medication review and reconciliation. We connect patients to appropriate support services such as primary care, specialty care (e.g. stroke, cardiology, etc.), behavioral health, nutrition, and spiritual care to achieve the best outcome for recovery.

  • For ICU survivors, the following patients are typically referred to our clinic:
    • Any critically ill patients who have stayed in the ICU for 48 hours or longer are at risk of developing PICS. 
    • Critically ill patients who required mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, mechanical circulatory support, emergency and complex surgeries, and transplants during their ICU stay.

Critically ill patients who meet our criteria can be referred to the CCRC by placing an EPIC order (ambulatory referral to CCRC) or by emailing us at MSCCRC@mountsinai.org. The CCRC team will connect with patients a few weeks after their ICU discharge. Before the appointment day, patients will be emailed questionnaires to help us assess any new or worsening impairments in the physical, cognitive, and mental health domains of PICS. (click link for flyers posters).

Clinics days and hours through telehealth: 

  • ICU survivors: Every Tuesday, 9am -4pm

For questions and registration, email us at MSCCRC@mountsinai.org or call 212-241-5135.