Post-Acute COVID Syndrome (PACS) Clinic
PI: DR. JEFFREY PARSONNET, MDFounder & Director · Infectious Disease SpecialistDARTMOUTH HITCHCOCK MEDICAL CENTERMission & context
Founded in 2021 by Dr. Jeffrey Parsonnet, the PACS Clinic at DHMC was the first of its kind in northern New England and remains the only Long COVID clinic serving the rural communities of New Hampshire and Vermont. The clinic accepts patients 18 and older who have experienced persistent symptoms for 12 or more weeks following a confirmed COVID-19 infection — including brain fog, fatigue, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, and body aches.
While many Long COVID clinics nationally operate with extensive waitlists, DHMC's PACS Clinic has maintained the capacity to see patients within a few weeks of referral — a significant achievement for a predominantly rural patient population with limited access to specialized care.
Multidisciplinary care team
The clinic operates as a true multidisciplinary program, drawing on specialists across DHMC to address the complex, multi-system nature of Long COVID.
Infectious diseasePsychiatry & neuropsychology
Cardiovascular medicine
Neurology
Pulmonology
Rehabilitation medicine
General internal medicine
Physical & occupational therapy
Clinical focus areas
Pacing & rehabilitation: PACS patients require specialized rehabilitation approaches — exertion to the point of fatigue often causes setbacks. Therapists are trained in PACS-specific pacing and positioning protocols for physical and occupational therapy.
Neuropsychiatric care: Cognitive fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance are among the most prevalent Long COVID symptoms. The clinic provides integrated neuropsychiatric evaluation and support.
Peer support & creative arts: In partnership with the Creative Arts Program and Office of Patient Experience, the clinic offers facilitated virtual peer discussion groups and a creative writing group for patients.
Research & publications
The clinic systematically collects clinical data to advance the field's understanding of Long COVID in rural and underserved populations. Recent research from the PACS team includes:
A Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS) Clinic in Rural New England Bardach et al. · American Journal of Medical Quality, 2024 → https://doi.org/10.1097/JMQ.0000000000000202
Neuroimaging markers of cognitive fatigue in individuals with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection Niemczak, Ford, Roth, Parsonnet et al. · Brain and Cognition, 2025 → https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bandc.2024.106254
Altered auditory brainstem responses are post-acute sequela of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) Niemczak, Skoe, Leigh et al. · Scientific Reports, 2025 → https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93664-4
Visit the PACS Clinic at Dartmouth Health →
https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/infectious-disease/post-acute-covid-syndrome-clinic
