DEFINITION
What is Long Covid Program?
GWCIM's Long COVID Program is one of the most comprehensive post-COVID care programs in the Washington, DC area — and one of the first. Launched in 2022, it brings together functional medicine, integrative medicine modalities, community support, and ongoing education.
At the heart of the program is a functional medicine approach: advanced diagnostic testing to uncover what's actually driving each patient's symptoms, followed by a personalized treatment plan. Layered on top of that foundation are integrative medicine modalities that treat the whole person — body, nervous system, and mind. Acupuncture, Reiki, and Somatic Experiencing may offer significant benefits in managing Long Covid.
The program also includes Long COVID Groups — weekly virtual sessions led by Ashley Drapeau and guest presenters. In these weekly groups, patients receive ongoing medical guidance, integrative treatment education, and the support of a community of people navigating the same experience.
Regular open-access educational events round out the program, giving patients and their families access to the latest thinking on Long COVID. Whether you're just beginning to seek answers or have been struggling for years, the GWCIM Long COVID Program meets you where you are — and builds a path forward from there.
The program's innovation and impact have been recognized nationally, receiving the Innovative Hospital Award 2024 from Health.com."
Qualifications & Background
GWCIM's Long COVID Program is led by Ashley Drapeau, PA-C, Dipl. Ac., MPAS, MAc — GWCIM's Medical Director and one of the country's most experienced Long COVID clinicians — alongside Dr. Mikhail Kogan, MD. Ashley brings over 15 years of clinical experience, dual training in Western and Chinese medicine, and a unique perspective: she has navigated Long COVID herself. Ashley has been appointed to a CDC-funded expert panel for Long COVID Education, Engagement, and Care Management, and the GWCIM Long COVID Program received the Innovative Hospital Award 2024 from Health.com.
INDICATIONS
What conditions does it help with?
ADVANTAGE
Why Long Covid Program at GWCIM?
GWCIM has been treating Long COVID patients since 2022 — making it one of the earliest and most experienced dedicated Long COVID programs in the Washington, DC area. In that time, the team has served over 3,000 patients, building a depth of clinical knowledge about this condition that few practices can match. The program has grown not just in size but in sophistication, continuously evolving as the science of Long COVID evolves.
Patients who come to GWCIM have often already seen a dozen other providers. Here, they find a team that is not only medically rigorous but genuinely believes their story.
APPROACH
Our Approach
We start every new patient relationship with a thorough review of their full history, symptom timeline, and past test results. From there, our team uses standard and advanced diagnostics: routine labs plus genetic and specialty tests as indicated. The aim is to discover why the body is struggling to recover from covid infection.
Treatment is customized based on these findings. The GWCIM team coordinates multiple approaches and providers as needed, including physical, speech, occupational therapists, dietitians, and psychotherapists. We provide many services in-house and have strong referral partners for others.
At the core is our integrative philosophy, blending the best of conventional and complementary medicine. Acupuncture, IV therapy, and nutrition work alongside medications and advanced testing—not as alternatives, but as partners in a complete care plan.
Care Options
Initial and Follow-up appointments
A thorough new patient visit with Ashley Drapeau or Dr. Kogan to review your full history, assess your symptoms, and begin designing a personalized testing and treatment plan. Follow-up individual appointments are to review test results, adjust treatment, manage medications and supplements, and track your progress over time.
Long Covid Medical Groups
Weekly virtual medical groups led by Ashley Drapeau and guest Integrative Medicine specialists. Groups provide medical guidance, integrative treatment information, peer support, and community — all for $100/month. This is one of the most affordable ways to access the GWCIM Long COVID team's expertise on an ongoing basis.
Long COVID Open Houses
Periodic free open educational events where prospective and current patients can learn more about the program, ask questions, and connect with the team.
In-Person and Telemedicine appointments
Individual appointments are available in-person at our Washington, DC office and via telemedicine (subject to state regulations).
IV and Infusion Therapy
Supports cellular energy and repair at a level oral supplements often can't reach — a key tool for Long COVID's most debilitating symptoms.
Recommended Integrative Medicine Modalities
Your principal provider may recommend Acupuncture, Memory Clinic, Reiki, Somatic Experiencing, Integrative Psychotherapy, Movement Therapy, specialized Physical Therapy, or other modalities
EXPERTISE
Recommended Providers
Ashley Drapeau, PA-C, L.Ac., MPAS, MAC
Medical Director | Functional Medicine | Long-Covid Program Director
Mikhail Kogan, MD, ABIOM, RCST
Integrative and Functional Medicine Physician | ReCODE Program | Chief Medical Officer
Tiffany Hoyt, DAOM, M.Ac., M.CHM, Dipl. O.M., LAc
Chinese Medicine Doctor
Angela Gabriel, MSOM, LAc, SEP
Chinese Medicine Doctor, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner
Sally Novak, LCSW, DOM, L.Ac., MSW
Integrative Psychotherapist | Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Doctor of Oriental Medicine
Yael Flusberg, C-IAYT, E-RYT500, RMT, MS
Mindfulness and Somatic Coach | Yoga Therapist | Reiki Master
LEARN MORE
What to expect as a patient
- Comprehensive Initial Assessment: Your first appointment is an in-depth conversation about your full health history, symptom timeline, and everything you've tried before. You'll be heard — thoroughly and without judgment.
- Individualized Testing: Based on your history and presentation, the team will recommend a personalized diagnostic workup that may include conventional, functional, genetic, and environmental labs to uncover what's driving your symptoms.
- Coordinated Care Plan: You'll receive a personalized treatment plan that integrates multiple modalities and providers — no more managing your care across disconnected specialists who don't talk to each other.
- Ongoing Support: Long COVID recovery is rarely linear. The team provides consistent follow-up, adjusts your plan as you respond, and offers group support to keep you connected and informed throughout your journey.
- Community: Through GWCIM's Long COVID groups, you'll have access not only to expert medical guidance but to a community of people navigating the same road — which, for many patients, makes a real difference.
Q&A
Q&A
Long COVID is a condition in which symptoms persist or develop after an acute COVID-19 infection, typically lasting more than four to twelve weeks. However, many patients experience symptoms for months or years. Common presentations include fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, POTS, pain, and immune dysfunction. There is no single definitive test; diagnosis is based on your clinical history and symptom pattern. If you've had COVID and haven't felt like yourself since — even if your standard bloodwork comes back "normal" — that's worth exploring with our team.
The Long COVID Virtual Groups are weekly online sessions led by Dr. Kogan and Ashley Drapeau. They provide medical education, integrative treatment guidance, peer support, and a sense of community for people navigating Long COVID. At $100/month, they offer exceptional access to the GWCIM team's expertise. They are a wonderful complement to individual care, or a starting point for patients who are early in their journey with GWCIM.
Honestly, it varies — and anyone who gives you a definitive timeline without knowing your case is guessing. Long COVID recovery is not linear, and it often involves periods of progress followed by setbacks. The GWCIM team is experienced in pacing care around post-exertional malaise and the ups and downs of recovery. What we can tell you is that many patients — including those who had been struggling for years — do make meaningful progress with comprehensive integrative care.
These conditions frequently co-occur with Long COVID, and GWCIM has deep expertise in all of them. Ashley Drapeau specializes specifically in this intersection. If you're dealing with Long COVID alongside hypermobility, mast cell issues, or autonomic dysfunction, GWCIM is one of the few places in the country where you'll find a team that fully understands the complexity of that overlap.
EDUCATION