A Roadmap to Better Care:
Clinical Care Guide for ME/CFS, Long COVID &
Infection-Associated Chronic Conditions
Too often, people living with ME/CFS, Long COVID, and infection-associated chronic conditions (IACCs) spend years searching for answers—only to be met with dismissal, outdated advice, or clinicians unsure how to help. The Bateman Horne Center (BHC) is working to change that.
We’re proud to announce the release of our Clinical Care Guide for Managing ME/CFS, Long COVID, and IACCs—a robust resource that translates clinical expertise and lived experience into a step-by-step framework for assessment, diagnosis, and ongoing care.
A Tool for Patients and Providers
This guide isn’t just for healthcare professionals—it’s for anyone navigating these complex, often disabling conditions. Whether you’re a patient, caregiver, or advocate, the guide offers language, tools, and validation to bring to your next medical appointment. It’s designed to bridge the gap between lived experience and clinical understanding.
If you’ve ever heard “your labs are normal,” or felt pressured to “just push through,” this resource may help change the conversation.
And if you’re a provider unsure how to support patients with post-viral illness, this guide offers a clear, evidence-informed roadmap—grounded in science, centered on function, and shaped by real-world care.
What the Guide Covers
Developed by Bateman Horne Center clinicians and partners with deep experience in ME/CFS and Long COVID, the guide provides:
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Diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS, with guidance for recognizing overlaps with Long COVID and other IACCs
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Practical clinical tools like the Good Day/Bad Day Questionnaire and NASA Lean Test for assessing impairment and orthostatic intolerance
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Management strategies for post-exertional malaise (PEM), cognitive dysfunction, sleep disruption, pain, and more
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Guidance for disability documentation and school/workplace accommodations
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Special sections for pediatric and severely affected patients, as well as allied professionals (physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology)
Each chapter is written with clarity and empathy, providing both clinical rigor and real-life relevance.
Why It Matters Now
Post-viral conditions are not rare—and they’re not going away. Millions are living with ME/CFS and Long COVID, often without access to knowledgeable care. At the same time, healthcare providers face enormous pressure, limited training in these conditions, and systemic barriers that make complex care feel daunting.
The Clinical Care Guide meets this moment by offering a shared foundation: practical tools for clinicians and empowering information for patients to advocate for themselves.
It’s not a cure, but it is a start—a way to replace confusion with clarity, and isolation with informed partnership.
Lucinda Bateman, MD, is a renowned clinician, researcher, and educator. Her Johns Hopkins University Medical School training instilled an approach to care that she has employed throughout her career - the patient comes first and the unknown or unexplained does not equate to a lack of proper and compassionate care. Since starting her own practice in 2000, she has served on six boards or committees, been the principal investigator for 45 studies, authored/coauthored 40 journal articles, served as adjunct instructor and adjunct assistant professor in the University of Utah Departments of Preventative Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Anesthesiology, and lectured around the world.