ICU Recovery Clinic

ASK YOUR DOCTOR
TO REFER YOU

SECURE REFERRAL FORM

SUBMIT A
SELF-REFERRAL

SECURE REFERRAL FORM

We know how hard it can be to recover after being sick. Because each person’s recovery after a stay in the intensive care unit is different, we develop a plan of care that’s right for you.

The UK HealthCare ICU Recovery Clinic’s purpose is to help you meet any health and life challenges you may have after a serious illness. In time, we hope to help you get back into your normal routine with your primary care provider.

After your hospital stay, you may have several appointments scheduled for various specialties. Our clinic will assist with coordination of care and help your providers talk with each other.

Please ask our team any questions you may have. Our clinicians are happy to help. Our team includes providers with expertise in critical care and recovery from serious illnesses.

LEARN ABOUT
OUR RESEARCH

We’re committed to improving
critical care and ICU recovery.

Visit the ICU Recovery Clinic Research page.

Life after the ICU

It is common after an ICU stay to need support from a caregiver or home health services. You may not know when you will be able to return to work. Our ICU Recovery Clinic is here to support your recovery journey.

You also may experience new symptoms after returning home from the ICU. These include:

  • Weakness, shaking or trembling
  • Feeling tired and short of breath
  • Voice changes or swallowing problems
  • Pain, numbness or tingling
  • Memory loss or confusion
  • Not sleeping, sleeping less or having nightmares
  • Feeling sad, frustrated, anxious or scared
  • Being easily startled

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) is a collection of symptoms or health disorders that develop after an ICU stay. At least half of ICU patients could have PICS after being in the hospital for a critical illness. PICS includes problems in three areas:

  • Brain function
  • Mental health
  • Physical function

Family may also be affected by your stay in the ICU. About one in three family members will develop symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression. This is called PICS-Family (PICS-F).

What to expect at our clinic

After checking in at the front desk, we may ask you to complete forms on paper or on a tablet computer. This will give you more one-on-one time with your provider.

Your initial appointment may take one to two hours. We take this time to ensure that we are addressing your needs. Appointments in the ICU Recovery Clinic are different from a typical doctor’s appointment. You will see a team of providers who can help with any health issues related to your ICU stay.

To give you the best care possible, you may see different clinicians on the same visit. They will come to you so that you can stay in the same room. There is no need to alter your diet or medication schedule on the day of the appointment. Please take your medicines and eat as you normally would.

During your appointment, you may visit with a:

  • Physician
  • Nurse practitioner
  • Pharmacist
  • Dietitian
  • Physical therapist
  • Occupational therapist
  • Respiratory therapist
  • Social worker

During your visit, it may be necessary for you to have testing to assess your physical, emotional and brain health.

Items to bring to your appointment

After checking in at the front desk, we may ask you to complete forms on paper or on a tablet computer. This will give you more one-on-one time with your provider.

Your initial appointment may take one to two hours. We take this time to ensure that we are addressing your needs. Appointments in the ICU Recovery Clinic are different from a typical doctor’s appointment. You will see a team of providers who can help with any health issues related to your ICU stay.

To give you the best care possible, you may see different clinicians on the same visit. They will come to you so that you can stay in the same room. There is no need to alter your diet or medication schedule on the day of the appointment. Please take your medicines and eat as you normally would.

During your appointment, you may visit with a:

  • Physician
  • Nurse practitioner
  • Pharmacist
  • Dietitian
  • Physical therapist
  • Occupational therapist
  • Respiratory therapist
  • Social worker

During your visit, it may be necessary for you to have testing to assess your physical, emotional and brain health.

Meet our team

  • Ashley Montgomery-Yates, MD
  • Anna Kalema, MD
  • Kirby Mayer, DPT, PhD
  • Melissa Soper, MSN, APRN
  • Charles Bodreau, PharmD
  • Courtenay Kantar, MSW, CSW

Referrals to our clinic

The ICU Recovery Clinic at UK HealthCare accepts self-referrals from patients who have had an ICU admission in the last six months with ongoing physical, cognitive and emotional symptoms, plus one or more of the following clinical situations:

  • Mechanical ventilation for longer than 24 hours            
  • High-flow nasal cannula patients treated for acute respiratory distress syndrome that required ICU admission
  • All post-ICU COVID-19 patients
  • New tracheostomy 
  • Shock requiring vasopressor support for more than 72 hours 
  • Muscle weakness secondary to your critical illness 
  • Delirium 
  • Diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome during hospitalization
  • Venovenous (VV) ECMO for respiratory failure

Contact & scheduling

Please call to schedule, reschedule or cancel your appointment.

Call: 859-323-9555

Fax: 800-257-9288

We understand ICU patients have complicated recovery patterns. If things change, please call us so that we can work with you to best meet your needs.