Muscle weakness, memory problems, depression, insomnia, physical pain, nightmares. These are just a few examples of the problems that patients may experience following critical illness. Symptoms such as these which affect emotional, physical, and cognitive health are now being recognized as Post Intensive Care Syndrome, or PICS. Efforts to educate health care providers, patients, and families about Post Intensive Care Syndrome are underway. Explore our site to learn more about PICS.

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At Mayo Clinic, outstanding teamwork is something we pride ourselves in. The Mayo Clinic ICU Recovery Program (MCIRP) is no exception. Our recovery team recognizes the necessity of a well-rounded, multi-professional care team in the management of critical illness recovery. Since it's inception, the MCIRP has been staffed with team members who have each specialized in critical care for many years. Meet the current members of our team below.

 

Annie Johnson, APRN, CNP (lead nurse practitioner) 

Annie is a co-founder of the MCIRP and with 19 years of ICU experience serves as the Medical Director and lead provider of the clinic. She is based on the Rochester campus and works clinically in the mixed medical/surgical ICU and post-ICU follow-up clinic. Annie's role as a provider in the clinic is focused on the comprehensive recovery assessment following hospital discharge. This includes a review of systems and symptoms, debriefing of the ICU stay, education about ongoing medical conditions and diagnoses, and therapeutic interventions when required including prescriptions for medications, specialty referrals, and others. Annie is currently pursuing her PhD with a focus on critical illness recovery with the goal of moving the science of recovery forward to better serve her patients.

 

 

Shannon Piche, Pharm.D., BCPS (lead pharmacist)

Shannon is a co-founder of the MCIRP team and with 7 years of ICU experience, she serves as the lead pharmacist for the MCIRP. Shannon is based on the Rochester campus as a clinical pharmacist in the mixed medical/surgical ICU and post-ICU follow-up clinic. Her role as a pharmacist in the clinic is focused on medication therapy management as it relates to transitions of care, including: medication reconciliation, medication monitoring/follow-up, patient specific counseling/education, tobacco cessation, and immunization review.

 

 

Emily Schmitt, O.T. (lead occupational therapist)

Emily is a co-founder of the MCIRP and with 6 years of ICU experience serves as the teams lead therapist. Emily is based on the Rochester campus. Her role as an occupational therapist in the clinic includes functional reconciliation, exercise/activity coaching, return to work recommendations, cognitive screening and activity training, and relaxation and coping education.