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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Our Team

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.

Advanced Practice Providers

Annie Johnson, APRN, ACNP-BC, FCCM (lead nurse practitioner) 

Annie is the founder of the MCIRP and with 22 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.

 

Occupational Therapists

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

Emily is a co-founder of the MCIRP and serves as clinical lead for both the recovery program and ICU OT practice throughout the Rochester hospital campus. While previously focused in the ICU at Eisenberg 10-3/4, she now spreads her time between all adult ICUs. Her role as an occupational therapist in the recovery clinic includes functional reconciliation, exercise/activity coaching, return to work recommendations, cognitive screening and activity training, and relaxation and coping education.

 

Lydia Geiszler, O.T., BCPR (team occupational therapist)

Lydia has been a member of the MCIRP team since 2021. Her role as an occupational therapist in the recovery clinic includes functional reconciliation, exercise/activity coaching, return to work recommendations, cognitive screening and activity training, and relaxation and coping education.

Pharmacists

Erin Barreto, Pharm.D., Ph.D., R.Ph., BCCCP (team pharmacist)

Erin Barreto is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacy at Mayo Clinic and has been an ICU pharmacist for more than 15 years. She is active within several professional organizations including the Society of Critical Care Medicine and is a fellow in the American College of Critical Care Medicine. 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, and immunization review.

 

 

Heather May, Pharm.D., M.S., R.Ph. (team pharmacist)