Devyani M. Hunt, MD

Devyani M. Hunt, MD

DEPARTMENT OF ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and of Neurology
Chief, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

2023 Dean’s Impact Award Recipient

Devyani M. Hunt, MD, is being honored for her important work supporting patients facing long-term effects of COVID-19 illness. Hunt is the co-founder and director of the Living Well Center. The Living Well Center focuses on aspects of healthy living to prevent disease and promote physical and psychosocial well-being. Located at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, it is a highly innovative program that has received attention in regional publications and has been profiled in Washington University publications. Early in the pandemic, Hunt recognized the importance of wellness in the context of COVID-19, particularly post-COVID-19 long-term symptoms. As COVID-19 and its impact on individuals became better known, she developed a forward-thinking program focusing on the treatment of patients recovering from COVID-19. These patients can experience lingering symptoms, including pain, fatigue, brain fog, stress, sleep and mood disorders. The Living Well Center’s long-COVID care plans are personalized and innovative. They combine traditional clinical intervention — such as musculoskeletal care, physical therapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy — with lifestyle medicine such as nutritional counseling, behavioral health counseling, sleep hygiene counseling, acupuncture, medical massage and smoking cessation. Hunt leads this program and is heavily involved in individual patient care. Her efforts to support people with COVID-19 and to promote wellness in this population have been inspiring to many others. Her team, which includes physical therapists, counselors, nutritionists and health coaches, follows her lead and is highly dedicated to providing extraordinary and compassionate care to people who face the unknowns of long-term illness.

Dean’s Impact Awards 2023

ALL AWARD RECIPIENTS »