Feature Story: Leading Efforts on COVID-19 Pediatric Shots
Esperanza Health Centers (Chicago, Illinois) has administered more than 10,000 immunizations to adolescents ages 12-17.
HRSA-funded health centers across the nation have distinguished themselves in promoting public health and providing primary care services in underserved areas. The examples below provide a snapshot of the exemplary work health centers have accomplished across the country.
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Topics
Vaccines and Immunizations | COVID-19 Response Efforts | Telehealth | Community Outreach | Health Center Staff
Vaccines and Immunizations
Esperanza Health Centers has been one of the top pediatric COVID-19 vaccine providers in Chicago, according to the city’s Department of Public Health. They have administered more than 10,000 immunizations to adolescents ages 12-17.
Now that the Pfizer-BioNTech shot is authorized for kids ages 5-11, Esperanza has taken creative approaches to reach younger children. They are texting parents of all eligible children to inform them of how to schedule shots for their kids; conducting educational sessions on pediatric vaccines for parents; and maximizing their use of social media to further spread the word.
As of November 29, 2021, Esperanza had administered nearly 2,600 doses to kids ages 5-11, with approximately 87% going to Latino/Hispanic kids residing on the southwest side of Chicago. About 60% of the kids at their vaccination site are established Esperanza patients.
“It’s so heartwarming to see kids excited to come into our vaccine center knowing that they are doing their part to help protect their families and keep themselves safe,” said Dr. Mark Minier, Esperanza’s medical director of pediatrics and school-based health services. “Kids want to stay in school and they know the vaccine is an important part of that. While there have been some occasional tears, we see a lot more smiles, high-fives, and arm-flexing pics with Band-Aids.”
Learn more about Esperanza’s work.
(Published November 2021)
Alcona Health Center (AHC) in Lincoln, MI, is taking action in their community to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in adolescents, including through school-based health centers such as Owl Health Extension, managed in collaboration with Oscoda Area Schools. Among a number of proactive steps, AHC has administered tests, vaccinated adolescents as well as faculty and staff, and distributed masks and hand sanitizer.
As of September 2021, AHC had provided the COVID-19 vaccine to more than 7,900 individuals, including more than 350 youth aged 12-21. AHC also assisted the Oscoda Area Schools Athletic Department with the state-mandated testing program by administering the tests.
In addition, AHC has provided masks for students and worked with the Salvation Army in Alpena County to include masks in a backpack and school supply giveaway to low-income families. AHC gave schools information on COVID-19 vaccines through resources (e.g., packets and flyers), which schools have then shared through email, newsletter, and text message and at open houses.
(Published September 2021)
Piedmont Health Services, Inc. operates eight locations serving 14 counties in North Carolina. Piedmont Health began administering COVID-19 vaccines in mid-January of 2021. As of mid-April, they had administered 20,492 vaccine doses to 12,949 individuals. The health center received these vaccines both through their participation in the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program and through North Carolina’s COVID-19 vaccine provider program.
Piedmont Health is working to ensure equity in vaccine distribution; 27% of those they have vaccinated identify as Black/African American and 21% identify as Hispanic. To advance outreach to Spanish-speaking patients, they worked with the Alamance County Health Department, the Blessed Sacrament Church and Community, and other community partners to offer a free online event in Spanish. Presenters answered questions about vaccines and offered guidance on making vaccine appointments.
Earlier this year, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen visited the Chatham County location to highlight Piedmont Health’s important work. During the visit, Secretary Cohen stated: “Community health centers are the lifeline to health care for thousands of rural and underserved communities. They’ve been frontline partners in providing testing throughout the pandemic, and are an important part of the state’s strategy to ensure marginalized residents have access to COVID-19 vaccines.” Read more.
(Published April 2021)
CareSouth Carolina, Inc. (Hartsville, SC) provides affordable, accessible, quality primary health care services to nearly 39,000 patients throughout rural South Carolina. More than 55% of their patients are African American. Center staff have worked tirelessly to increase access to—and confidence in—the COVID-19 vaccines.
They began by purchasing a fleet of mobile units, which they call the Moby Outreach Program. These units enabled them to bring single-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines to rural, underserved areas that would otherwise lack access. Recently, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control awarded them a Community Hero award for these efforts.
To promote vaccine confidence, CareSouth conducted a “Roll Up Your Sleeve” campaign, answering questions and clearing up misconceptions about the vaccines. They launched a video campaign featuring trusted community leaders (such as local pastors, health care providers, and community advocates) sharing messages about why they got vaccinated. In this example , a local pastor shares his story.
CareSouth’s community outreach team seeks to increase awareness of vaccination benefits by passing out flyers, knocking on doors, and working with community groups. Their goal is to distribute as many COVID-19 vaccines as possible to protect the patients they serve. As of July 20, 2021, they had provided nearly 26,000 COVID-19 vaccines!
(Published July 2021)
COVID-19 Response Efforts (e.g., Treatment, Testing, and Contact Tracing)
PCC Community Wellness Center provides care to over 47,000 patients on the West, Northwest, and South Sides of Chicago and Near West suburbs and serves primarily Black/African American and Hispanic populations. In addition to administering tests and vaccines throughout the pandemic, they have now distributed 3,600 COVID-19 at-home self-tests and 20,000 masks to community partners and at-risk residents thanks to HRSA's COVID-19 Response Programs.
Their patients have expressed how grateful they are for having access to masks that have a high level of protection. One patient in particular has benefitted from having the high quality masks as they had limited access to personal protective equipment (PPE) at work; the patient appreciated receiving the at-home self-test kit as well.
Nilsa Campos, COO at PCC Community Wellness Center, shared, “We are very passionate and committed to serving our communities during these difficult times. We are grateful to be able to provide face masks that have helped our patients and their families feel safer during the pandemic. The HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply and N95 Mask Program provided critical support to our centers in doing so.”
(Published March 2022)
In January 2022, Union Community Care (Lancaster, PA) received 16,200 COVID-19 at-home self-tests through the HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply Program. They have shared these tests with community partners, including Water Street Mission, which reaches thousands of residents in Lancaster County and provides shelter to those experiencing homelessness.
“We’re using the test kits to test residents and staff when we learn about a potential exposure,” said Water Street Mission President Jack Crowley. “The tests have been helpful to keep our community safe. If we learn that someone tests positive, we are able to isolate them and hopefully stop the spread of the virus.”
Union Community Care also provided 2,700 COVID-19 at-home self-tests to the Lancaster City Housing Authority (LCHA), which plans to share the tests with the 1,200 residents they serve, including seniors and people with disabilities.
Vasthi Dominguez, LCHA resident service coordinator, said residents have been asking every day for at-home COVID-19 rapid tests. “Right now, there is such a limited supply in pharmacies. This is so helpful! Our residents can be confident in their health, and they don’t have to worry about contaminating someone without knowing if they’re sick.”
(Published February 2022)
In January 2022, Keystone Rural Health Center (Chambersburg, PA) received 16,200 COVID-19 at-home self-tests through the HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply Program. One of the health center’s focuses is providing health care to migrant and seasonal agricultural workers (MSAWs) in Franklin County. HRSA identified the Keystone Agricultural Worker Program as a primary recipient of the at-home self-tests.
Through this collaboration, tests were primarily distributed to MSAWs staffing fruit-packing facilities. These facilities are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks, particularly during the winter, making the availability of tests especially important.
Keystone also distributed tests to local groups serving individuals experiencing homelessness, including the Franklin County Homeless Shelter and House of Hope. On Saturday, January 29, the health center held a drive-thru giveaway event, at which they distributed 3,200 tests to more than 800 cars.
“The HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply Program has allowed for early diagnosis and reduced spread of COVID-19,” said Monica Diehl, Keystone’s senior nursing officer. “As a result, children were able to stay in the classroom, employees were able to stay at work, and agricultural workers were able to continue feeding our country, all thanks to this HRSA program.”
(Published February 2022)
Jordan Valley Community Health Center (Springfield, MO) has taken an active role in their community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Using their HRSA funding, they have sponsored regular community testing events and worked with local health departments to provide COVID-19 vaccinations. Beginning in December 2020, Jordan Valley also became a pilot site for a new monoclonal antibody treatment, bamlanivimab. The therapy is administered via intravenous infusion to COVID-19 patients (12 years or older) with mild to moderate symptoms at high risk of being hospitalized.
As area hospitals became overwhelmed, Jordan Valley started to provide this therapy to help lessen the hospitals’ burden. Most health centers are not set up to provide an hour-long infusion, plus observation; however, Jordan Valley came up with a creative solution. They repurposed their dental chairs into infusion chairs, allowing patients to recline comfortably during the infusion and observation period. Additionally, they use telehealth to limit staff’s exposure: The provider conducts a physical assessment prior to the infusion, and then the patient communicates with staff virtually during the infusion.
To learn more, read KYTV’s coverage of Jordan Valley’s efforts.
(Published January 2021)
Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, Inc. (TVHC) (Union City, CA) has advanced contact-tracing efforts through recruitment of bilingual staff. TVHC primarily serves Spanish speakers across Alameda County.
In late May, just before COVID-19 cases surged in the region, county officials turned to the state for help building their team of bilingual contact tracers—but the availability was limited. Responding to the need, TVHC Spanish-speaking clinicians and staff took contact tracing into their own hands, calling relatives and other families in multigenerational households of positive patients when they realized patients might not otherwise participate in the state’s contact tracing efforts.
According to TVHC Chief Executive Officer Andrea Schwab-Galindo, many patients and families were afraid to allow county-run testing sites to perform contact tracing because of the requirement to provide personal information. However, community members trusted TVHC staff to safeguard their personal information and were willing to work with their contact tracing staff. Since August, TVHC has reached 487 cases and 416 contacts. They have also provided health education and resources for successful isolation and quarantine to these individuals. The Mercury News also profiled TVHC’s contact tracing efforts.
(Published November 2020)
Telehealth
Food insecurity worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is especially problematic for patients with chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. When people do not know when or where they will eat their next meal, finding food often takes priority over managing their health.
To increase access to food, Westside Family Healthcare in Delaware piloted a program called Feeding Families. The program supports the health of families who screened positive for food insecurity and have at least one family member with a chronic disease. For one full year, 50 families received fresh food weekly from a home-delivery service and met virtually with a Westside nutritionist and social service coordinator to receive customized education, cooking tools, and recipes. Preliminary findings from an evaluation by the University of Delaware Center for Research in Education and Social Policy show those participants overall have better access to food, healthier eating habits, and reduced chronic disease.
“Focusing on food insecurity and the factors that contribute to illness, or the social determinants of health, has always been the mission of community health centers like Westside,” said Megan Werner, M.D., MPH, Associate Medical Director of Population Health and Quality at Westside. Our care teams can support patients with chronic disease using virtual interventions tailored to unique cultural, social, and health needs.” Read more about the program in their Impact Brief (PDF - 770 KB).
(Published June 2022)
Neighborhood Healthcare combined team-based care and virtual technology to pilot a new model for caring for patients with chronic disease.
With the onset of COVID-19, many of the quality metrics at the health center deteriorated, particularly those related to diabetes and hypertension. This brought new urgency to quality improvement work. However, the availability of telehealth and remote patient monitoring brought new opportunities as well.
The center launched a new virtual care team in early 2021 to target the needs of patients with diabetes and hypertension. The team received special training to provide care for new-onset diabetes, hypertension, and nicotine cessation.
The team sees patients two days a week. Most patient visits are virtual. In-person appointments occur when needed for labs, retinal screening, foot exam or patient education. Visit duration is 15 - 30 minutes.
Compared with the center’s usual care, the virtual team offers improved patient communication and care coordination, longer appointments for time-intensive services, standardized care with greater adherence to best practice guidelines, and improved access to affordable medication.
After one year, the team had completed 2,200 patient visits, enrolled 631 patients, and “graduated” 193 patients who no longer needed intensive services. Among hypertension graduates, 84% remain controlled. Among diabetes graduates, 89% have their most recent A1c level at less than 8%.
The health center also reports that among its graduates, staff see a reduction or elimination of disparities in outcome by race and ethnicity.
In coming months, the center plans to expand the size and scope of the team to allow more patients to benefit from this new model of care delivery.
Neighborhood Healthcare serves San Diego and Riverside counties. It has 20 sites, and serves about 78,000 patients per year.
(Published June 2022)
When COVID-19 made in-person health center visits more challenging, the Broward Community & Family Health Centers faced a problem.
Routine tobacco screening of patients had helped to spark a successful smoking cessation program, and the Florida center’s staff members were loath to end their efforts. Instead, they decided to experiment with an online approach.
The venture paid off; indeed, remote sessions work better for some people. This is especially true of those who work from home or have limited time to travel to the center’s five locations due to childrearing or other family commitments, said Jamal Lawson, the community outreach manager.
Nova Southeastern University and the Florida Department of Health support the program. It includes four weekly sessions with trained instructors and provides patients with nicotine patches or lozenges to help them transition to a healthier lifestyle.
Virtual sessions tend to have a smaller number of people in each group, ranging from three to 14 participants, as compared to the typical 10 to 20 for the in-person gatherings, and the smaller group size works well for some patients. In addition, staff have found it easier to schedule multiple time slots, including a class that runs from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., which is popular with working people. Although it is still too early to assess long-term success, Lawson said 90 percent of participants were initially successful at giving up tobacco.
Now that center staff have learned how successful remote sessions can be, they plan to keep it as an option even after in-person sessions resume. Lawson said the payoff is patients who are thrilled about becoming non-smokers.
“They never thought they could quit,” he said.
(Published April 2022)
Thanks to its HRSA funding, Miami Beach Community Health Center (MBCHC) has been instrumental in helping Miami, FL, respond to the pandemic. From the start, MBCHC transitioned quickly to protect their patients, moving from in-person visits to telehealth for non-essential patient visits. Nearly 40% of patient visits are now conducted through telehealth. HRSA funding also allowed MBCHC’s patients to obtain their prescription medications through a delivery service, rather than picking them up in-person at the health center. During a four-month period early in the pandemic, 838 patients had their prescriptions delivered.
As demand for testing increased, HRSA’s funding enabled MBCHC to hire additional staff for testing and educational outreach. MBCHC conducts drive-up and walk-up testing at all three of their locations, and tests 100 to 150 patients daily. As of January 28, 2021, they had tested 20,613 patients. The COVID-19 positivity rate among their patients is nearly 16%, which is significantly higher than the positivity rate reported for the state, according to the Florida Department of Health.
In early January 2021, they began distribution of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. During that month, they administered 900 first doses, at no cost, to health care workers with direct patient contact and people age 65 and older. They sent a mass text message communication to eligible patients informing them of the availability of the vaccine and describing how to make an appointment. They received another allotment of 900 doses last week.
(Published February 2021)
The Community Health Centers of Burlington (CHCB) (Burlington, VT) acted early and decisively in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, rapidly reducing in-person services, consolidating locations, and transitioning to telehealth. HRSA funding was integral to CHCB’s ability to continue offering seamless medical, psychiatric, and counseling appointments, as the funding allowed CHCB’s IT Team to rapidly put technologies and systems in place so staff could work remotely. This quick transition enhanced safety for both staff and patients.
Additionally, CHCB worked with the City of Burlington, State of Vermont, and nonprofit partners to operate a drive-through testing site, and conducted mobile outreach to homeless populations using a van loaned by a community partner.
Through further HRSA financial support, CHCB recently purchased their own outreach van, allowing for expansion of medical outreach visits for disease management and preventive care, immunizations, care coordination, mental health services, and COVID-19 testing. CHCB’s Youth Program will use the van to provide care and support to at-risk or homeless youth. This approach will help revolutionize how they provide health care to the community’s most vulnerable individuals.
(Published November 2020)
Community Outreach
Metro Community Health Center, located east of downtown Pittsburgh in the borough of Swissvale, distributed 5,110 COVID-19 at-home self-tests and 6,100 N95 masks in April thanks to HRSA’s COVID-19 Response Programs. They distribute self-tests and masks at their clinic as well as through community events held by partner organizations.
Patients and anyone else who stop by the clinic can pick-up free COVID-19 at-home self-tests and N95 masks from Metro staff or from a table in their lobby. The health center also holds drive-thru distribution events in their parking lot. In April alone, Metro gave out 2,250 self-tests and 4,340 masks at the clinic, including 360 self-tests and 440 masks through a drive-thru event on April 9.
Later in the month, Metro worked with the Wilkinsburg Police Department to administer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots at the police station and distributed 1,800 self-tests and 760 masks. They also collaborated with PGH Equality Center and the Shepherd Wellness Community to distribute resources at the OUTrageous Bingo event on April 23 at Rodef Shalom Congregation of Oakland, giving away 900 self-tests and 880 masks.
(Published June 2022)
In observance of National Nutrition Month — a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — Central North Alabama Health Services, Inc. (CNAHS) partnered with the Food Bank of North Alabama to host two produce distribution events that included the dissemination of COVID-19 at-home self-tests. Attendees received free produce along with six tests. In total, CNAHS gave away 2,538 self-tests at the two events, which they received from the HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply Program.
The first event, a drive-thru, took place in the parking lot of Huntsville Family Health Center on March 16 and the second event, a walk-thru, took place in the parking lot of the Athens Family Health Center on March 22. At the first event, the organizers also demonstrated how to make canned chicken tortilla soup and gave attendees the recipe and ingredients.
(Published March 2022)
If you want kids to learn about good nutrition, hitting the books does not do the trick. They learn more when they get a chance to shop for fresh, good food, and eat it.
Choptank Community Health is launching a “produce prescription” program that includes vouchers students can use to buy $20 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables at local farmer’s markets and produce stands.
Based in Denton, in Maryland’s Eastern Shore area, the health center is teaming up with schools and farmers to get nutrition information and practical experience to about 1,000 students between May and November.
Local schools sat empty for a time due to COVID-19. About half of the 10,000 local students are eligible for lunch programs, so the switch to virtual classes had unanticipated impacts, said Chrissy Bartz, Choptank’s Director of Community Based Programs.
“We didn’t really have an understanding of the level of food insecurity in this area until kids couldn’t come to school,” she said.
Choptank runs school-based health centers in several local counties. Staff worked with the school system and community non-profit groups to set up the produce prescription program. Students will be able to use their vouchers at food stands and at a mobile unit that will make stops in various neighborhoods.
Health center staff hope that the program’s focus on local food insecurity will spark greater awareness of the issue. Meanwhile, the “produce prescriptions" will be accompanied by health education on topics such as the importance of a healthy diet and physical activity.
(Published April 2022)
The Community Health Center of Buffalo, Inc. (CHCB, Inc.) worked with WNED PBS to host a televised program, “Friday Night Fight! Knock Out COVID!,” on February 18. The goal of the 90-minute program was to engage the community on COVID-19, help dispel myths about the virus and the vaccine, and, ultimately, encourage new vaccinations. Viewers were able to ask questions via phone, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter during the program, which aired live from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on WNED PBS and continued live on WNED PBS Facebook. The program was sponsored by the Community Health Care Association of New York State.
Dr. LaVonne Ansari, Chief Executive Officer, CHCB, Inc., shared that 20 patients visited CHCB, Inc. health centers on February 19 to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. “They told our staff that after they saw the “Friday Night Fight!” program, they had to come in to get vaccinated,” Dr. Ansari said.
Hosted by Claudine Ewing, anchor of local NBC affiliate WGRZ-TV, “Friday Night Fight!” began with a broadcast of CHCB, Inc.’s documentary “Fight For Good: One Body, One Soul,” then shifted to live discussion with speakers. In addition, Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (CMS) Administrator Brooks-LaSure provided remarks.
View the program on WNED PBS’ YouTube channel.
(Published February 2022)
Focusing on equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine, Herald Christian Health Center (HCHC, in Los Angeles County, CA) has launched multiple successful strategies to reach seniors and others who cannot register online or visit large vaccination sites due to language, technology, or transportation barriers.
The center set up a bilingual call center and recruited over 100 volunteers to help people register by phone. In partnership with five cities and five school districts, HCHC has vaccinated seniors, school staff, and other residents in community centers, high schools, and public parks via drive-through and walk-up models.
As of June 7, 2021, HCHC had administered more than 32,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses, with more than 25,000 doses administered to Asian patients. Read more about their program.
(Published June 2021)
Clínica Monsenor Oscar A. Romero, known as Clínica Romero, provides primary health care services to over 11,000 patients in Los Angeles, primarily in Latino communities. Their two delivery sites serve neighborhoods that have been hit hard by COVID-19 (PDF - 7 MB).
Promotoras (Spanish-speaking community health workers) are knocking on doors in key neighborhoods to help educate residents, build trust, and create a bridge back to the health center. The health center’s 40 promotoras have been central to its strategy to increase confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and boost vaccination rates. While going door-to-door, they share their own positive personal experiences with the vaccine, pertinent facts, and information on opportunities to access the COVID-19 vaccine.
Additionally, the promotoras provide supplies, tools, and tips to help keep community members safe throughout the pandemic. For instance, they pass out hand sanitizer and personal protective equipment, including N95, surgical, and cloth masks, as well as gloves, and provide guidance on washing hands to stay healthy.
During the spring of 2021, Clínica Romero began participating in the HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program. “We’re a small but mighty health center, and we’re incredibly grateful for all the support that HRSA has provided to help sustain our work throughout the pandemic,” said Stephanie Lemus, Clínica Romero’s director of public policy and community affairs.
(Published November 2021)
Health Center Staff
At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, CommUnityCare Health Centers in Central Texas held a vital role in community-wide, high-throughput testing operations. As pandemic dynamics shifted, they transitioned from drive-through testing to clinic-based point-of-care testing and curbside testing, facilitating a rapid linkage to care.
With 25 sites and additional street and mobile services, CommUnityCare’s reach is extensive. They serve nearly 126,000 patients, with almost 85% of patients belonging to a racial and/or ethnic minority group, and staff have taken steps to make sure their patients are prioritized in the provision of care. Dr. Nick Yagoda, Chief Medical Officer at CommUnityCare, shared that they have developed treatment algorithms with regional partners to ensure “alignment, equity, and high-priority access” to therapeutics for populations at greater risk. They also developed strong relationships with their lab vendors to optimize processing times for tests.
In-house, staff standardized workflows to support early diagnosis and decision-making at the point of care. For those patients who test positive for COVID-19, CommUnityCare has worked to ensure that treatment is accessible. Conveniently, they provide oral antivirals at point of care, as well as at their in-house pharmacies, which enables patients to receive the pills at the moment of diagnosis.
To date, CommUnityCare has distributed close to 52,000 COVID-19 at-home self-tests, with many of those received as part of the HRSA COVID-19 Testing Supply Program, and staff have administered roughly 114,000 PCR and antigen tests at CommUnityCare clinics. Additionally, CommUnityCare providers have prescribed over 90 courses of oral therapeutics and dispensed over 60 courses from their in-house pharmacy thanks to the HRSA Health Center COVID-19 Therapeutics Program.
(Published March 2022)
The front desk and other frontline staff at East Georgia Healthcare Center, Inc. (EGHC) are renowned for giving careful attention to patients and providing exceptional service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, amidst difficult challenges, EGHC frontline staff have gone even further by developing new ways to ensure patients are seen in-person and receive treatments as efficiently and quickly as possible.
For instance, EGHC has a clinical quality committee whose membership rotates among different providers and specialties at the health center. After the pandemic started, EGHC leadership utilized the committee’s expertise, along with input from additional frontline staff, to help form messages about COVID-19 testing, vaccines, and personal protective equipment in a way that would make sense to the public. The group also developed scripts for patient visits and phone calls to ensure staff share the same information regarding COVID-19 treatment availability and the pharmacies closest to each patient requiring those treatments.
While EGHC staff work to provide treatment to patients with COVID-19, they continue to address patient needs beyond COVID-19. Peyton Frye, practice manager at EGHC, shared, “As we like to say, people still get regular sick.” One patient shared, “These ladies at the Baxley office are awesome….They went above and beyond to help us find a pharmacy to get my husband’s insulin where we could afford it.” EGHC providers give COVID-19 at-home self-tests to anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 at the clinic to share with family and friends. By reducing the number of visits for COVID-19 tests, providers at EGHC clinics and mobile health units have had more time to see patients with chronic conditions or other health concerns.
In all, EGHC staff have come together to ensure they can efficiently and quickly provide treatment to patients with COVID-19 and additional health concerns. They have distributed over 15,500 COVID-19 at-home self-tests to date and continue to offer COVID-19 oral therapeutics free of charge thanks to HRSA’s COVID-19 Response Programs.
(Published April 2022)
OneWorld Community Health Centers' (Omaha, NE) staff have stepped up to the front line to address COVID-19 through testing, administering vaccinations, and providing thorough follow-up care for their patients. As one staff member shares, “In terms of [public health], I have done more in this pandemic than I have done in my entire career.”
In response to COVID-19, OneWorld hired new teams for triage, lab notification, and screening. These COVID-19 service teams provide two weeks of follow-up care for patients who test positive, including help with food and housing.
To increase vaccinations, OneWorld has a promotora/Community Health Worker team that includes a Spanish-language translator. They hit the streets in late July of 2021 with vaccines in a special cooler so they could administer shots on the spot.
Participating in the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program has greatly strengthened the impact of OneWorld’s outreach efforts. As of early August, OneWorld had administered almost 40,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Chief Executive Officer Andrea Skolkin shares that “having access to order vaccines has helped turn the tidal wave of disparity.” Read more about OneWorld’s door-to-door vaccine effort.
(Published August 2021)
Community Clinic, Inc. (CCI) provides affordable, accessible, quality primary health care services to more than 33,000 patients across seven delivery sites in Silver Spring, MD. Throughout the pandemic, they have been a vital partner in removing barriers to health care for their community.
As they began receiving COVID-19 vaccines early in 2021, CCI realized their staff would need to take the lead to get vaccinated, setting a positive example for their patients. They quickly designed an internal education campaign for staff, including videos, newsletters, and open dialogue with their CEO and President Sonya Bruton. Dr. Bruton was among the first at CCI to get vaccinated, seeking to boost vaccine confidence among both staff and patients.
A participant in the Health Center COVID-19 Vaccine Program, CCI has vaccinated more than 4,200 of their patients, with approximately 92% of vaccines given to racial or ethnic minorities. CCI proactively calls eligible patients to schedule them for their first and second doses and provides car service vouchers through Uber and Lyft to remove transportation barriers. They also actively conduct community outreach, including through tailored social media and “Ask Me Anything” videos. Learn more here.
(Published May 2021)
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