MEDSTAR MOBILE HEALTHCARE
MedStar Mobile
10
HEALTHCARE
NEW CHALLENGES – NEW SOLUTIONS As 2020 ended, we all looked forward to 2021 with hope for a return to something more like ‘normalcy’. But the start of 2021 brought continued challenges for the community, and MedStar. Thankfully, due to the strong partnerships and collaboration between MedStar, the City of Lake Worth, and your fire and police departments, your emergency medical services system rose to the challenges posed by the coronavirus, as well as Winter Storm Uri.
The Solution: The Office of the Medical Director implemented a
vaccinating large numbers of
patient care protocol designed to
people is a significant undertaking.
navigate patients with low acuity, coronavirus likely medical symptoms to medical resources other than a hospital emergency department (ED). In these cases, MedStar or Lake Worth Fire Department personnel advise the patient that their symptoms are likely related to the coronavirus, provide the patient information on resources available to address their medical needs more appropriately, and do not take the patient to the ED. Instead, the patient is given printed
PRESERVING HEALTHCARE
materials that not only provide resource
SYSTEM CAPACITY WHILE
contact information, but also crucial
IMPROVING PATIENT
information about steps they should
SATISFACTION The Challenge: Managing significant 911 EMS response volume and hospitalizations from the coronavirus. COVID-19 related 911 call volume peaked at an alltime high just after the holidays. On January 9th, 2021, MedStar crews treated 145 patients in one day with suspected or confirmed coronavirus illness. That record number represented 34% of the
the coronavirus pandemic and
take to prevent transmission of the virus to others. Since the protocol was implemented in March 2020, it has been used over 1,000 times to help with patient navigation and avoid preventable ED visits. Interestingly, when surveyed, 98.9% of the patients
The Solution: Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) initiated vaccine administrations in December 2020, and MedStar has been supporting that effort in a number of ways. We began by staffing the TCPH vaccine clinic sites to serve as vaccinators, as well as medical support in the postvaccine recovery area. Additionally, MedStar is a CDC and state approved vaccine provider, and has been receiving vaccines directly from the state to support the vaccine effort. Due to MedStar’s ability to deliver ‘mobile’ medical care, we have been conducting community-based vaccine clinics in underserved areas of the community. These mobile clinic sites are easier for people to access, in an environment they are accustomed to, such as churches and community centers. These processes
rated their satisfaction with this
will continue well into the summer.
protocol as high or very high.
MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY
COVID VACCINE
(MAB) INFUSION TREATMENTS
ADMINISTRATION The Challenge: Providing vaccines
The Challenge: Keeping patients diagnosed with the coronavirus from
total patients treated that day. At
to as many area residents as
needing hospitalization. mAb infusion
the same time, hospital occupancy
possible, as quickly as possible.
therapy is an evidence-based treatment
rates were at an unprecedented
Vaccinations are one of the key
that avoids hospitalizations by helping
89%, with ICU occupancy at 99%
interventions to help mitigate
the body fight virus infection. People
LAKE WORTH DIRECTORY
|
2021
