We often say the magic of healthcare engagement happens on a micro level—one-on-one connections, for instance, that can close a preventive care gap, which ends up changing a life.
But sometimes, healthcare engagement has the opportunity to play a role that changes millions of lives in a short period of time—helping to protect an entire, vulnerable population and ultimately change the trajectory of a nation.
As part of Operation Warp Speed and the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Defense have partnered with national retail pharmacies to provide and administer COVID-19 vaccines to residents of long-term care facilities nationwide. The pandemic has taken a devastating toll on long-term care facility residents, and these residents, in addition to those professionals who care for them, are one of the highest priority groups to be offered the first available COVID-19 vaccines.
To remove the burden of additional outreach and planning from pharmacists, Carenet Health is helping to manage the engagement and scheduling arm for part of the program with 30,000 long-term care facilities across the U.S.
The Carenet Operations Team estimates the initial work of our engagement specialists on the project could help facilitate the deployment of at least 2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the first quarter of 2021.
Pharmacists will conduct three vaccination clinics over approximately two months at each long-term care facility that opts into the initiative: an initial clinic, a clinic for the second (booster) vaccination needed to complete the regimen, and a follow-up clinic to ensure all affiliated with the facility (and who wish to get the vaccine) have received their two doses.
A specially trained Carenet team is performing a series of scheduling and planning outreach touchpoints with long-term care facilities, including confirming numbers of vaccine doses required for each event and providing information on what will be necessary for the clinics to be a success, such as requirements for a reserved onsite space, pre-registrations, and privacy and security.
Vikie Spulak, Carenet’s Chief Client Officer, said the organization has worked with health plans and pharmacies on other vaccination clinic needs in the past, but this project certainly includes a heightened level of urgency.
“When you’re asked to serve as part of an unprecedented life-saving initiative like this, it’s reassuring that we have the technology, processes and experts in place to ensure we get it right,” Spulak said. “Our infrastructure and operations structure is key. It’s why we’re able to ramp up quickly and cost-effectively, yet maintain the empathy-driven engagement our teams are known for.”
John Erwin, Carenet Health CEO, said this is a rare opportunity to see the difference that engagement can make on a grand scale. “These vaccination clinics are essentially the first steps in turning the tide on the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re honored to be a part of this historic initiative, to relieve some of the burden on pharmacies and public health authorities, and to help make this happen for some of the nation’s most vulnerable.”
The Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care Program is being offered free of charge to all long-term care settings, including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, residential care homes and adult family homes. For more information on the partnership, read the HHS news release.
For more information on Carenet’s role, please reach out to Skip Dampier, VP – Marketing, at sdampier@carenethealthcare.com.
