OAHHS Hospital Voice Spring/Summer 2021

21 Spring/Summer 2021 IN JACKSON COUNTY, A TEAM EFFORT TO VACCINATE THE COMMUNITY When doses of the COVID-19 vac- cine started going out across the state, there was far more demand than supply, and the results were predictable: patients often weren’t sure who had vaccine on hand, and hospital switchboards were buzz- ing with questions from people wanting to schedule an appoint and confused about eligibility. Leaders from Jackson County’s hospitals and public health knew they could simplify the process by working together, so they came together on a solution. By early March, a community vac- cine site was up and running, thanks to a partnership between Asante, Providence, and the Jackson County Public Health Department. “Creating this clinic means the people in our community no lon- ger need to worry about how or where they can get vaccinated,” said Dr. Jim Shames, medical director for Jackson County Pub- lic Health said in March. Talks on creating a joint vaccine site began in early February, with the goal of creating efficiency and optimizing the limited supply. “Pulling together the clinic’s oper- ational and logistical components such as location, a centralized phone number and enough staff to answer phone calls takes time,” said Doug Ward, Vice President of Operations at Asante Physician Partners. “We want to ensure the person’s experience with the pro- cess is positive and that their access to care is streamlined.” The clinic used the site of the Asante operation in Medford. By June, over 26,000 doses had been administered. Residents also could access the vaccine at a site sup- ported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Mobile tar- geted efforts at pharmacies, inde- pendent medical clinics and even grocery stores have brought doses to those who were not able to make it to the larger sites. The Jackson County collaboration is yet another example of hospi- tals, public health and community organizations working together to bring the life-saving vaccine to Oregonians. As always, those working on the effort are gratified to be a part of the work, which some describe as the most fulfill- ing of their careers. “It’s incredibly inspiring that so many people want to help stop the spread of this disease through vac- cination,” said Amy Bronson, Direc- tor of Clinical Operations for Providence Medical Group. “Part- nering on this vaccination clinic reflects how we can collaborate for the benefit of all people in our com- munity—to help meet the urgent demand for vaccinations and get more people vaccinated quickly.”