SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — There’s new hope for the end of COVID-19 with promising new vaccines. But, in the meantime, the country is surging with record number cases. Doctors have been struggling with the best way to treat patients showing symptoms, but who don’t require hospitalization. Now one hospital in California has come up with their answer … a full-service clinic in the patient’s own home.
Michael Herrera is one of the millions of Americans whose life has drastically been changed by COVID-19.
“Everybody in the apartment had it. Everybody got over it, except for me. I’m what you call a long hauler,” explained Herrera.
Herrera became sick in August. Shortly afterwards, he was hospitalized and intubated.
“It was very traumatic,” continued Herrera.
Fortunately, his condition improved. But that meant he faced recovery from a deadly disease in his own home.
“And that’s what makes it scary,” said Herrera.
However, Herrera wouldn’t have to go it alone thanks to the COVID-19 Comprehensive Care Clinic. Started by Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California, it gives patients remote access to a village of healthcare workers.
“They are infectious and can’t go to their home clinics for care. We just didn’t have a way of caring for these patients who were not in the hospital. We follow the patients through the acute infection phase,” explained Angela Suarez, MD, Medical Director of Primary Care at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.
“One person on the team was taking care of my medication. One person was taking care of me physically, and another person was taking care of me mentally,” stated Herrera.
“We’re following their oxygen saturation level, we’re following their temperature, we’re following their symptoms,” Dr. Suarez said.
“They kept me busy, you know, either on the phone or somebody was at my door,” said Herrera.
Herrera is now steadily getting better and feeling stronger.
“I think because we’re able to address everything not just the COVID, we’re able to symptomatically help them,” shared Dr. Suarez.
The COVID-19 Comprehensive Care Clinic has been open since August. Currently, the team sees about 60 patients each day, with many returning to health in 14 days. Other hospitals are also adapting their approach of treating out-patient COVID cases. Among those are NYU Langone Medical Center and Gaylord Hospital in Connecticut.
Contributors to this news report include: Jennifer Winter, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor; and Rusty Reed, Videographer.
C3 CLINIC: CARING FOR COVID PATIENTS REMOTELY
REPORT #2833
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 comprehensive care clinic (C3), started by Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California, gives patients remote access to a village of healthcare workers from the comfort of the patient’s home. Medical professionals at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center follow a patient’s saturation level, temperature, and symptoms usually for 10-14 days after testing positive, and then patients are discharged back to their primary care provider. The C3 clinic helps provide outpatient care for COVID-19 patients who have been recently discharged from the hospital, or who have been seen at, or referred by, emergency rooms or primary care clinics. So far, the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center’s C3 clinic has seen approximately 300 patients since its opening.
(Source:https://www.scvmc.org/health-care-services/COVID-19-Comprehensive-Care-Clinic/Pages/Overview.aspx)
TREATMENT: Most people who become sick with COVID-19 will be able to recover at home. Some of the same things you do to feel better if you have the flu such as getting enough rest, staying well hydrated, and taking medications to relieve fever and aches and pains will also help with recovering from COVID-19. In November 2020, the FDA granted emergency use authorization to two monoclonal antibody treatments (bamlanivimab, made by Eli Lilly; and a combination of casirivimab and imdevimab, made by Regeneron) to be used by non-hospitalized adults and children over age 12 who have mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms and are at risk for developing severe COVID-19 symptoms or being hospitalized for it. By using these approved treatments those who have COVID-19 can reduce their risk of hospitalization and emergency room visits however, these therapies must be given intravenously (by IV) soon after developing symptoms in order to be effective.
(Source:https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/treatments-for-covid-19)
NEW TREATMENT FOR COVID-19: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for bamlanivimab and etesevimab to be administered together for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 cases in adults and those 12 years of age or older who weigh at least approximately 88 pounds. Those who are sick with COVID-19 and that meet the age and weight requirement must also have received a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 and must be at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 before being able to be approved for the treatment. The emergency use authorization also includes treatment for those who are 65 years of age or older or who have certain chronic medical conditions.
(Source: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2021/gene-readouts-contribute-to-distinctness-of-mental-disorders.shtmlhttps://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-authorizes-monoclonal-antibodies-treatment-covid-19-0 )
* For More Information, Contact:
Patty Porter, Director/Marketing and Communications
Patricia.porter@hhs.sccgov.org
(408) 885-4006
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