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More Shots in Arms: Scalable Learnings From a Continuous Improvement Effort to Deliver COVID-19 Vaccinations in Small Community-Based Clinics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Bruce Lawson
Affiliation:
Independent Scholar, USA
Sean Clark*
Affiliation:
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
Katie Geraghty
Affiliation:
Independent Scholar, USA
Joanne Poggetti
Affiliation:
Independent Scholar, USA
James Stewart
Affiliation:
Independent Scholar, UK
Paul Tarling
Affiliation:
Independent Scholar, UK
*
Corresponding author: Sean Clark, Email: seanec36@hotmail.com.

Abstract

Existing mass vaccination clinic guidance calls for staffing and resource requirements that may not be achievable in smaller settings. Practical and scalable solutions to these problems were developed by a volunteer group of continuous improvement professionals, working to assist 2 non-governmental organizations engaged in coordinating refugee health services: the Somali Health Board of Seattle, WA and Community Health Services Inc. of Rochester, MN. Our shared goal was to get more shots in arms by bringing vaccines to small communities through pop-up clinics that are quick to set-up and require minimal resources. The clinics were developed using continuous improvement methods, thereby yielding a 2-minute vaccine administration time and an 8-fold improvement in productivity as a result of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidance. This report details our field-tested methods and achieved results. The relevance and benefits of this approach deserve attention as pandemic response needs continue to evolve and vaccines become more globally available.

Type
Report from the Field
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc.

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References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19: racial and ethnic health disparities. CDC.gov. Updated December 10, 2020. Accessed September 8, 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/health-equity/racial-ethnic-disparities/disparities-illness.html.Google Scholar
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Community vaccination centers playbook. FEMA.gov. Updated July 6, 2021. Accessed September 8, 2021. https://www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus/governments/community-vaccination-centers-playbook.Google Scholar