COVID-19 Care Clinic in a Medical Center: Lessons Learned

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated novel healthcare delivery models.
• Care clinics were established to manage patients with COVID-19 symptoms.
• Effective infection control was paramount to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the operational elements of a COVID-19 Care Clinic (CCC).
• To analyze patient demographics and clinical outcomes.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of infection control measures within the CCC.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze data.
• The study included 4934 unique patients over a 10-month period (April 2020-January 2021).
• Key infection control processes included rooming procedures, PPE use, in-room labs, and escort services to minimize patient time and contact.

Main Results:

• Of 4934 patients, 76.8% were tested for COVID-19, with 11.8% testing positive.
• 92% of patients presented with COVID-19-like symptoms.
• Post-clinic follow-up showed 9.1% ED visits and 0.2% mortality within 30 days; no occupational infections occurred.

Conclusions:

• The CCC offered accessible, face-to-face care for diverse age groups with COVID-19 symptoms.
• Infection control measures were highly effective in safeguarding healthcare staff.
• Findings support decentralizing COVID-19 symptom management to primary care settings with similar protocols.