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Doctors making house calls to treat, vaccinate homebound patients
During the visits, they treat chronic healthcare concerns and recently got approval to give doses of the coronavirus vaccine to their patients who, although stay home, would be at risk due to exposure from family members that take care of them.
HOUSTON - A group of doctors and nurses from UTMB are going door to door to treat their patients and work outside of their schedules to administer COVID-19 vaccines.
In most cases, it is very difficult for these homebound or disabled patients to make it into the doctor’s office or to a mass vaccination site.
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A team from UTMB’s Geriatric Services Department started this program of making old-fashioned house calls back in 2008 with a few dozen patients. Today, they have more than 250 patients.
During the visits, they treat chronic healthcare concerns. Recently, they got approval to give doses of the coronavirus vaccine to their patients who, although stay home, would be at risk due to exposure from family members that take care of them.
The team also tries to make life more comfortable for their patients by bringing blankets, water, and food liked baked items to cheer them up.
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The house calls are made to patients living in Harris, Galveston, and Brazoria counties. Some of those being vaccinated aren’t UTMB health patients.
"People are very excited and grateful to be able to have the vaccine," says nurse practitioner Jennifer Young. "Many of them couldn’t think of any other way that they could receive it. They were worried they that they would be left out. So we’re able to provide that for them."
Through this program, the staff has been able to vaccinate 100 patients and are looking to get more done in the future.
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