Salinas Valley Medical Clinic has so far been vaccinated with 12K COVID-19 – Monterey Herald

Salinas — Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare Systems affiliate Salinas Valley Medical Clinic provided an additional approximately 700 vaccinations to eligible individuals on Friday, covering approximately 12,000 vaccinations so far over the past few weeks. Distributed to people.

Karina Rusk, spokesman for the Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, said:

Rusk said the expansion of standards will rely on guidance from Monterey County, as the challenge of vaccine supply remains with vaccine providers.

Adding more people to the vaccination eligibility roll, the California Public Health Service issued an update on Thursday, and from Monday, healthcare providers are considered to be the best using their clinical judgment. Vaccinations can be given to individuals aged 16-64 years, including the risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 as a direct result of one or more of the severe health conditions involved. Provider bulletin..

Salinas Valley Medical Clinic is an open payer blind healthcare system developed to extend access to primary and specialty care services to all in Monterey County. Rusk said he has identified 60,000 people at risk of chronic medical conditions within the Salinas Valley Medical Clinic and is vaccination of diverse groups with the zip code of interest.

According to Monterey County Health Department spokesman Karen Smith, Monday’s state guidelines set the Monterey County vaccination schedule so that people can sign up and book COVID-19 vaccinations at the clinic as long as supply allows. Does not affect. The county scheduled for expanded eligibility as a new supply of vaccines will come by that day on Wednesday.

“Our goal is to vaccinate as many qualified people as possible in the community as soon as possible. We leverage our electronic medical recording system to categorize those in these high-risk groups. We filter and identify quickly, “says Rusk. “We are vaccinated about 700 to 1,000 times a day.”

Rusk initially said the clinic began at two Salinas Valley Medical Clinic Prime Care locations, Salinas and Monterey.

“Most of the high-risk population we serve is in the Salinas Zip Code area, so we’ve integrated it for efficiency. Currently one of the Salinas Valley Medical Clinics on Abbott Street in Salinas. We are holding a vaccine clinic at the same time, “Rusk said. “We are vaccinated with Pfizer and Moderna from that location.”

Salinas Valley Medical Clinic leverages an electronic medical recording system to create an efficient and effective process, identify who has contacted the Salinas Valley Medical Clinic medical facility, contact and register directly, MyChart Via patient portal or email.

“One advantage is that MyChart is now one of two systems with the ability to seamlessly transfer data to the state database MyTurn,” Rusk said. “This feature saves time and money on data entry.”

However, many of the most vulnerable people are not connected by computers, so the Salinas Valley Medical Clinic uses the Robocall system to contact qualified patients and schedule appointments.

This direct approach is one of many approaches deployed in the county and complements other programs that utilize an open registration process where qualified participants continue to check for availability in different locations. To do.

“We have large rooms set up at a social distance for check-in, vaccination and surveillance,” Rusk said. “We are on track and we are getting great feedback from the people who are in the process.”

Salinas Valley Medical Clinic will receive 100 Johnson & Johnson one-shot vaccines at the Taylor Farm Family Health and Wellness Center in Gonzales.

According to Rusk, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single dose and is effectively used by people who have difficulty following up on a double dose vaccination plan, so the clinic works with agricultural companies to work with immigrant agricultural workers. Is intended for people.

“No additional J & J shipments are planned, but we look forward to more in the near future,” Rusk said.

For more information on vaccinations in Monterey County, please visit: ..