Friday, March 20, 2020

UMC Announces Fairgrounds Testing, Telehealth App

UMC issued the following statement.




The University of Mississippi Medical Center is leading an effort to address the state’s community COVID-19 outbreak by offering triage for symptoms via a new smartphone telehealth app and collection of testing samples at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds.

Residents who believe they have symptoms of the virus must start the triage process beginning Monday by using the free app, C Spire Health UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage, created by the Medical Center and C Spire. The app is available for screening from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., seven days a week.

Only those triaged for risk through the app can take part in the collection of samples, at no cost, at the Fairgrounds beginning on Tuesday. They must arrive at their scheduled time and present an identification number given to them from the app. “This is not wide-open testing," said Dr. LouAnn Woodward, UMMC’s vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.

Individuals found by UMMC Center for Telehealth providers to be at high risk for infection will receive a next-day appointment at drive-through tents at the Fairgrounds. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m., seven days a week. No one will get out of their vehicle; providers wearing protective gear will come to their window and swab their noses to retrieve specimens for testing to be performed at the Mississippi State Department of Health.

UMMC will notify those tested of the results and give further instructions. Those without a smartphone showing symptoms and who want to be screened can call 601-496-7200. Anyone not experiencing symptoms is asked not to use the app or call.

App users determined to be at low risk for infection won’t receive an appointment for collection of specimens, but instead will receive instructions on social distancing, home isolation and self-care – and told to call back if symptoms worsen.

The app is downloadable March 23 from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Those who have already downloaded the existing C Spire Health telehealth app will need to make sure their app is updated Monday to reflect the UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage usage.

Dr. Jonathan Wilson, UMMC chief administrative officer, said the drive-through collection site leverages the Medical Center’s expertise in emergency services and telehealth to support a pressing health care need in the state.

The first day of screening on Tuesday won’t be perfect, he and other state medical leaders say. “There’s not a clear playbook for this. We are using best practices from around the country, and we will change and adapt as we go. We will continue as long as we have specimen collection materials and good weather,” Wilson said.

“We don’t have time to do a lot of practice runs. We need to do this sooner rather than later.”

“We are offering our disaster response experience and our state-of-the-art telehealth services to support the public health efforts of the Mississippi State Department of Health,” Wilson said. “This field collection site will help the Medical Center continue to function as a tertiary hospital to care for the sickest patients, rather than consume its resources taking care of low-acuity patients.”

How it will work: Users of the app will be placed in a virtual waiting room to be picked up by a provider. They’ll be asked if they have symptoms including cough, fever, shortness of breath or sore throat.

If they are found to be at high risk, they will receive a next-day appointment for collection of samples at the Fairgrounds. Plans call for specimens to be collected from 128 people per day, said Dr. Alan Jones, UMMC chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine. If those appointments fill, callers will be asked to try back the next day for screening and a potential appointment.

Appointment-holders will use only the High Street entrance, and they will follow clear signage under direction of troopers with the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Walk-ups and use of Uber, Lyft or other ride-sharing services are not allowed. C Spire will provide free Wi-Fi at the Fairgrounds to support the drive-through operation and the public.

With the number of confirmed cases in the state up to 80 on Friday and one death, the outbreak is fast worsening, Woodward said.

“I promised to you and others earlier this week that we would bring to bear the full resources of our academic medical center for this,” Woodward said to media during an afternoon news conference.

That includes swift development of testing technology by UMMC’s scientists, a task with the capabilities of an academic medical center with full research capabilities, said Dr. Richard Summers, associate vice chancellor for research. It’s hoped a test will be ready for use at UMMC in the next 10 days or so, Woodward said.

The UMMC-led effort is a public-private initiative. The app’s development was coordinated by UMMC, CSpire and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. The drive-through field collection site is coordinated through UMMC, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, MSDH, the state Department of Agriculture and Commerce, the state Department of Transportation and the state Department of Public Safety. C Spire will provide free Wi-Fi at the Fairgrounds to support the drive-through operation and the public.

The offices of Gov. Tate Reeves and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann are among the entities supporting the app and field collection.



“As a Mississippi-based telecommunications and technology company, we care about our employees, our customers and the people of the Magnolia State,” said Hu Meena, president and CEO of C Spire. “C Spire is prepared to do whatever it takes to help our state respond to and recover from this devastating public health crisis.

“In times like these, communications apps and technologies are a critical lifeline for our schools, our churches, our state and nation to rely on.”

“UMMC’s initiative is a great example of the joint effort between state agencies, the Institutions of Higher Learning, and hospitals as we respond and ultimately win the fight against COVID-19,” said MEMA Director Greg Michel.

The app’s overarching purpose and that of the field collection is to provide quick and substantially increased access to testing, Jones said. ”UMMC and its partners are poised to provide … an unprecedented response. Our desire is that this telehealth option fills an important need for the citizens of this state, and that it answers their questions and concerns about this pandemic.”

“This is a somber time for Mississippians with our first COVID-19 death yesterday and the marked increase in cases we reported today,” said Dr. Thomas Dobbs, state health officer. “We’re going to see a lot more cases. We’re at the front end of this thing.

“We now have significant community-wide transmission, and that is why these type of mobile rapid testing centers are important. They allow testing of individuals while protecting the health worker. “

Metro-area health systems including Baptist Hospital and St. Dominic Hospital plan to take part in some way in the process.

Andy Gipson, the Agriculture and Commerce commissioner, called the Mississippi State Fairgrounds the “ideal location that will allow the public to drive up and get tested for the virus without spreading the disease through in-person contact.

“There may be some dark days ahead, but we will defeat this. By working together and looking after one another, we will get through this crisis.”




17 comments:

Cynical Sam said...

Has Baby Chok found a cure yet?

Anonymous said...

Thankful to C-spire and Hugh Meena for his willingness to work and serve Mississippians!

Anonymous said...

Or is there a cure for Baby Chok

Anonymous said...

Baby Chok is in conference with Stokes to determine the best racism angle to pursue and develop a strategy for emphasizing that along with proper Kush response protocols.

Anonymous said...

Drive through COVID-19 testing is a shockingly stupid thing to do. The testing kits (and the swabs) are in serious nationwide short supply and giving them to "look-loos" is idiotic. The testing should be reserved for hospital inpatients (to triage correctly); health care workers and first responders; and then (maybe) the elderly with symptoms (though history is an unreliable indicator). Now if not the time to waste the swabs on idiots who are curious.

Anonymous said...

And just a few weeks ago our Honorable Mayor was asking us to send our medical supplies back to China. (Where this virus originated)

BTW, have there been any pressers from the KUSH folks over at the Cooperation Jackson "center" on West Capitol Street ?

I know in the past, they've always been concerned about the health their comrades.

Anonymous said...

Telehealth screening is 8 am to 8 pm. Testing hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Estimating 16 patients per hour * 8 hours = 128 appointments per day.

I listened to it all. I'm not certain there was an intelligent question asked. Kudos to UMMC, C-Spire, and MSDH though for putting their heads together.

Anonymous said...

I think the count now is up to something like 42 threads on this blog repeating the same thing, over and over, about Covid. The admin has lost control of his faculties.

Cynical Sam said...

Breaking News! Baby Chok is asking China to send his masks back. Film at 11:00.

Anonymous said...

Gotta disagree 4:34, it's great to have the information gathered together.

Perhaps you should spend your time wfh or gardening.

Anonymous said...

Paid for and posted by Fake News Blogger.

Anonymous said...

Have they researched the benefits of cannibis? I have a good feeling that it will produce great results.

Oh, But I Read It On A Blog... said...

5:32 - If it was 'gathered together', that would be one thing, but it ain't.

By the way, this is another fake headline. NO testing is being done at these locations. These are SCREENINGS to see if testing is appropriate. Nobody but NOBODY will be tested on demand and certainly not on request.

And another fake headline: NOBODY has died IN MISSISSIPPI, yet. The fellow who had a Mississippi address was hospitalized and died in Louisiana. No known data on where contracted. But, makes a good headline for folks like you.

You can get your healthcare information from the goobers on Supertalk or you can get from the goobers on this blog. I'll stick with the CDC and Health Department Officials.

fed up in Jackson said...

@3:59.....if you read the article, one would be qualified to come through the drive through line by using the telehealth system to see if the have a real need to be tested. they are then given a unique ID or something, and a time to drive through for the swab test. This is being done nationwide. This is not a random "I feel like I should drive through to get tested" situation.

Anonymous said...

There is a clinic in tiny Bassfield which has been doing telemedicine screening long before C-Spire/UMMC got into it.

Kingfish said...

No testing is being done?

"Only those triaged for risk through the app can take part in the collection of samples, at no cost, at the Fairgrounds beginning on Tuesday."

That is the department's press release, not mine. nice try.

Anonymous said...

It's rather obvious to those of us who can read that those who, through the initial screening (it's an APP), and who, upon review, show a real possibility of harboring the virus...are given a different day and time to show up for TESTING. Clearly this is not an assembly line process where you move from drive up to assessment to review to testing.

"Residents who believe they have symptoms of the virus must start the triage process beginning Monday by using the free app, C Spire Health UMMC Virtual COVID-19 Triage, created by the Medical Center and C Spire. The app is available for screening from 8 a.m.-8 p.m., seven days a week.

Only those triaged for risk through the app can take part in the collection of samples, at no cost, at the Fairgrounds beginning on Tuesday."

Kingfish will have to show up, undercover, wearing shades and faking a dry cough to get to the bottom of this dilemma.


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