VCOM 2021 Annual Report

VCOM-Affilated International Clinics

Making a Difference in How We Serve: International Clinic COVID-19 Response and Support V COM-affiliated international clinics adjusted their patient care policies to meet their respective government directives for health care facilities and activities. In all cases, clinics continued

to provide medical services and never stopped providing care for their communities.

Support for Clinics B y collaborating with local partners in each country, all VCOM-affiliated clinic medical providers were equipped with appropriate protective gear. In addition, medical facilities were secured with no or highly restricted patient access. Instead, services were provided in parking lots and grounds at the clinics under tents to segment patient populations symptomatic from other emergency care and tents reserved for specific types of treatment. In Honduras, protocols were developed for full telemedicine by cell phone and outside distribution of medicine. While COVID-19 continues, the number of cases presenting at VCOM-affiliated clinics has declined. Each country has begun to open businesses and clinic access in phases. VCOM continues biweekly calls to monitor, provide a venue for sharing ideas and updates from CDC.

Documentation of COVID Care through Electronic Clinic Records Throughout the COVID outbreak, the VCOM clinic utilized the Clinical Rotation Evaluation and Documentation Organizer (CREDO) and Electronic Clinical Records (ECR) reporting to document COVID “suspected” and “confirmed” cases resulting in over 10,000 counts across the three countries. Since clinics were restricted to emergency and pregnancy care, COVID management became a significant percentage of clinic activities.

58