Go to Cerner for COVID shot? ‘High-volume’ vaccine clinics opening around Kansas City
The COVID-19 vaccine has been coming to Kansas City in dribs and drabs. But those efforts are about to go “large-scale” in Missouri, state health officials announced Monday.
While doses are limited nationwide, state officials think this will streamline the process for so many providers trying to get people vaccinated.
This week, the state is starting to send just over half of its weekly COVID-19 vaccine allocation to a select group of hospitals — including five in the Kansas City metro — to distribute through mass vaccine clinics open to certain eligible people.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services released this schedule of vaccine allotments:
▪ This week and the week of Feb. 15: Truman Medical Centers/University Health, Liberty and North Kansas City hospitals.
▪ The weeks of Feb. 8 and 22: HCA Midwest Health and Saint Luke’s health systems. Also, Bothwell Regional Medical Center in Sedalia, Cass Regional Medical Center in Harrisonville, Fitzgibbon Hospital in Marshall and Golden Valley Memorial in Clinton.
Liberty and North Kansas City hospitals are part of a Clay County coalition formed to vaccinate residents and workers there. The coalition will host its first vaccination clinics this week at Cerner World Headquarters in North Kansas City, with invitations going to people who have told the county they want the vaccine.
HCA and Saint Luke’s Health System are finalizing plans for their vaccination efforts based on how many doses they expect to receive, an HCA spokeswoman said Monday. Information for people who are eligible will be announced when plans are ready.
“The hospitals included in the first phase of this plan were selected for their ability to rapidly begin community vaccination efforts on a large scale,” Herb Kuhn, president and CEO of the Missouri Hospital Association, said in a statement Monday.
“Beginning today — and continuing as vaccines arrive in the days and weeks ahead — hospitals will be sharing how community members can sign up for their vaccine.”
More than 2 million Missourians are currently eligible for the vaccine under to the state’s priority phases, according to state health officials. They include health care workers, first responders, anyone 65 years or older and adults with certain high-risk health issues. The full eligibility list is at covidvaccine.mo.gov.
Federal partners are currently allocating Missouri about 76,000 doses per week, state health officials said in a statement.
The hospitals were chosen because they each have the ability to administer 5,000 vaccines a week, but actual allocations will be based on regional population, officials said.
“We are committed to fairly allocating doses in regions throughout the state and working with vaccinators to ensure efficient administration of the vaccine,” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said in the announcement. “Our partnership with the selected hospitals will help provide the consistency needed for effective planning of high-volume vaccine clinics to occur at the local level.”
Cerner, North Kansas City Hospital and the city of North Kansas City have joined “Operation Safe” vaccination campaign in Clay county.
The effort was recently founded by Liberty Hospital, Clay County Public Health Center, William Jewell College and the cities of Liberty, Gladstone, Smithville, Kearney and Excelsior Springs to vaccinate eligible people who work or live in Clay County.
Cerner officials said Monday that about 400 employees will volunteer over the first three days of vaccinations this week.
The coalition expects to vaccinate up to 4,500 people every other week if it receives the number of doses it expects, organizers said.
Appointments are required for all of these mass vaccination clinics. Walk-ins are not allowed.
People who have completed Clay County’s online vaccine interest form and are eligible under the state’s current vaccination phases will receive invitations to sign up for an appointment in the coming weeks.
Anyone who lives or works in Clay County is encouraged to fill out the interest form at clayhealth.com/covidvaccine. The website also has information on who is eligible or when you might become eligible for a shot.
Truman is vaccinating people at its Health Sciences District downtown and on its Lakewood campus in Lee’s Summit, said hospital spokeswoman Leslie Carto. It is also taking the vaccine into the community, as it did last week with a clinic at Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church. More community events are planned, Carto said.
Missourians who are eligible for phase 1B, Tier 2 — those age 65 and older and people with health risks — can call Truman at 816-404-2273 (CARE). Hold times can be long because of the demand for the vaccine, Carto cautioned.
The state has committed about 53% of its weekly allocation to selected hospitals. Another 23% will go to regional mass vaccination events held in partnership with the Missouri National Guard. In addition, 8% will be designated for local public health agencies, 8% for federally qualified health clinics and the remaining for “community providers” that have enrolled to distribute the vaccine.
As vaccine supplies increase, all hospitals and community providers that have an interest and capacity will be used for mass distribution efforts across the state, health officials said.
Hospitals not chosen for this push are still considered community providers and can request vaccine, the health department said. Several regional hospitals, for instance, have the capacity to vaccinate thousands per week, but couldn’t be included because of current limited supplies, health officials said.
“We believe this approach will help safely get vaccines in arms throughout the state as efficiently as possible,” Dr. Randall Williams, state health department director, said in a statement.
This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 3:29 PM.
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