NORFOLK, Va. — The Sentara Ambulatory Care Center in Norfolk started vaccinating its patients eligible under Phase 1b on Wednesday.
The ACC houses 5,000 underinsured and Medicaid patients in Hampton Roads and aims to manage chronic diseases, reduce hospitalizations and prevent ED visits for routine care.
The center’s patient care services manager, Toy Coffey-Perkins, said they serve patients who might have trouble affording healthcare at hospitals and clinics.
“The indigent and uninsured residents of the Hampton Roads area," she said. “We want to make sure that we reduce the health disparity in terms of the Black and Brown communities and that we increase the equity for patients to have access to the vaccine.”
Coffey-Perkins noted people of color are far more likely to be uninsured and far more likely to die from the coronavirus.
There are concerns, at a national level, about equal access to the vaccine. She said her team is reaching out to patients who are eligible to get the shot, making sure they understand everything about it.
She said the center has 200 doses of the vaccine. The plan is to vaccinate 10 patients every morning and afternoon through February 11.
“It’s very important to get uninsured patients vaccinated," Coffey-Perkins said. "We want to make sure we are, one: reducing the disparity in terms of healthcare access for those residents. And we also want to increase the equity in terms of them being able to have access to the vaccine.”
Marvin Booth was one of the people receiving the shot.
“It’s time for everybody to get it and I’m tired of these masks," Booth said. “I was ready for it. I’m a little shaky with needles, but if it will save my life, I’m cool with it.”
Another patient, Darlene Sweetwright said, “I think everybody should get it just so we can get back to normal.”
As for the rest of the Sentara hospital care system, they are offering a limited number of vaccines to Phase 1b patients who have a Sentara Medical Group (SMG) primary care provider. That includes patients who are 75 years and older.
Eligible SMG patients will be contacted directly through their Sentara MyChart account or by phone or e-mail to schedule a vaccine appointment.