Research has shown that the vast majority of independent clinics that actively seek COVID-19 vaccines have not received any doses.
Medical offices are being left behind in an attempt to vaccinate Americans against the COVID-19 coronavirus.
According to a press release from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), a survey found that 85 percent of independent clinics and 45 percent of hospitals that are actively seeking vaccine doses for patients have not received any so far.
In the meantime, most of the offices that obtained doses reported that they received only enough supplies to vaccinate 1% or less of their patients, the statement said.
“Current distribution efforts move patients away from trusted ties to their doctors and force them to hunt for vaccines at random,” said Halee Fischer-Wright, MD, MMM, FAAP, FACMPE, president and CEO of MGMA, in the statement. “Doctors’ offices have the strategic ability and ability to proactively apply the vaccine, identifying patients by age, pre-existing conditions and other risk factors. Patients trust their doctors to answer questions about the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness. MGMA calls on the new government to leverage the country’s medical groups to accelerate and streamline the distribution of the vaccine. Without doctors leading this critical effort, patients will be left behind. “