They also become the first vaccination center for kidney patients in Puerto Rico
Some 700 employees at Atlantis Health Care Group’s 16 dialysis clinics are ready to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, after its president successfully persuaded the Puerto Rico Department of Health to raise the emergency level for dialysis clinics to the same level as hospitals. Additionally, Atlantis Health Care Group becomes the first institution dedicated to providing treatment for Chronic Kidney Failure to receive certification to become a vaccination center for dialysis patients in Puerto Rico.
The president of Atlantis Health Care Group in Puerto Rico, Dr. Rubette Harford, who received a visit this weekend at one of the dialysis clinics from Dennis E. González, Executive Officer of the Federal Department of Health, and Delia Lasanta, Special Assistant to the Secretary of Health in Puerto Rico, expressed her gratitude for the prompt attention to her request made by the medical team in charge of the vaccine distribution plan in Puerto Rico to raise the urgency level of the condition kidney failure, as well as for the attention given to the specialized nephrology personnel. She also took the opportunity to emphasize the importance of including the needs of kidney patients as a primary concern in the development of emergency plans for the future.
“Patients diagnosed with kidney failure are one of the most immunocompromised populations, as many suffer from multiple conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. In fact, of the patients with kidney failure receiving treatment in our clinics who tested positive for the virus, 22% of them unfortunately were unable to overcome this deadly virus. Therefore, the fact that our medical staff receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible gives peace of mind to these heroes who serve their patients day after day with care and sensitivity despite the risks to which they are exposed. Likewise, it gives patients and their families more confidence when deciding to receive the vaccine and peace of mind that they can continue their dialysis treatments,” said Dr. Harford.
All Atlantis Health Care Group units are certified to receive and administer these vaccines to their staff. A specialized management plan for vaccine administration and subsequent monitoring was developed, not only for medical staff but also for kidney patients. This plan was endorsed and approved by the state and federal Departments of Health.
Medical personnel, including nephrologists and nurses specializing in administering treatments to patients with chronic kidney failure, will be receiving the vaccine in the coming days and will administer the vaccines to kidney patients once the Department of Health determines it within its vaccination protocol.
For his part, the representative of the Federal Department of Health stated that “achieving herd immunity is essential to stabilizing and slowing COVID-19 infections. I hope that now, with the approval of a second drug by the FDA, the goal of vaccinating 70% of the population by summer can be achieved.” He also urged kidney failure patients to trust their specialists when receiving the vaccine, as they are the ones who best understand their clinical condition and can appropriately address their needs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) establishes that each state or territory determines the process to follow for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. With this agreement signed between the Puerto Rico Department of Health and Atlantis Health Care Group, Puerto Rico becomes one of the first jurisdictions in the United States to prioritize care for chronic kidney disease.
