Healthcare | InclusivCare

Care at a Distance

06/30/2020

In times of need, healthcare providers are finding new ways to support patients

With four locations across the state, InclusivCare is built on the principle of providing excellent healthcare for all, a mission made all the more difficult by the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing primary medical services to underserved and low-income families became more essential than ever, and for guidance on how to assess and act, InclusivCare relied on its own core values: excellence, integrity, professionalism, diversity and teamwork. By embracing new and emerging technologies and relying on the tenacity and diligence of their care team, InclusivCare was able to not only continue service but to expand their reach and accessibility with long-term measures. The situation might have been unexpected and unprecedented, but Dr. Shondra Williams, CEO of InclusivCare, made sure that she and her team met this new challenge head-on.

In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19?

InclusivCare has never closed its doors for business since the pandemic began and has made several pivots. We mobilized quickly since many of our patients could be impacted, and we responded to their needs. Patients were concerned about access to information, so we developed a hotline that remains in place today for direct access to information. Patients were concerned about access to testing, and hence, weekly testing drives were erected and are still happening today. Patients were concerned about maintaining their healthcare but were afraid to come out; hence, we pivoted to telemedicine during week two of the pandemic. All of these measures allowed us to engage with our patients and the community to foster safety and to address exposure.

Are there any lessons you have learned? Any new technology you’ve embraced?

We learned that our team was fit to handle a crisis. They responded with compassion, unity and dedication. Our Board and Management Team developed policies that were employee-centered even before the CARES Act. We remained engaged with our team members and provided lots of information to ease their fears. We embraced telemedicine and mobilized the entire team to embrace the new way of serving patients. The next charge was to get patients used to seeing their doctors virtually. For some, it was and still is a challenge. Telemedicine is here to stay, and we are now getting our patients adapted to taking their vital signs at home. This is the wave of the future in healthcare.

How have you maintained a sense of company culture?

Company culture is a full-time responsibility with a lot of intentionality. We don’t let up. We live our core values daily, and that consequently allows our team members to adapt even in a crisis. We treat our employees well. We listen to them, and we give them a voice. They are our healthcare heroes. Communication is also critically important, especially as the pandemic presented different and often unpredictable circumstances. With a committed team, we have not experienced any negative impacts in terms of operational efficiencies.

Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?

We have opened a new in-house pharmacy that will deliver high-quality and affordable medications right to the home. We are redesigning to avoid waiting rooms, incorporating touchless devices, and reducing fixtures and décor that can be cumbersome with maintaining infection control. We are stocking up on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and engaging new vendors who are reliable in a crisis. We are expecting to see patients in the clinics as required for direct observation and care in addition to telemedicine. We are finding that scheduling challenges are lessened with telemedicine, as patients are more apt to keep their appointments. We are anticipating that not only will COVID-19 testing be crucial for vulnerable communities, but we are also gearing up for vaccination once available. We continue to find ways to collaborate with our partners and are even identifying new partners. We are here for our patients. We will meet their needs no matter what. In fact, it’s our goal to become even better than we were before.