Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

34 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT & MEASUREMENT our transition to value-based payment models. e populations we serve need us now more than ever, and we are answering that call. Chris Wilson, vice president, system integration and innovation, University of Kansas Health Sys- tem (Kansas City, Kan.) We always prioritize preventive care and closing gaps in care for our patients. The impact of COVID-19 on individuals with chronic conditions has only empha- sized that we maintain the health of our patients in a proactive manner. We are especially aware of the impact that social de- terminants of health have on our patients. COVID-19 may have exacerbated that impact. Critical aspects, such as access to care, transportation, and warm hand-offs to social services, are of increased impor- tance for our practices during these times. Our rapid investment in and deployment of telehealth has creat- ed multiple additional channels for patients to access care to mitigate the challenges social determinates may present. We completed our two-year telehealth implementation plan in two weeks and surpassed 46,000 telehealth visits in March/April/May. Our general approach has also addressed population health needs. At The University of Kansas Health System, we have focused on two paths: creating the capacity to care for COVID-19 patients while at the same time keeping our communities healthy. To help keep our communities safe, we expanded our internal lab into a testing facility for our region in less than four weeks. To date, out of our 10,000 COVID-19 tests, we have run more than 3,400 COVID-19 tests for eight counties and cities that make up the majority of the Kansas City region, as well as for our Federally Qualified Health Centers partner. The public is also hungry for trusted information to make good choices, especially now. To help our com- munity make informed decisions, we created a daily media update for reporters to help them better under- stand the pandemic and share health safety guidelines with the public. The community rapidly embraced the expert information, and the daily audience has crossed state lines and continents. Topics range from basics like how to wear a mask, social distance and stop the virus spread to more weighty subjects such as contact tracing, modeling and mental health. As the region's only academic health system, we have always known our role is larger than providing the most advanced care in the region. During this pandemic, we have made our resources as available as possible to our community knowing we will rise together stronger, and we look forward to a brighter tomorrow. n More than a quarter of black Americans know someone who's died of COVID-19 By Anuja Vaidya T wenty-eight percent of African Americans know someone who has died due to the novel coronavirus, compared to 11 percent of white Americans, according to a new Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index poll. The poll is conducted weekly. Results are from the 11th wave of the poll, conducted May 29-June 1, and include responses from 1,033 U.S. adults. Though far more black Americans know someone who has died of COVID-19, there is a smaller difference between the number of black Americans (41 percent) who know someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and white Americans who know someone with a positive test (31 percent). Also, more black Americans (75 percent) said they are extremely or very concerned about the pandemic doing greater damage to people of color, compared to 30 percent of white Americans who say the same. n Study: Stroke patients slower getting to treatment during pandemic By Anuja Vaidya T hough minutes can make all the difference in the treatment of people having strokes, many of them are seeking help at hospital and other treatment centers hours later than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic, new research shows. "Our findings indicate a dire need for public education to address COVID-19-related fears to ensure people with stroke symptoms seek the lifesaving care they need without delay," said Clemens Schirmer, MD, PhD, of Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa. Dr. Schirmer is lead author of a study finding that stroke patients now are arriving at hospitals and treatment centers over two hours later than they did during the same time period last year. The study, published May 28 in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery, examined 710 patients with acute ischemic strokes at 12 stroke centers in six states. It compared data for these patients during February and March of this year to the time it took 320 stroke pa- tients to arrive for treatment in February and March of 2019. Researchers found that stroke patients in 2020 were coming to hospitals and treatment centers for about an average of 160 min- utes, or 2.6 hours later than they did in 2019. "When it comes to stroke treatment, every minute counts. My col- leagues and I have been devastated to see patients arriving at the hospital too late for us to help them," said Dr. Schirmer. n

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