Acute Respiratory Field Clinic Now Open

UMMC has set up an acute respiratory field clinic on campus to see and evaluate those who have a non-severe respiratory illness. The acute respiratory clinic is able to fill several gaps in the care of patients in the community since many clinics are temporarily closed or not able to see patients with acute symptoms and to alleviate crowding in the UMMC Emergency Department. The clinic opened April 8th in Parking Garage B and sees both adults and children with a respiratory illness. Patients are seen by appointment only. The tented, air-conditioned clinic can evaluate 24 patients at a time and uses mobile hospital beds typically used in disaster situations. The clinic is able to test for influenza, strep throat, COVID-19, draw bloodwork and obtain chest X-rays to evaluate patients. An ambulance is present at the clinic site to assist in stability and transport of acute patients to the ED if needed.

The clinic is open Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM and is staffed by internal medicine, pediatrics, and allergy and immunology physicians and nurse practitioners. Non-UMMC adult patients not referred by a provider are pre-evaluated via telemedicine by physicians in the geriatrics division. Staffing of the clinic is provided by UMMC’s Labor Reserves and includes employees from Pediatrics, Digestive Diseases, and General Medicine. To refer or get an appointment, call 601-496-5300.

A team from the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics was formed to create this clinic from the ground up at the direction of Dr. Butler and Margaret Head (UMMC Chief Ambulatory Office for UMMC’s Adult Hospital) through Drs. LouAnn Woodward and Alan Jones. In about one week, this team created all workflows, organized the Epic build, identified ancillary needs and operationalized their presence, trained staff, and deployed equipment/supplies for the clinic. This “dream team” included Dr. Marion Wofford, Division Director of General Medicine and Hypertension, Dr. Kim Tarver, Assistant Professor of Geriatrics and Director of Clinical Services for the MIND Center, Candice Adams, Director of Primary Care Services for Internal Medicine, Allergy and Immunology, and Digestive Diseases, Jessica Bernamonti, Supervisor of LB Internal Medicine clinic, and Brittany Groover, LPN in the LB Internal Medicine clinic.

Read more about the Acute Respiratory Clinic from UMMC News here and here.