St. Paul's Pilots Roving Clinic To Serve Seniors Amid Coronavirus

SAN DIEGO, CA — St. Paul's Senior Services recently launched a "roving clinic" to provide health care to San Diego seniors with chronic medical conditions amid the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home-orders.

"Clinics come with many medical supplies; and with our population, we need equipment that does not necessarily fit in a suitcase," said Dr. Victor Lee, medical director of St. Paul's Senior Services. "We needed something that could bring the medical necessities and the doctors and nurses to our participants."

St. Paul's Senior Services is a nonprofit and full-service retirement provider, offering independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing communities, child and senior day care programs, and a Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). The roving clinic is being piloted by St. Paul's PACE, which supports seniors so they can continue to live independently at home by providing in-home care, transportation and personalized medical services.

The roving clinic is a self-contained van that offers flexible and viable options for treating isolated and vulnerable seniors while minimizing risks during the pandemic. PACE participants have chronic medical conditions, which require regular follow-up and care.

"We have almost 1,000 seniors with medical challenges, and we usually provide medical care in one of our three clinics throughout San Diego County, but with COVID-19, our focus has been on their overall safety," Lee said. "So we had to come up with a way to provide medical care in a safe environment. Bringing the medical care to them in their home location was the solution."

The roving clinic serves about 10 people daily, Monday through Friday.

Participants who are sensitive to infections are greeted on the curbside by St. Paul's PACE licensed physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants. They provide exams, blood tests, wound care and more.

"Our participants love it," Lee said. "They are very close to our doctors and nurses, so to be able to continue receiving care from the medical team, which they trust, was a huge benefit."

Although the roving clinic was launched due to the coronavirus, St. Paul's PACE plans to continue the program even after the pandemic.

In fact, the organization plans to host a fundraiser in the future to raise money for a second van.

"One of the results of this pandemic has been to look at our processes and see if some of them will benefit our seniors long-term," Lee said. "The roving clinic is an excellent example. It benefits both our senior population and our employees."

Also see:

• 'Sunshine For Seniors' Program Lifts Spirits In San Diego
• St. Paul's Senior Services Celebrates Nurses With Parade
• Masks Donated To St. Paul's Senior Services Through Crowdfunding
• San Diego Rotarians Deliver Hot Meals To Homebound Seniors