RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The Illinois Medical Professionals Action Collaborative Team (IMPACT), a non-profit coalition of health professionals, used social media to improve COVID-19 vaccine access by 1) identifying vaccine access disparities for HCWs not affiliated with a large hospital systems and then creating vaccine clearinghouses/social media campaigns 2) identifying reasons for vaccine hesitancy and addressing them via infographics 3) connecting volunteers with local neighborhood/mobile events serving at-risk communities in the Chicagoland area. In January 2021, many large health systems were vaccinating employed HCWs (COVID-19 vaccine rollout Tier 1a). However, many HCWs not affiliated with large systems were unable to access the vaccine. Many of Chicago's hardest-hit communities were receiving vaccines at much lower rates than neighborhoods less burdened by COVID-19. METHODS: We created online clearinghouses with links to vaccine event sign-ups/waitlists and partnered directly with a local primary care organization to link HCWs to vaccines on Facebook. We partnered with health systems, community organizations, pharmacies and professional organizations to organize, promote, and staff community-based vaccine clinics/mobile vaccine units to a. To address vaccine hesitancy, we collected data on common myths using Facebook groups. We created 5 “debunking” infographics in both English and Spanish using climate science principles and also held 4 Facebook Live Q&As with Chicago-based Bump Club and Beyond. RESULTS: The HCW-specific vaccine information clearinghouse went live 1/4/2021 and had 7,829 views during the first 6 months. The general public vaccine clearinghousewent live on 1/25/2021 and had 21,279 views during the first 6 months. Facebook posts disseminating the HCW vaccination events reached >1650 HCWs within 7 days, and open/public Facebook group posts reached > 3.2K in 7 days. In the first 7 days of the campaign, >1800 HCWs were vaccinated. We registered >1700 volunteers to help staff 316 vaccination events in the Chicago-land area. Our COVID-19Myth Debunkers were shared over 200 times for >80K impressions. Our four vaccine-focused Facebook lives reached over 1000 people per session. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare professionals can strategically leverage social media to identify public health challenges (vaccine hesitancy/vaccine access disparities) and address these challenges in real-time by disseminating tailored, high-quality information (ie. debunking infographics, Facebook Live Q&As, vaccine clearinghouses) and connecting community members and partner organizations with resources (ie. vaccination resources and volunteers).
RESUMEN
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 providers and 30 Veterans across 12 VHA Medical Centers (VAMCs). Interviewees included staff delivering and patients participating in tele WH coaching, tele WH educational classes, and tele-complementary and integrative therapies (e.g., acupuncture, chiropractic, yoga, Tai Chi, mindfulness or meditation). Interviews were transcribed and a content analysis was performed using a rapid approach. Results: Participants described a broad range of benefits associated with Veteran participation in teleWH services. These included: 1) Improved access to services that previously were not widely offered in-person;2) Increased comfort engaging in services, especially for specific Veteran populations (e.g., Veterans with PTSD, LGBTQ, women, and younger Veterans);3) Greater convenience, including less stress related to travel, length of time required to use services, and integration with workday;and 4) Increased engagement in self-care outside of classes or services. Disadvantages included: 1) Decreased socialization and opportunities for group interaction;2) Decreased access to touch-based services (e.g., acupuncture);3) Technological challenges with approved virtual platforms. Facilitator skill and tele health etiquette mattered greatly for satisfaction with tele WH. Background: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) quickly responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing access to care via tele health. This rapid pivot occurred simultaneously with VHA's Whole Health transformation, which includes the integration of complementary and integrative health services, education, and coaching to develop self-care skills. This qualitative study explored providers' and patients' perspectives on the implementation and advantages/ disadvantages of tele-Whole Health services (tele WH). Conclusion: Tele WH is perceived to be a strong complement to in-person services and poses many physical and mental health benefits for patients. Attention to facilitator skills training and ease of virtual platform use is needed to increase engagement and make tele WH a viable patient centered option for care.