As COVID-19 continued to grow, our caregivers wanted to not only help those hospitalized, but also those who were discharged from the Emergency Department (ED) to recover at home – especially at our centers that serve a disproportionate number of underserved patients.
From that desire to provide health to all, the “Symptom Relief Kit Program” was born. Given to patients with COVID-19 symptoms in the ED in at-risk areas, these kits include a 3-day supply of over-the-counter medications to help alleviate common symptoms of fever, pain, cough, congestion, nausea and vomiting, and diarrhea.
These kits also relieved our patients’ anxiety about infecting others. Paul Coogan, MD, President of WI Emergency Medicine Division at Advocate Aurora Heath, shared, “Patients were worried about exposing other people at the pharmacy to COVID and just wanted to go home and self-quarantine and rest. These kits helped our patients from having to go to the store for medicine while also lessening community exposure.”
Because of the generous donors who supported the COVID-19 Relief Funds, these kits were provided to patients free of charge. According to John Brill, MD, VP Population Health, WI, Enterprise Population Health at Advocate Aurora Health, “The retail price of the kits would be over $20, and most would not be covered by insurance. Since COVID transmission and severity are highest in areas of poverty, we sought to provide some extra relief particularly toward our central city communities.”
For our team members, dispensing these kits provides the opportunity to follow the mission of health care providers attributed to Hippocrates: “To cure sometimes; to help often, but to care for and comfort, always.” Brill shared, “There is no cure for COVID, and all too often it has felt like there is nothing we can even do to help. The kits demonstrate our commitment to caring, especially for those in our communities that have the greatest needs.”
With your support we have been able to distribute over 4,000 symptom relief kits. Thank you for helping us provide comfort and relief by supporting hospitals and programs in your community.