| 11/16/2021 |
Clark County Board of Commissioners
| Approved
Agenda note: DOCUMENT(S) SUBMITTED:
1. Monoclonal Antibody Program (8 pages), submitted by University Medical Center staff
DISCUSSION: Following introduction of the item, the Board was addressed by Mason Van Houweling, Chief Executive Officer of University Medical Center (UMC), who advised that UMC had partnered with the County at the beginning of the pandemic; approaching two million tests and have administered almost 100 thousand vaccines; established a post recovery clinic to treat patients; opened an Express Care Clinic to test travelers and staff at the airport; and introduced the Monoclonal Antibody Program.
Dr. Shadaba Asad, Medical Director of Infectious Disease at UMC, described monoclonal antibodies as laboratory made proteins that can mimic the immune system’s ability to fight off harmful viruses; advised that patients who receive monoclonal antibody treatment may experience a significant decrease in hospitalizations and progression to severe disease; most effective when given within ten days of diagnosis and the onset of symptoms; defined the specific patient criteria for receiving the treatment; and the monoclonal antibody treatment may be administered to high risk patients to prevent the development of COVID-19 infection after being exposed to someone who has the infection.
Jennifer Wakem, Chief Financial Officer at UMC, advised that UMC accommodated approximately 60 patients per month, treating two to six patients per day, one to two nurses provided the treatment, and the facility was open five days per week for four hours; will use the funding to expand the program’s capacity to approximately 400 patients per month, treating approximately 14 patients per day, additional staff will allow the facility to be open seven days per week for 12 hours per day; will be partnering with the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) to identify suitable patients for the program; and the outpatient clinic will be located across the street from UMC.
Discussion followed regarding topics including that the patient population was targeted with the help of the SNHD; the treatment program was marketed directly to the patients who were tested for COVID-19, specifically those patients 12 years and older who tested positive for COVID-19; the most effective clinical time window to administer the treatment; additional information was located on the UMC website; and the treatment program was the most cost-effective option for the County, patients, and insurance providers. | Pass |
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