WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health is working with hospitals and providers, including UCLA Health, to support solutions for creating much-needed hospital bed capacity during the pandemic. Coram has enhanced its existing home infusion capacity and capabilities to help transition eligible IV-therapy patients to home-based care. This includes enhanced clinical monitoring, virtual support and oversight through telehealth to complement existing personalized in-home support, coordination and administration of medications and supplies. In California, the state is working to add 50,000 hospital beds to make enough room for anticipated COVID-19 patients.1

“We’re able to create a clinically appropriate and safe in-home care setting, so hospitals can focus on treating those impacted by COVID-19,” said Dr. Sree Chaguturu, chief medical officer of CVS Caremark and CVS Specialty. “Amid this unprecedented public health challenge, home can be the safest place for patients recovering from a range of illnesses and can also help minimize their risk of contracting COVID-19.”

Coram is working with UCLA Health to identify and begin transitioning stable patients to home-based nursing care. Patients with a range of conditions that may require infusion therapy, including hydration and nutritional support, anti-infectives and/or specialty medications for chronic condition management, will be considered. Once home, Coram’s specialized nurses will provide and coordinate a range of care, including daily visits and monitoring, medication administration, IV catheter line care, lab draws and educational support via telehealth. Coram is scaling this approach nationwide in other markets with high rates of COVID-19 cases, and working with home health agencies to enable care for patients with high acuity needs that may require additional clinical oversight and monitoring.

“Unprecedented challenges require innovative thinking and partnership as well as swift action,” said Prem Shah, executive vice president of CVS specialty and product innovation. “We’re deploying our clinical teams where the need is greatest, and our Coram nurses are doing an incredible job to help alleviate pressure on hospital capacity in some of the hardest-hit areas, including Los Angeles.”

More information on the steps that CVS Health is taking to address the COVID-19 pandemic is available at the company’s frequently updated COVID-19 resource center.