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COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Summary Points

  • About the COVID-19 vaccine.

 

My name is Dr. Michael Baron, and I am so excited to be writing this blog.

As the head of the Physicians’ Care Clinic in Decatur, I know that our clinic has worked for the past 29 years to make sure that the residents of DeKalb County stay healthy.

At our most recent Executive Board meeting, the Board committed funds to help promote the COVID-19 vaccination to all DeKalb County residents.  We will be doing Facebook advertisements to encourage everyone to learn more.  You can like our Physician’s Care Clinic, Inc. Facebook page to see the video.

Hesitancy to take one of the COVID-19 vaccines is still widespread; 15 percent of respondents to a recent U.S. Census Bureau survey said they had not gotten a vaccine, and do not plan to.  The survey takers’ top-cited reason for hesitancy was a concern for possible side effects.

It is impossible to catch COVID-19 from the vaccine.  The most common side effect is a sore arm where the shot was administered.

95% of physicians have gotten the vaccine because they know that it is a highly effective way to prevent getting ill from COVID-19.  Doctors know that the vaccine is the ticket to eventually returning to normal activities such as attending weddings, family picnics and dinner with friends.

The COVID-19 vaccinations are free.  They are paid for by the U.S. government.  If anyone asks for money to set up an appointment, that is a scam.  Another scam is selling fake vaccination cards.

The vaccine can be scheduled easily at the DeKalb Board of Health, or most of the local pharmacies now have it available.

Over 3 million Georgians have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and over 15% of Georgians are fully vaccinated.

While it is up to you whether to get vaccinated, we ask that you become informed about how the COVID-19 vaccine’s benefits greatly outweigh any risks.

Physician’s Care Clinic’s mission is to provide low-income and uninsured adults with access to quality, comprehensive, non-emergency medical care delivered with excellence, compassion and dignity. For more information about Physicians’ Care Clinic services please visit their website at http://www.physicianscareclinic.org/ or give them a call at 404-501-7940.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE COVID-19 VACCINE:

Hotline: 888-357-0169
Website: dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine

Author: Michael Baron, D.O.
Chairman, Board of Directors, Physicians’ Care Clinic

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Quick Look

FAQs

The FDHA is a quasi-governmental administrative agency committed to meeting the health and wellness needs of Fulton and DeKalb county residents, through partnership with Grady Health System.

Thank you for choosing Grady. For appointments, please call 404-616-1000 or visit Make An Appointment | Grady Health

The Grady pension department can be reached at 1-888-356-1928 or hr_benefits@gmh.edu

You can view our calendar of upcoming events including Board Meetings here.

While the FDHA does not offer housing or housing assistance, please contact Atlanta Housing at 404-892-4700 for information on affordable housing resources.

Learn more about our Community Health Workers here.

The Fulton-Dekalb Hospital Authority

Grady Pension Department

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Asset Management

The Lease Transfer Agreement clearly states The FDHA’s responsibility for ensuring that all facilities currently operated by Grady are properly maintained and operated. This mandate goes beyond functioning as a landlord, but rather speaks to an expected standard of care for all. The FDHA and Grady must work collaboratively to ensure that all Grady facilities go beyond the minimum standard of “fit for use” so that the quality of Grady facilities is consistent with that of any other high-functioning hospitals.

Innovative Strategies and Initiatives

The most recent pandemic brought gaping healthcare disparities to light. As Georgia’s larg- est safety net hospital (and only safety net hospital in Metro Atlanta due to the closure of Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center), Grady continues to see increased service demands. Often, the medically indigent and underserved use the emergency room for primary care services. Issues like housing insecurity and poverty place additional strain on the Grady Health System, particularly when other factors (outside of the hospital walls) inform one’s overall wellbeing. As Grady continues to seek ways to improve health outcomes in the community, The FDHA is tasked with identifying innovative ways to support Grady’s efforts and broaden its reach into targeted sectors of the community. This pillar also speaks to The FDHA’s efforts to work collaboratively through grantmaking with organizations whose mission, vision, and work align with The FDHA’s priorities and goals. Through structured strategic partnerships, focused and aligned grant making, and ongoing community engagement, The FDHA will assume a leadership role in the health ecosystem.

Stakeholder Engagement

There are many stakeholders within the Fulton/DeKalb health ecosystem. Stakeholders can be characterizedas individuals, groups, or organizations whose efforts either inform healthcare outcomes or are impacted by healthcare outcomes. Grady remains The FDHA’s most important partner in this effort and a key stakeholder in the health ecosystem. As the daily operators of all of Grady’s health facilities, hundreds of thousands of patients per year (more than 700,000) are impacted. Maintaining consistent communication and collaboration with Grady’s Executive Leadership Team and staff is central to the success of The FDHA.

 

Similarly, The FDHA’s alignment and support of Grady’s population health and community engagement efforts are invaluable. As a grantor, The FDHA has an extensive network of community-based partners that work daily to provide direct services and/or support various health priorities. Many of these organizations provide services directly related to social determinants of health (i.e., housing, education, transportation, etc.) thereby adding value to the continuum of care. As The FDHA seeks to embrace a more prominent role as a convener, organizer, and facilitator in the health ecosystem, engaging stakeholders with purpose and intentionality becomes increasingly important.

Organizational Capacity & Accountability

The FDHA’s obligations, relative to its role as owners of the facilities operated by Grady and stewards of county resources entrusted to Grady, require the requisite skills of staff to execute key administrative and regulatory functions. Establishing and maintaining a staffing model that adequately responds to the needs of the agency is vital. Of equal importance is the establishment and maintenance of high-functioning financial management systems and general operations controls. Critical front and back-office functions should be insulated from staff turnover or shifts in organizational priorities. The provision of ongoing staff development opportunities will ensure that team members stay abreast of industry standards, best practices, and leading-edge opportunities. In addition, the curation and maintenance of financial management best practices ensure organizational accountability and responsiveness.

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