April 13, 2023
DENVER – A prestigious national medical publication is recognizing the work of a Denver Health physician who strived to break barriers to provide high-risk COVID-19 patients among different races and ethnicities with improved access to health care and treatment during the pandemic. The research, authored by Lindsey E. Fish, MD, has been published in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science, a fully Open Access journal publishing high-quality articles on research to provide insight to medical professionals around the U.S. Over the course of 17 months, Denver Health’s Urgent Care Clinic at the Federico F. Peña Southwest Family Health Center was able to provide more than 2,500 patients in Denver’s underserved communities with antibody treatments to help their immune systems fight the COVID-19 virus.
"Hispanic, Black, Asian and other non-White patients experience higher rates of infection, severe illness and death from COVID-19,” said Dr. Fish. “This is likely due to lower socioeconomic status and higher prevalence of chronic medical conditions, and this is the first ever published research to outline effective strategies for addressing barriers and improving access to monoclonal antibody COVID-19 treatment for racial and ethnic minority groups.”
In November 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued Emergency Use Authorizations for two monoclonal antibody treatments for high-risk patients with COVID-19. Patients in the community who tested positive for COVID-19 and were at risk of becoming severely ill or dying were provided education on the antibody treatment through Denver Health’s Peña Urgent Care Clinic. In addition, Denver Health offered financial support to patients to prevent the high cost of antibody treatments from becoming a barrier to receiving care. Patients who were interested were then treated within two days.
To read the full study, please visit the Cambridge University Press website.
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About Denver Health
Denver Health is a comprehensive health and hospital system that provides high-quality care for all Denver residents, regardless of their ability to pay. We deliver medical care to one-third of Denver’s population, proudly serving as the city’s safety-net hospital and providing preventive, primary and acute care services. For more than 160 years, Denver Health has been deeply rooted in the health and well-being of the community, providing high-quality clinical care, top-notch education and training for health care workers, and furthering critical research to benefit our patients. We are guided by our mission to serve our community with excellence, compassion, and stewardship as we work to ensure all people have access to the care and programs they need to be happy, healthy and successful.