COVID-19 Resource Center for Patients

Yes, currently, all Coram pharmacies are operating at full capacity with no interruption in service. We do not see any disruptions to the supply chain, as a result of COVID-19, that will affect our ability to fill prescriptions.

People receiving home infusion or nutrition therapy often have weakened immune systems. Having a weak immune system can make it harder for the body to fight off diseases, so it’s important that they and their family members take steps to protect themselves. We recommend you speak with your Coram nurse or registered dietitian if you have concerns about your risk for COVID-19.

We plan to continue caring for patients in the home, but are taking proactive measures to help minimize community-based transmission of COVID-19. 

All patients will be contacted by Coram before a scheduled visit. We will ask you a few questions over the telephone to help us understand if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or could be infected, including:

• Are you or a member of your household experiencing a fever, cough or shortness of breath?   
• Have you or a member of your household had close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 or recently traveled from a country identified as high risk for COVID-19 outbreaks in the past 14 days? (For a list of high risk countries visit the CDC website.)

Depending on your answers to our questions, we may need to notify your doctor of your symptoms or travel. Also, the nurse may need to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) such as a mask, gown and gloves, before entering your home. This will help to prevent the spread of the virus.

We plan to continue caring for patients in our AIS, but we are taking proactive measures to help minimize community-based transmission of COVID-19. 

All patients will be contacted by Coram before a scheduled visit. We will ask you a few questions over the telephone to help us understand if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 or might be infected, including:

• Are you or a member of your household experiencing a fever, cough or shortness of breath?   
• Have you or a member of your household had close contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 or recently traveled from a country identified as high risk for COVID-19 outbreaks in the past 14 days? (For a list of high risk countries visit the CDC website.)

Depending on your answers to our questions, we may need to notify your doctor of your symptoms and coordinate as appropriate. We may also need to reschedule your appointments to home visits.

If you have cold or flu-like symptoms (i.e., fever, cough, difficulty breathing, sore throat, body aches, or chills), please call your Coram branch before coming in, even if you have an appointment. We will ask you about your travel history and your symptoms. If you have been informed that you were recently exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, please let your Coram branch know before your arrival.

For your protection, we are currently limiting the number of visitors or people coming with you for your visit to no more than one at a time. If a visitor shows signs of a cold or flu, (s)he will be asked to leave.

At Coram, we are closely monitoring this situation and have plans in place. Our staff are highly trained at screening for and managing infectious diseases. We are asking all Coram patients about their recent travel and where the people close to them have traveled, possible exposures to COVID-19, as well as about any signs of illness. To help protect our patients and colleagues and ensure that nurses, pharmacists and staff are available to care for patients:

• Coram is following CVS Health enterprise policy and restricting business travel.
• Our corporate staff is working from home and practicing social distancing in branch and AIS locations.
• We have enhanced cleaning protocols at all Coram sites.
• Until further notice, non-essential personnel or visitors are not allowed into any of our facilities.
• We have instructed all field staff to suspend visits to our AIS and pharmacy branch locations until further notice, unless a personal visit is critical for patient care.

If a branch employee tests positive for COVID-19, they, along with any coworkers who were exposed, will be sent home immediately and placed under quarantine consistent with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and placed on paid leave. The branch will then close for cleaning to disinfect the premises following established protocols and CDC guidelines.

Every branch has a designated backup branch so Coram can continue to provide uninterrupted service to patients. In the event the backup reaches capacity, our central pharmacy, located in Rhode Island, is equipped to process prescriptions for most locations nationwide.

Always call 911 for a life-threatening emergency. For other situations, call your primary doctor for instructions about what to do, and notify your Coram care team.

We may need to let your doctor know about your symptoms and travel. Your doctor will then determine if testing is needed. Also, if a Coram nurse will be making a home visit, they may need to wear PPE such as a mask, gown and gloves, before entering the home. This will help to prevent the spread of the virus.

For the latest COVID‐19 developments, prevention tips and what to do if you suspect infection, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and Coram websites or talk to your doctor.

We are leveraging our enterprise resources, technology and strategic relationships to safely transition patients home with personalized IV pharmacy, nursing care, monitoring and support. We are also hiring additional infusion nurses to provide in-home nursing care.

Coram in-home care providers are up-to-date and utilizing infection protocols and proactive prevention techniques, aligned to CDC guidance, to minimize exposure and community-based transmission. In addition to protective precautions, we are leveraging virtual care to help keep our health care providers and patients safe, while ensuring continuity of care. For example, we are conducting proactive outreach to each patient prior to being seen to understand potential COVID-19 infection or exposure and to ensure continued safety for our clinicians and our patients. In addition, we have provided appropriate PPE to all Coram clinical personnel and are working to ensure we continue to have adequate supply of PPE on hand.