The Wayne County Health Department began vaccinating independent physicians and medical staff today, one week after 7 Action News reported that some doctors said they felt forgotten amidst the vaccine rollout.
Beginning today, medical staff can request appointments through Wayne County’s website for the COVID-19 vaccine. A county health worker will then schedule your appointment, which will take place at the Wayne County Health Department in the City of Wayne.
The vaccinations will take place between 9AM and 2PM.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS: CLICK HERE TO REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT
Last week, 7 Action News first reported on the struggles of independent physicians and their medical staff to find the vaccine.
Doctors affiliated with big hospitals like Beaumont and Henry Ford Health System were some of the first to be vaccinated in December, but physicians that were unaffiliated with large hospital systems were left out of the state’s vaccine rollout plan.
“I just want to make sure that the people in my position aren’t forgotten,” said Dr. Paul Thomas in an interview with 7 Action News last week. “If I were to be employed by a large health system, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation.”
Thomas operates Plum Health, an independent private practice in Detroit and Farmington Hills.
He wasn’t alone. Dr. Phil Hellman, who operates a small private practice in Rochester Hills, said he feels like "the low man on the totem pole" because he's not affiliated with a big hospital.
While he didn’t see many COVID patients during the start of the pandemic, “now I have a lot and deal with it on a daily basis,” he said, “whether it’s testing or trying to get treatment for people that have it.”
Right now, the county’s drive-thru program is only for medical professionals and does not extend to the general public