Healthcare Industry Actions to Protect Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic – March 26, 2020

The Healthcare Leadership Council is comprised of leading companies from every sector of American healthcare.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, we will be sharing examples of actions these companies are taking to protect and assist the public and combat the virus’s spread.  If you would like assistance in reaching a representative for any of these companies, please contact Kelly Fernandez at kfernandez@hlc.org. 

• Amgen and the Amgen Foundation have made an initial commitment of up to $12.5 million to support U.S. and global relief efforts tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds will be directed to community-focused relief efforts, patient-focused organizations, and international relief programs.

• One of the world’s leading health data companies, Cerner, is utilizing its electronic health records technology to help health systems better screen and monitor their patient populations for potential cases of viruses and is advancing telehealth solutions to better enable in-home care and mitigate community spread of COVID-19.

• The Food and Drug Administration has approved clinical trials for a Genentech drug that would be utilized to treat hospitalized patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. The company is providing 10,000 vials of the drug Actemra to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile.

• IQVIA, a data analytics and research firm, is working globally to combat COVID-19, including research in Asia on treatments using existing HIV and flu vaccines and collaborating with academic institutions in the U.S. to develop tests that more rapidly identify viable vaccine candidates.

• In an interview on CNBC, Teladoc CEO Jason Gorevic said his company is establishing virtual “COVID clinics” for health systems which are helping to limit health workers’ contact with sick patients, an important priority at a time when there are shortages of protective gear.

• Vizient, a leading healthcare purchasing organization, has offered recommendations to the White House Coronavirus Task Force on improving access to chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients.