DCH Health System, Alabama Department of Public Health, and HHS partner to expand access to monoclonal antibody therapy to COVID-19 patients

DCH Health System, in partnership with the Alabama Department of Public Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced today that it has expanded access to COVID-19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapies at Northport Medical Center in the Fitness One building. For people who are at high risk for developing severe COVID-19 illness and have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus or are unvaccinated and have been exposed to someone who has tested positive, this promising mAb treatment has been shown to help prevent progression of the disease that might otherwise require hospitalization.

With the rapid spread of the Delta variant and a major surge in COVID-19 case rates, DCH Health System will expand access to the mAb infusion treatment for eligible patients at the Northport Medical Center in the Fitness One building located at 2700 Hospital Drive in Northport, AL. With the expansion, DCH Health System will be able to increase the number of patients treated with mAbs from 100 per week to 240 per week. Patients can receive the mAb treatment Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. To confirm eligibility for the treatment and book an appointment, patients should contact 1-833-TREAT-COVID (1-833-873-2826).

If administered within 10 days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms, the one-time therapy is highly effective in neutralizing the virus and preventing symptoms from worsening. The treatment is administered through infusion therapy.

“This partnership comes at an important time in our fight against COVID-19,” Bryan Kindred, president and CEO of the DCH Health System said. “As an organization, we are committed to delivering excellent care to patients and families in west Alabama. This therapy serves as an additional resource to help patients recover and prevent further spread of the disease. DCH is honored to play a part in this health equity initiative.”

"While we have used monoclonal antibody therapy since November for people at very high risk for serious illness, we are seeing unprecedented numbers of patients infected with COVID-19,” Alabama State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris said. “We are very pleased that these additional resources will be available to ensure our residents receive the care they need to help prevent them from being hospitalized. At this crucial time, we fully support the efforts of DCH Health System and HHS to expand access to monoclonal antibody therapy to underserved patients in west Alabama.”

On March 17, 2021, HHS announced it was investing $150 million to increase access to mAb therapy for high-risk patients in underserved and disadvantaged communities across the country. With support from KPMG LLP, HHS is developing new prototype models for expanding access to mAb treatment and leveraging an existing network of health care partners to provide the therapy for underserved and disadvantaged populations.

DCH Health System is one of the first provider organizations in Alabama to join this national initiative. It joins a growing list of mAbs therapy providers supported by KPMG and sponsored by HHS as part of the federal effort to help end COVID-19 and improve health equity in underserved communities across the country. In addition to the Northport Medical Center infusion location, more than 60 infusion sites have now been established or expanded under this initiative in Landover, MD; San Diego, CA; Detroit, MI; Barnstable County, MA; Houston, TX; Beckley, WV; Worcester, MA; western Michigan; southern Missouri, northeast South Carolina, southern Mississippi, northern Mississippi, central Mississippi, south central North Carolina, south central Louisiana, and other regions of Alabama.

The mAb therapy is the first COVID-19 treatment granted emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for outpatient use. A Phase 3 clinical trial showed that the antibody therapy reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by up to 70% in patients who received the drug intravenously compared to those who received a placebo.

The FDA emergency use authorization provides Information on eligibility for mAb treatment. The infusion treatment takes less than an hour, with an observation time afterward. Treatment is offered regardless of immigration status, health insurance coverage, or ability to pay.

About DCH

DCH Health System is a public, not-for-profit health system located in West Alabama. For nearly 100 years, DCH has provided quality health care to the people of West Alabama. DCH Health System includes DCH Regional Medical Center, Northport Medical Center and Fayette Medical Center. For more about DCH, visit https://www.dchsystem.com/covid-19/outpatient-antibody-infusion/.

About Crush COVID

A treatment for COVID-19 is here and is available in every state at hundreds of locations across the country. With the help of KPMG, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), state and local health departments, and local hospitals and health clinics, eligible patients will have increased access to mAb treatment in a growing number of underserved and disadvantaged communities through this initiative. Authorized by the FDA, monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb) is available to patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are considered at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. To learn more about eligibility and find a treatment location near you, visit https://crushcovid.com.