WA hospitals hesitant to schedule, then cancel COVID vaccinations

Some of the largest hospitals in Washington state say they won’t follow Governor Inslee’s suggestion to try to speed up coronavirus vaccinations by making appointments then canceling them if there’s a supply problem or they don’t have enough doses.

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“Part of why we’re reluctant to schedule people for appointments when we don’t know the doses are coming is because people are already impatient, and to make someone a promise and then pull it back, I think is really challenging,” said Washington State Hospital Association CEO Cassie Sauer.

Sauer said some providers do have stand-by lists, which is a better way to make sure shots are given out as fast as possible.

MultiCare Health Vice President June Altaras agrees and says people have strong emotions about getting the shot, and it wouldn’t be fair to get their hopes up and then cancel.

“Tears of joy, tears of gratitude, dancing, jumping around, just whooping and hollering — this is very emotional for people, and so I cannot imagine scheduling people for an appointment and then having to cancel it,” Altaras said.

Altaras says her hospital and others are starting to see people show up without appointments, but right now, shots must be scheduled almost everywhere.

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Additionally, Sauer told KIRO Radio that most hospitals are using their doses within a week, even if the state’s reporting system may be making it appear that providers are sitting on COVID vaccines.

“The only insight is to the doses that have been allocated to hospitals, and we believe most or all of them have been used, or certainly will be used this week,” she said.

While Sauer recognizes that some pharmacies and private clinics may not be giving out doses as fast, she says that scheduling patients, staff, and shots while managing an uneven supply is not an easy job.

To find out if you’re eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at this time, you can use the Washington State Department of Health’s phase finder online here. It will also let you know of some locations near you that have doses where you can schedule an appointment. Many health care providers also plan to reach out to existing eligible patients to make vaccination appointments.

The KIRO Radio Newsdesk contributed to this report.

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