The Irish Medical Times - A Warm Welcome: The Case for Seasonal Pop-Up Clinics for Chronic Disease

 

I am inclined to answer ‘yes’, and here is why:

Early intervention and prevention - pop up clinics for chronic illness can prevent avoidable acute admissions to hospital. They can provide proactive care, monitoring patients' conditions, and addressing potential issues before they escalate into crises. Many long-term patients have an inkling something is wrong well in advance, but don’t attend the Emergency Dept until they are in dire straits. These are the people that would benefit greatly from an ‘inkling’ check-up. 

Enhance patient education and support - the team could help people with symptom flare ups to understand and manage their disease during this high risk period. Pop-up clinics can provide opportunities for patient education on self-management techniques, medication adherence, and healthy lifestyle choices. You’d be surprised how impactful how a short one-to-one ‘you got this’ pep talk can uplift a person. Even taking a minute to listen, then tailor the advice to that specific person and their own silly-season situation could help them navigate their December without (too much) damage. 

Vaccine outreach - they could provide vaccines against flu, Covid, shingles, pneumonia, etc. A friend recently explained to me why they didn’t avail of the recent flu vaccine, “Oh, it was such a hassle, it involved turning up, ugh”. Nobody wants a needle stuck in their arm, but if it includes a quick wellness check of your ongoing condition, or allay a few concerns, people might be more inclined to take the hit. 

Reduce hospital burden - the medics in the field could catch and treat problems early while the patient waits for their regular team to return to a less pressurized normal service. If you walk into an ED over Christmas, aside from the inevitable drink, drug, brawl, toy, flu inspired illness and injuries, a lot of the patients-in-waiting are the chronically ill who could not access their GP or consultant. They might just need a medication tweak but instead they are wedged between tinsel covered bloody drunks, with broken noses, butchering a lively version of Last Christmas.  

Improve access to care - the clinic could pop up in different neighborhoods moving around to service as many areas as possible. When you are chronically ill you usually suffer from fatigue, and perhaps a plethora of other incapacities, going to the doctor is not only a psychological but a physical endeavour. Having a mobile clinic visit your area could change your life. 

Remove barriers to health services - pop-up clinics can operate during evenings or weekends, catering to people who may not be able to visit a doctor's office during regular business hours. I can probably count on one hand the number of times a doctor has seen me at my allocated appointment time, we are clearly at the mercy of their patient load. An evening and weekend walk-in clinic could be the needed disruptor to shift the balance back towards the patient, allowing patients to be seen at a time that suits them. Of course there will be delays (I would be shocked and a little bit wary of a doctor that had no one in their waiting room) but at least I would be there on my own terms.  

Of course, there are obvious well discussed impracticalities to pop-up’s such as cost, staffing, equipment, patient flow. 

Other concerns, that may pop up (forgive me) include:

Data and privacy - pop-up clinics handle sensitive patient information. They would also need the ability to integrate with existing health care systems to ensure continuity of care. There’s also the question mark of how private your examination is if you are in a canvas tent (or similar), we can assume ‘not very’.   

Waste disposal - proper disposal of medical waste, such as needles and other sharps, is crucial to prevent environmental contamination and protect public health. Also, not to denigrate people, but a floating hospital will also attract time-wasters, possibly using a clinic dedicated to chronic illness to have their ears waxed or their bunions chopped (whatever the protocol is with bunions, slice, dice, sautee, etc).

To circle back to the DCCs original idea of the yuletide drunk tent (not its official name), if it is deemed a success there are plans to consider a semi-permanent city centre Welfare Area for those in nighttime need. 

To the government elders who sanction and perhaps originate these plans to protect the safety of its citizens, please consider the safety of those who battle to survive every winter. Those for whom catching the flu, or exposure to cold temperatures, or eating or drinking beyond a medical limit, could be catastrophic. 

Implementing seasonal pop-up clinics for chronically ill individuals offers a valuable opportunity to enhance their care during a period of heightened vulnerability. By providing early intervention, improving access to care, and empowering patients with education and support, these clinics can significantly reduce the burden on the healthcare system and improve the quality of life for those living with a significant illness. Obviously, there are logistical and operational challenges, but the new children’s hospital has taught us that these things are best ignored. 

Let’s agree to set up a seasonal pop up clinic for the chronically unwell - ‘The Chronically Well-prepared Clinic’. 

For the online article - A Warm Welcome: The Case for Seasonal Pop-Up Clinics for Chronic Disease

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