Muscogee (Creek) Nation Partners with Tulsa-based RespirCare and HGE Health to Provide Employees with Innovative COVID Monitoring Application and Access to Same-Day Care

May 20, 2020

OKMULGEE, Okla.  – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation Department of Health (“MCNDH”) has partnered with RespirCare and HGE Health to provide Muscogee (Creek) Nation employees with a free COVID monitoring application and access to same-day care.

MCN tribal employees have access to download for free, HGE COVID Care, a mobile application, to remotely monitor symptoms of COVID-19 regardless of whether they have tested positive for the virus. Should in-person care be needed, RespirCare, a full-service pulmonology clinic based in Tulsa, will provide same-day care through the clinic or via telemedicine.

“The COVID Care app is part of the tribe’s proactive screening program to keep employees and guests safe,” said Shawn Terry, secretary of Health for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.   “Through simple daily tracking of symptoms by our employees, we can protect employees and our citizens by identifying and treating potential cases early to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

HGE COVID Care provides simple daily tracking of symptoms to provide early detection for patients at risk for developing severe symptoms. It takes users less than 1 minute a day to track symptoms and the recorded data is assessed by RespirCare’s remote care team to determine the degree of urgency and whether in-person testing and/or treatment is necessary. When a member reports symptoms or elevated risk, a qualified medical professional from RespirCare will call them directly to help them understand recommended next steps.

“By monitoring COVID-related symptoms and providing early detection, this program provides a reliable way for people and companies to get back to work safely,” said Mark Boomer, M.D., CEO and staff pulmonologist of RespirCare. “We developed this app as a way to help prioritize treatment options.  For people with symptoms we can have them evaluated same-day at RespirCare or at-home via telemedicine.  In addition to helping people determine if and when they should be tested, we can also help people who have tested positive for COVID-19 manage treatment at home and advise if and when they need hospital care.”

The platform features an easy-to-use graphical interface that guides users through a questionnaire prepared in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 guidelines. This is in addition to the standard respiratory symptoms tracked in the clinically validated HGE Health solution for respiratory illnesses. More information on COVID and COPD monitoring can be found at www.hgehealth.com.