ST. LUKE’S OPENS REGISTRY FOR COVID-19 VACCINATION APPOINTMENTS

Beginning Monday, March 8, St. Luke’s will have a vaccine registry and outreach process for COVID-19 vaccination appointments.

St. Luke’s will reach out to patients in the registry when appointments are available, instead of patients having to repeatedly check back for appointments.

St. Luke’s Health System is taking a new approach to how it schedules COVID-19 vaccine appointments.

Instead of people checking back repeatedly for available vaccination appointments, St. Luke’s will reach out to patients on our registry when new vaccine supply has arrived and appointments are available. The change is the direct result of feedback, and is designed to help reduce frustration and save people time.

Starting Monday, March 8, St. Luke’s is asking those interested in being added to St. Luke’s vaccine registry to fill out a questionnaire in the patient online electronic health record portal known as myChart or follow the instructions below. St. Luke’s registry is separate from the state’s online registry; we are asking people who want to be vaccinated by us to sign up for our registry as we work through collaboration details and processes with the state.

We would prefer that those choosing to be vaccinated by St. Luke’s stick to one list at this time to avoid double-booking. Those choosing to list on more than one registry who are able to schedule an appointment are asked only to make one appointment.

Those wishing to be included in St. Luke’s registry will need to complete a questionnaire online or by calling us. St. Luke’s asks that those who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine wait a few weeks before filling out a questionnaire to ensure access for the most high-risk, eligible patients.

People who do not have a myChart account, do not have internet access or need interpretation services can call St. Luke’s at 208-381-9500 to be added to St. Luke’s vaccine registry. They will be contacted by their preferred method when it’s time to schedule an appointment.

As additional vaccine doses come in and appointments are added, those who are registered will receive scheduling notifications in myChart, or by telephone or email for those who don’t have a myChart account. Those participants will have approximately one week to then schedule an appointment and receive vaccination. If they are unable to schedule during that time, their name will go back on the registry for a future appointment. Those who will already have received vaccination or are not interested have the option to opt out.

Hearing the concerns and understandable frustrations, St. Luke’s worked to revamp its COVID-19 vaccine appointment process to better meet the needs of the community. The new process provides improved scheduling opportunities and support for people who are most vulnerable, especially those who struggle with technology, don’t have internet access or speak languages other than English.

St. Luke’s continues to follow the state’s COVID-19 vaccine guidelines and priority list recommendations. New appointments are being opened first to those ages 75 and above, one of the most vulnerable populations. Depending on vaccine supply and demand, appointments will be made available as soon as possible to others in the state-approved groups, which include 65+, all of Group 1 (health care workers and long-term care residents) Group 2.1 (first responders, pre-K-12 teachers and school staff, daycare workers, and correctional and detention facility staff), and, as of March 8 in the Central District Health region, Group 2.3 (homeless shelter residents, food and agriculture residents, Idaho National Guard, manufacturing workers, public transit workers, flight crews, interpreters and U.S. Postal Service workers).

St. Luke’s clinics and hospital telephone lines are not designed to answer questions regarding COVID-19 vaccination or the registry, nor are we able to accept walk-in vaccine appointments. Unless someone needs to call their provider for an emergency, community members are encouraged to use myChart for vaccine-related questions or visit the St. Luke’s COVID-19 vaccine resource webpage.

St. Luke’s is one of many providers of COVID-19 vaccinations in Idaho. People can find information on the state’s subgroups and a list of providers for specific areas on the Idaho COVID-19 Vaccination Information site.

ST. LUKE’S COVID-19 VACCINE REGISTRY INSTRUCTIONS

NOTE: Those who are on our registry will have about a week after they are contacted to schedule and receive the vaccine. Those unable to schedule in that period will go back on the registry for future appointments

St. Luke’s patients who use myChart, are in eligible groups, have seen a St. Luke’s provider in the past 18 months and haven’t yet received the COVID-19 vaccine:

Please let us know you want to be added to the vaccine registry by filling out a questionnaire in myChart.

When open appointments are available for your group, you will be contacted via myChart to schedule.

St. Luke’s patients who AREN’T registered in myChart, are in eligible groups, have seen a St. Luke’s provider in the past 18 months and haven’t yet received the COVID-19 vaccine:

Please consider setting up a myChart account by calling 208-381-9000. Once you are signed up, you will be able to fill out an online questionnaire to let us know you want to be added to the registry. You will be contacted when appointments are available for your group.

If you don’t have internet access or need interpretation services, you can call us at 208-381-9500 to be added to our vaccine registry. We will contact you by your preferred method when it’s time for you to schedule an appointment.

People who are not St. Luke’s patients, have not received the vaccine and are in an eligible group:

If you have never used St. Luke’s services, please call 208-381-9000 to set up a myChart account. Once you are signed up, you will be able to fill out an online questionnaire to let us know you want to be added to the registry. You will be contacted when appointments are available for your group. NOTE: St. Luke's serves communities in Idaho and eastern Oregon.

If you don’t have internet access or need interpretation services, you can call us at 208-381-9500 to be added to our vaccine registry. We will contact you when it’s time for you to schedule an appointment.

St. Luke’s patients and non-St. Luke’s patients in unopened state groups:

If you are not in a currently eligible group, please wait a few weeks to fill out the online questionnaire or call St. Luke’s Connect at 208-381-9500. Our systems can only handle so many users at a time, and we need to keep the lines open for patients in need and those in currently eligible groups. The order in which questionnaires are filled out does NOT determine when registrants get the vaccine, so there is no benefit to filling it out immediately.

When you are ready, please follow the instructions outlined to join the registry.