Memorial Hospital Pembroke Offers Monoclonal Antibody Infusions to Qualifying COVID19 Patients

As COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise and vaccines are in short supply, Memorial Healthcare System is offering qualifying COVID-19 patients an alternative that is showing great signs in helping them feel better and avoid hospitalization.

Memorial Hospital Pembroke has provided monoclonal antibody infusions to 270 patients who have high risk factors for developing severe COVID-19 symptoms. Of these high-risk patients, only four patients have needed to be admitted to the hospital post infusion. Memorial Hospital Pembroke set up an outpatient treatment center next to the Emergency Department, where a team of nurses and doctors are infusing qualifying COVID-19 patients Casirivimab and Imdevimab, by Regeneron.

“Everything points to a life-saving drug, because the results have been outstanding,” said David Starnes, Chief Nursing Officer, Memorial Hospital Pembroke.

Community members who tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 10 days and meet the criteria outlined below are encouraged to contact their primary care physicians. PCP offices can fax the order (including symptoms and risk factors) along with a copy of the patient’s positive COVID-19 test to Memorial Centralized Scheduling at 954-985-3034.

Appointments are available Monday through Saturday. The outpatient process takes about two hours: one for the infusion; the second for observation by medical professionals.

Adult patients (over age 16) must weigh at least 88.19 lbs., must have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 10 days, have mild to moderate symptoms and one additional criteria, including:

• Body mass index more than or equal to 35
• Chronic kidney disease
• Diabetes
• Immunosuppressive disease OR receiving immunosuppressive treatment
• People over 65
• People over 55 with underlying conditions such as obesity, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and immunodeficiency.