Modular VaxMod units designed to increase nation’s vaccination capacity

Efficient, fast, safe solution for administering Covid-19 vaccines across the U.S.

APPLETON, Wis.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As the nation’s infrastructure is wrestling with distribution strategies for the Covid-19 vaccine, a new modular system called VaxMod offers healthcare networks, states, municipalities and retailers an operational solution for delivering the vaccine with safety and speed. Designed by Boulder Associates, Inc. and built by The Boldt Company, the prefabricated, modular units are designed to be deployed in any location, provide safe and efficient vaccination settings for healthcare workers and individuals, and serve as a long-term space solution post-Covid.

Developed in collaboration with public health experts, VaxMod can deliver 39% more vaccines per hour with 7% fewer staff, compared to model vaccination clinics identified by the Centers for Disease Control. VaxMod is designed for rapid deployment and to administer vaccinations to walk-in patients or individuals in their vehicles. The system can be scaled to meet the volume needed in specific communities. The operation is estimated to vaccinate more than 1,100 patients per eight-hour shift and can be staffed using 27 full-time employees. Modules can function as free-standing units or be connected to each other with segregated spaces for healthcare workers and patients.

“Healthcare organizations are diverting resources into direct patient care, so our mission was to design an environment to make this process fast and efficient,” said Romano Nickerson, principal with Boulder Associates, Inc. “Rather than converting gymnasiums or expo centers into vaccination clinics, VaxMod features an intentional workflow designed to minimize the time it takes to administer a shot safely and optimize the number of vaccines per shift.”

“Our experience in prefabrication means we can manufacture these facilities with better speed to market,” said Will Lichtig, executive vice president and chief of staff with The Boldt Company. “This allows us intense quality control, increased safety for our workforce, and the ability to meet an urgent need for healthcare organizations and our communities.”

In a post-pandemic setting, the VaxMod can be repurposed for a variety of uses. Space can be modified and used for rapid testing and screening for patient populations or annual flu clinics. Modules could also be used for health screening and maintenance clinics to fill a critical need in the care of chronic diabetic or cardiovascular patients.

VaxMod was designed with input from healthcare professionals seeking innovative solutions for ongoing patient care.

“Continued use of the VaxMod after the COVID crisis can fill a critical gap in the continuum of healthcare and care coordination outside of hospitals and clinics,” said Nadia Raczek, a California-based nurse and special consultant on the project.

Raczek adds that VaxMod can give patients more access to what they need to maintain their health in a chronic disease state, thereby lowering the rate of emergency department visits and hospital readmissions, and increasing their ability to thrive despite their disease state.

“Healthcare customers are challenging us to create alternative methodologies that provide quality design solutions, process efficiencies, and greater predictability,” said Zach Lauria, director of self-perform with The Boldt Company. “The prefabrication process for VaxMod produces consistent quality and increases the efficiency of labor on the job—both in the shop and the field.”

The VaxMod is designed as the hub of a drive-through configuration with capacity for 104 vehicular vaccinations per hour. Vehicles enter at one registration/screening point, drive through vaccinations are done in two loops around the central VaxMod, and canopies and covered stalls provide shade and resupply points.

Modules can function as freestanding units or be connected to each other with segregated spaces for healthcare workers and patients.

• They are designed to serve 35 walk-in individuals per hour.
• Each unit houses 12 vaccination stations with specialized accommodations for individuals in wheelchairs
• Individual cubicles are designed for privacy, social distance, and observation space after vaccine is administered.
• Modules provide segregated space for support staff and storage/prep space for vaccines.

For more information on VaxMod including renderings and product details, visit www.vaxmod.com.

About The Boldt Company

The Boldt Company is a construction management firm headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin with 14 offices nationwide. The firm is a nationally recognized leader in Integrated Lean Project Delivery® within a variety of markets including healthcare, industrial, energy & power, automotive, food & beverage and commercial. For more information boldt.com.

About Boulder Associates

Boulder Associates has specialized exclusively in healthcare and senior living design since our founding in 1983. We are a group of designers and process engineers with a keen interest in all things lean and enjoy a national reputation for our work in lean design and implementation. Our eight offices currently support project work in more than thirty states. For more information www.boulderassociates.com.

Contacts

Mary Schmidt, mkschmidt@centurytel.net, 920.284.7165