Types of PODs
Many jurisdictions are planning to setup and operate PODs out of convenient facilities such as schools. Patients come to the POD, and the staff there serve them. We have spent a lot of time developing our Clinic Planning Model Generator to model such PODs.
Karen McKinnis, at the Springfield-Greene County (Missouri) Health Department, has been developing and testing two other types of PODs. I thank her for sharing this information with me and allowing me to post it here.
The first type, a Private POD, uses a large room (like an auditorium) in which patients are instructed by a staff person who periodically gives instruction on how to complete the medical history form. After completing their forms, the patients leave through different color-coded doors that lead to different areas for dispensing different medications (like Tamiflu, Relenza, or NPIs). Families that need a combination of medications go another distinct dispensing area. The staff person repeats the talk periodically. (I would note that this is an interesting variant of a traditional POD that uses a batch education, almost like making patients watch smallpox education video at a mass vaccination clinic, and can be modeled in a similar way.)
The second type, a Group POD, is much more radical. In this case, the health department works with a business, a university, or some other organization with medical staff. The medical history forms are sent to the organization ahead of time. Their folks complete the forms and return them to the health department, who prepares the needed medication and sends it to the organization. The organization then dispenses the medication at their site by their medical staff.