Firm Misallocated 6,000 Vaccine Shots Earmarked For CPS Employees

CHICAGO — Chicago public health officials on Tuesday cut off vaccine supply to a company that won a contract to inoculate Chicago Public School employees after learning the clinic knowingly misallocated 6,000 doses.

Innovative Express Care administered vaccine doses to "non-CPS individuals without prior authorization," public health officials said.

"We have determined that they knowingly misallocated more than 6,000 doses of vaccine—including using vaccine allocated for second doses for first dose appointments instead. This is completely unacceptable behavior," city public health department officials said in a statement.

In February, the public health department awarded Innovative Express Care, an urgent care group founded by former Northwestern Medicine Dr. Rahul Khare, a $5 million contract to vaccinate Chicago Public School employees.

On Tuesday, the city public health department announced officials would reclaim all vaccine distributed and stored at Innovated Express Care.

In a video statement posted on Facebook, Khare said "we feel like we have done nothing wrong."

"We strongly disagree with the allegations made by the Chicago Department of Public Health stating a misallocation of vaccines intended for CPS staff. We proudly operated four CPS vaccination sites. As of last week, every CPS staff member had been given an opportunity to be vaccinated due to our capacity to effectively operate a vaccine distribution effort. ... All vaccine doses that were not used by CPS at the end of each week went to another eligible patient for their first dose," according to a statement on the company's website.

Innovative Express Care officials said the city didn't make it clear that they "should be storing vaccines in a refrigerator for people awaiting second doses.

"Rather, we have been following the nation’s commitment to get as many vaccines in eligible patients’ arms, as quickly as possible. Our mission involved vaccinating as many eligible patients as quickly as possible, and not at the whims of the city official’s latest political crisis," company officials said in the statement.

"We have served our community since the start of this pandemic, and we will continue to do so through testing. We are deeply disappointed in the city’s decision to remove us as a vaccine provider. Chicago needs more vaccination sites that are actually distributing their doses to eligible patients, not fewer."

Mayor Lightfoot told reporters Wednesday Innovative Express Care's claim they misunderstood the city's rules about vaccine use is "absolutely false."

"We communicated with them extensively about what was going on and it's clear frankly from their own admissions that they were not following the rules. ... We gave them every opportunity to get right with what the rules and responsibilities are for every provider who has the privilege of getting access to the vaccine, and they repeatedly failed to hold up their end of the bargain. And now they are So now they are dealing with the consequences of their actions."

Lightfoot said the city's accounting of vaccine doses showed Innovative Express Care officials asked the public health department for more second doses than first doses they received to administer to CPS employees.

Chicago Public health officials said in a statement that "new providers" have already been identified to take over and administer vaccines for public school employees already scheduled to receive shots.

"CPS personnel with appointments on Wednesday, March 24 will be rescheduled for the near future and notifications are in progress. CPS personnel with existing appointments on Thursday, March 25 and thereafter will continue to be vaccinated at the same CPS high school site where they were originally scheduled," according to a health department statement.

Innovative Express Care will not be allowed to schedule more vaccinations.

"Anyone scheduled for a second dose appointment though the Innovative Express clinic will be vaccinated at a special clinic set up for them at Truman College. Those individuals are being contacted and provided with next steps for scheduling their appointment," according to the health department statement.

On March 12, the DuPage County Health Department cut off vaccine distribution to Innovative Express Care, spokeswoman Stephanie Calvillo said.

More On Patch: Firm Misallocated 6,000 Vaccine Shots Earmarked For CPS Employees

"Vaccine provider agreements are between the Illinois Department of Public Health and the provider. We are working with IDPH to address the situation," she said in an emailed statement.

Cavillo declined to provide information about why the county health department decided to stop delivering shots to Innovative Express Care. State public health officials and Khare did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the county's decision to suspend vaccine dose deliveries to Innovative Express Care.