Since November 2025, Carbon Health has played an active role in containing and treating a tuberculosis (TB) outbreak affecting students, families and community members across the Bay Area. While it might seem unexpected for an urgent and primary care practice to be at the forefront of this kind of public health response, our unique combination of walk-in accessibility, appointment scheduling, on-site x-ray capabilities, and dedicated care coordination made us the right partner at the right time. To date, we’ve treated about 150 patients and continue to meet the demand as the outbreak evolves.
In November, a patient at our San Francisco Irving Street location tested positive for active TB following a chest x-ray. TB is a highly infectious bacterial infection that affects the lungs and spreads through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs. Because it has the potential for serious and lasting health effects, it is categorized as a “nationally notifiable disease” and each positive case is reported to local health departments. In this case, the SF Department of Public Health (SFDPH).
This patient was a member of a local high school who had initially visited our Stonestown location with cold-like symptoms. When they followed up at a neighboring Carbon clinic, a chest x-ray was performed, which revealed the diagnosis of active tuberculosis and the SFDPH was promptly alerted.
Once a positive TB case is identified, the standard protocol begins: test everyone who may have been exposed and be ready to initiate treatment. Because this high school community includes approximately 1,400 students and faculty, the scope quickly expanded beyond a typical case. The SFDPH and the school realized they needed a healthcare partner who could scale rapidly and Carbon Health, having identified the original patient and operating four locations in the city, was the natural choice.
"As more active TB cases were confirmed, our small team quickly realized this was no longer limited to the Stonestown and Irving area. That’s when we looped in our other center managers to make sure everyone was informed and ready to help. Everyone leaned in, asked thoughtful questions, and focused on preparing their teams to care for the students and school staff. That level of teamwork and willingness to step in reflects the strength of our teams across Carbon Health and our commitment to being there for our community in times of need." Yenni Diep, Sr. Center Manager, San Francisco-Stonestown
To date, Carbon Health has been one of the largest providers of tuberculosis evaluation and treatment for the patients and staff affected by this outbreak.
It may surprise people to learn that not all healthcare settings are equipped to respond to an outbreak like this.
Carbon Health sits at a unique intersection. We’re an urgent care and primary care provider, with x-ray capabilities and a dedicated, local care team. Additionally, our in-house technology, CarbyOS, makes the patient experience as easy and useful as possible.
“An easy to use, friendly and patient-facing app was instrumental in coordinating care. Patients, administrators and family members were able to easily adjust time slots for appointments themselves, review their outside imaging and lab results integrated into their charts, and get in touch with us long after their appointment ended to ask follow up questions.” Aadil Vora, DO MBID, Area Medical Director
What started in SF has expanded throughout the region, and we’re now treating patients as far north as Novato and south as San Mateo. The spread of this outbreak not only shows how interconnected our communities are, but how Carbon Health is accessible throughout the region.
What has made this response truly effective isn’t just our clinical capabilities, but our ability to coordinate with multiple stakeholders in real time.
External, community stakeholders
We submit all necessary testing data, paperwork, and positive results to the SFDPH’s TB team, maintaining the reporting requirements that keep our communities safe. Additionally, Yenni Diep took responsibility as the main point of contact for the high school, coordinating with administrators, staff, students, and concerned parents.
“Yenni stepped up as an essential point of contact for the school, demonstrating exceptional leadership and care. Her ability to seamlessly coordinate different stakeholders and manage complex workflows has been invaluable. We're fortunate to have such a capable leader in our community!” Carrie Slaughter, Area Medical Director
Carbon’s Bay Area teams
Before patients even walk into our clinics, our team is working to make sure their visit is as smooth as possible.
"Through this outbreak, we’ve worked diligently to implement a workflow process that is equal parts clinically efficacious, collaborative and flexible! Our Center Medical Directors, Allee Dong and Audrey Ogg, have taken the helm ensuring that incoming patients have a structured pathway during their visits. From reviewing care plans, considering diagnostic testing, ordering imaging, preparing treatment plans, creating educational materials, and addressing required paperwork; this has allowed us to handle upwards of 20 patients in an hour (not including our normal urgent care patient visits). Ultimately, we are appreciative of our community for placing their trust in us to manage their healthcare needs; even something as serious and urgent as an outbreak of a communicable disease.” Corbin Howard, Center Manager at San Francisco Irving Street
This case study centers on a specific outbreak, but it illustrates a broader reality: there are critical gaps across the healthcare ecosystem. Carbon Health exists to help close those gaps.
We’re not just open, we’re actually easy to reach, easy to book, and easy to get care from. Our Stonestown location is 10 minutes from the school with ample parking and public transport access, which is why the initial patient chose us. But access goes deeper than location alone.
“Whether it be taking care of patients injured at work in Workers Compensation cases, ensuring the fitness of our police officers and firefighters before reporting to duty, or seeing sick infants early in the morning when pediatricians are booked solid, we are happy to care for all patients. We don’t say no to anyone: a student with a cough or a city facing an outbreak. Our philosophy is always “Yes, and…” never “No.” We know how difficult healthcare can be, and with their trust, we take pride in “figuring it out” for our patients.” Our culture and our technology work hand in hand.” Aadil Vora, DO MBID, Area Medical Director
“The level of dedication I’ve seen from our teams is extraordinary. But to be honest, this is what we do every day. When an emergency occurs, we don’t have to reinvent ourselves. We just scale up what we’re already good at.” Carrie Slaughter, Area Director of Operations.
The TB outbreak - and response - continues. We’re still seeing patients, coordinating with the city, and ready to scale beyond the Bay Area if needed. Through our ongoing collaboration, internally and externally, we’ve proven that when a healthcare system is built right, it doesn’t just serve everyday care but becomes an essential resource.
Special thanks to the San Francisco Department of Health and school administrators for their trust and partnership throughout this process. And to our team members who made this response possible, especially Aadil Vora, Allee Dong, Audrey Ogg, Carrie Slaughter, Corbin Howard, and Yenni Diep.
