(410) 583-2828
We recognize the stress and anxiety that the current health care crisis has placed on all our patients as well as families and loved ones.
This is compounded by the fact that the course of this pandemic along with specific recommendations for prevention and treatment is unfolding on a daily and sometimes hourly basis. Our practice is always available to you for questions and other support this COVID-19 outbreak. In response, modifications are being instituted to the practice in an effort to ensure the well-being of patients as well as our health care providers and staff.
Routine office hours will remain 8:30-4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Every attempt will be made to treat patients with respiratory signs and symptoms by phone or teleconferencing. Patients with fever, cough and/or respiratory symptoms will not be seen in the office but will be referred to an appropriate treatment site if indicated.
Laboratory services continue to be offered but you must call the office in advance. The office will prepare your lab order so it is ready when you arrive. When arriving at the building stay in the car and phone the office to let us know you have arrived. If there is no one in the lab at that time, you will be given the o.k. to come in. If there is another patient in the lab, we will call you in the car when the technician can see you.
There can be no walk-ins for appointment scheduling or paperwork pick up or drop off.All visitors to the building will be screened upon entering. On arrival at the office, we will take your temperature and have you take a socially distant seat in the waiting room. No visitors or companions will be allowed entrance to the suite unless the patient needs physical assistance.
We are expanding practice services slowly to accommodate your medical needs and at the same time maintaining patient safety.
We will continue to provide telemedicine visits whenever this modality is medically appropriate. Every effort will be made to place patients upon arrival so there are no groups of patients in the waiting room. Staff is consistently sanitizing the office and exam rooms after each patient.
We are not fully staffed due to the pandemic and we ask your continued patience and understanding of our staff.
COVID-19 presents a serious health threat to our nation and the rest of the world. The number of cases continues to grow each day.
Patients may be asymptomatic with the illness or manifest a very mild respiratory syndrome. Elderly individuals and particularly the elderly with co-existing illnesses are most susceptible to the serious consequences of the virus. These are mainly respiratory in origin. Children seem to fight the illness quite well but may be carriers or vectors of the virus. Is it important to note that we as scientists are learning more and more about the virus on a daily basis.
To protect ourselves and our families against the possible consequences of the illness, we should follow these prevention strategies.
- Do not underestimate the potentially serious nature of COVID-19
- Exercise frequent handwashing with soap and water. Hand sanitizers may be used but are not a substitute for soap and water
- Refrain from touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with your hands
- Wear a mask in any public indoor setting or outdoors where social distancing is not possible
- Maintain social distance so that you are not easily exposed to others who may be infected with the disease, even if they do not have any symptoms. (This is considered to be at least six feet away from others.)
- Refrain from non-essential travel
- Refrain from large group gatherings that might expose you to the infection
Please note that your physician providers and their staff will be wearing masks and other personal protective equipment for infection control purposes.
The U.S. Healthcare System and our practice as well are being challenged during this crisis, so please be patient with response time for your concerns. We will triage appropriately and efficiently. Requests for letters to insurance carriers regarding trip cancellations will be processed in a timely fashion, but not on an emergency basis. We appreciate your understanding on this matter.
We will remain on the forefront of this pandemic and will be available to you 24/7 via phone, text, or e-mail.
We should not panic during the course of this illness. This communication is meant as a guide and is based on information that we have today from reliable healthcare resources. We should all use common sense regarding our everyday activities.
The following are regularly updated and reliable websites to provide you with more in-depth information:
https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/