We wanted to update you on how we are handling patient visits during this time. Since doctor’s offices are exempt from the “stay at home” orders which will remain in place through the end of April, we are still here in the office, but are not having patients come in for routine labs, or routine office visits and physicals. If you do have a routine visit scheduled during this time, Sieglinde or Amber will be calling to cancel your visit, and will be calling patients later, probably in early May, to re-schedule those visits once the COVID-19 spread in our community has decreased. Many of you have already received a call and had your office visit postponed.
Please remember, we are still here and available to visit with you over the phone, so feel free to call if you are having any problems or need to discuss any health matters.
Now we can also do “telemedicine” visits for those who are interested. A telemedicine visit is basically a video/audio chat that’s done on a secure platform through our medical records software. Because it’s done through our medical records software with privacy security features, it’s more secure than Face Time or other video platforms like “Zoom.” The video is not saved/stored anywhere—it’s gone when our visit ends. It doesn’t require a lot of tech savvy to do a telemedicine visit (Dr. Thornton and Dr. Wallace were each surprised to see that the other could do it!) Basically you get a text from your doctor with a link to click and a password, and presto, your video chat has begun.
If you would like to have telemedicine or regular phone visit with Dr. Wallace or Dr. Thornton, just call the office to schedule an appointment time.
TIP OF THE DAY
I asked Dr. Herbert Dupont a number of years ago what he did to produce coming into the home. Dr. Dupont is the Professor and Director, Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Houston School of Public Health and a world authority on traveler’s diarrhea.
Bert said that all produce that comes into the house gets a shower and a bath. This was pre-Covid 19, but the idea is not to eliminate all bacteria and viruses but to reduce the quantity to eliminate the critical amount (inoculums) necessary to cause illness.
