03/21/2020
We hope everyone is feeling physically fine.
We are all aware of how fast the Covid19 pandemic is evolving.
We need to adapt diligently to any new trending information, CDC recommendations and compliance updates received on a daily basis and sometimes an hourly basis.
As health care workers, our mission is to detect with celerity who might be infected, and who might need urgent hospital evaluation and treatment. Most importantly, our mission is to protect our patients from viral propagation.
At the same time, we need to continue taking care of any other conditions that are affecting our patients as well as continue our regular work as a primary care physician.
Now more than ever we are committed to protecting our patients from exposure to overcrowded urgent care facilities or hospitals for treatment of conditions that we typically handle in our office.
Since we know that Covid19 can be asymptomatic and unaware infected people can transmit the virus to non-infected ones, and spread the virus to surfaces, we have decided to avoid any physical contact among patients, and patients and staff, in our office starting this Monday, March 23 for one week. This decision will be assessed on a week to week basis depending on factors contingent upon CDC recommendations. This is a temporary and emergency measure allowed by the Trump administration in response to the crisis.
We are implementing a Telehealth system where patients will be contacting our office virtually. The only thing patients need to connect with us is a cell phone, an iPad, or computer. The cell phone transmission will be made via text messages, and the iPad or computer connection will be via email address.
Insurance providers are also diligently working on this virtual solution, but because of a fast trend of events related to Covid19 billing codes for “Face to Face telemedicine”, this is still in a state of flux. This complex aspect will be better defined for us as each day passes.
Unfortunately, not every condition can be addressed in a virtual space. Many times we need to see a patient in person to reach a proper diagnosis and treatment, but we’ll try to cover as much as we can under the circumstances.
There are a couple of recommendations that we feel are necessary:
1-To have at home for the use of your household members:
A Blood pressure device
A Fingertip pulse oximetry device
A Thermometer
These items are very helpful tools in case you contract the virus.
2- Hydroxychloroquine or plaquenil
We were surprised this week that people are requesting hydroxychloroquine prescriptions.
Even though we have extensive experience with this medication in the treatment of common immunologic rheumatic diseases, at this point, there still is not any official recommendation to use this medication for treatment or prevention of the coronavirus, with or without Zithromax.
As long as the FDA makes any drug recommendation, plaquenil or any other for outpatient treatment or prevention, we’ll expedite prescriptions and arrange follow ups.
We’ll publish on this site hydroxychloroquine (plaquenil) specifications and its possible multiple secondary effects.
Our office is absolutely committed to helping all of you at any time and keeping you healthy:
Together, we will win.
STAY AT HOME .
