COVID-19 Precautions

Resuming Office Visits During the Pandemic

As we resume patient care in the office, we would like you to know what steps we are taking to keep our patients and our staff safe.

Please arrive 10 min before your appointment time. If you arrive earlier than that, please stay in your car until the appropriate time. As you enter our building, you will see that everyone will have their temperature taken and be asked some screening questions. If you feel you might have a fever, or cough and/or shortness of breath more than usual, please call us so before coming to the office building so that we may discuss the next step with you. If you are sick, and you have not discussed it with us, they will not let you into the building.

We will need to limit people coming with you to individuals whose participation in the appointment is necessary. Your companion will also have to go through the screening process.

As you enter our building, please wear a cloth nose and mouth covering or mask if you have one. SSM requires this to enter the building. Our staff will be wearing masks also.

As you come to the desk you will be asked your name and if you have a change in your personal information, such as a change in address or phone number. You will show us your ID and we will ask you to give us your insurance card, to make a copy. You will then be escorted to an exam room. In those rare instances, we use the waiting room, you will see that the 6-foot social distancing is in effect.

As you arrive to the exam room, you can know that our policy was that the room has been empty for a ½ hour and has been wiped down thoroughly since the last patient. You will also see that tabletops etc are bare, in order to reduce transmission. Your healthcare providers will maintain 6-foot distancing except during a brief physical exam.

As you leave, there will be hand sanitizer for you to use. We highly suggest that when you are in public, you learn not to touch anything that is not necessary (such as lean on counters) and sanitize your hands when you touch public things (such as elevator buttons). And very importantly, train yourself not to touch your face.

Thank you in advance.