In the early months of the pandemic, routine doctor’s appointments plummeted as people avoided going out for anything beyond basic necessities. Now, we’re seeing patients prioritize their health again by rescheduling these critical appointments. Still, some people remain wary of visiting a doctor’s office with the number of COVID-19 infections remaining high.
We want to help you feel comfortable during your appointments at OrthoBethesda. We’ve implemented many COVID-19-related measures to put your mind at ease and reassure you that you will stay safe during your visit. Here’s how we’re handling in-person appointments during the pandemic.
Wearing Masks
Our staff is equipped with personal protective equipment to keep them safe while checking you in and logging your vitals. We ask that everyone entering our office wear a mask as well. We have masks available if you forget to bring yours.
Screenings and Sanitizer
Before you can begin your appointment, you must have your temperature taken. You’ll also need to let us know if you’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19 or if you have experienced any COVID-19-related symptoms in the previous two weeks. We perform these screenings to protect all of our patients. If you have any symptoms, you will be asked to go home and reschedule your appointment at least two weeks in the future.
We have hand sanitizer available throughout our office. We encourage you to use it when you enter as well as right after your appointment. We continue to wash our hands before we see each patient, and we use hand sanitizer regularly as well.
Cleaning
We deep clean our waiting room, common areas and patient exam rooms daily, using products that kill germs. Every exam room is thoroughly cleaned between patients, too.
Limits on Visitors
The fewer people we allow into our offices, the less chance of exposure to the virus. We are asking our patients to come to their appointments alone when possible. If they can’t manage by themselves, we want them to limit themselves to one companion.
Post-Surgery Checkups
We also monitor our patients after surgery to ensure they are not at risk of contracting the virus as they regain their strength. We conduct screenings at regular intervals after surgery, offering our patients reassurance that we care about them even when they aren’t at our facility. The more proactive we are, the better chance you have of protecting yourself.
Regular Updates
We recognize that communication is critical during times like these. The more our patients know about our procedures, the better equipped they will be to navigate them when they arrive at the office. We try to give advance notice when something changes and be transparent about any COVID-19-related developments.
Contact Us to Learn More
We have been performing COVID-19 screenings for in-person appointments for months now, and our procedures have proven effective at protecting our patients and ensuring they feel comfortable from the moment they enter our office. Contact us today to learn more about our procedures or to book an appointment.
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