We are encouraged by the progress the U.S. has made toward ending the Covid-19 pandemic. As the number of new cases declines, more people have immunity through vaccination and/or prior infection and more effective treatments are available, we are optimistic that we will continue to move toward more normalcy in our everyday lives.

Recently, the CDC has relaxed masking and physical distancing protocols in some areas. However, the agency strongly recommends that medical practices and some other organizations, such as public transportation, continue to follow current safety procedures.

Medical practices, including ours, often care for vulnerable patients who are not able to be vaccinated. That is why we will continue to require staff and patients – even those who are fully vaccinated – to wear masks and practice physical distancing while in our office. We will also continue to screen all staff, patients and visitors for Covid symptoms. These safety protocols will help us keep vulnerable people safe so they can get the healthcare they need.

We appreciate your understanding. Thank you for helping us keep our community safe and for trusting us with your care.

For additional information about our current Covid safety protocols, please read the FAQs below or contact our office.

Yes, we are open for in-person appointments to safely take care of patients’ dermatology needs. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have worked hard to keep our staff and patients safe. As the threat of the pandemic lessens, we will continue to adapt our safety measures to align with the most up-to-date CDC guidance and evidence-based science. While the CDC has relaxed some safety guidelines, the agency recommends that medical offices continue to practice certain protocols, such as masking and physical distancing in order to protect vulnerable patients and staff who may not be able to be vaccinated. Patient safety has always been, and will continue to be, our top priority.

We continue to monitor the CDC and local health organizations’ guidelines, and review and adapt our safety procedures to align with the most up-to-date, evidence-based information. The CDC’s guidelines for medical practices are somewhat different from those they recently made for other organizations. Our protocols may also differ from the local government’s recommendations. This is to help ensure vulnerable patients are able to safely get the healthcare they need until the pandemic is under greater control and there is more wide-spread and lasting immunity. Our current safety procedures include:

  • Continuing to recommend our staff get vaccinated to join the majority of staff who already have been vaccinated
  • Requiring all staff and patients to wear face masks, even those who are fully vaccinated
  • Asking screening questions for all patients, staff and other persons that enter the office
  • Rescheduling patients who exhibit symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19 and ensuring ill or exposed staff follow appropriate self-quarantine measures
  • Instituting physical distancing protocols with increased spacing in waiting rooms; in some office settings, patients may wait in their vehicles after check-in and then brought directly to their exam room to further reduce exposure risk
  • Thoroughly sanitizing our facility in accordance with the CDC guidelines
  • Offering Telehealth appointments for high-risk patients and others as necessary
  • Limiting visitors to the minimum number required to transport and assist the patient

 

As healthcare providers, it is our duty to provide the highest quality, safest care possible for ALL our patients. Unfortunately, some patients and staff have health issues that do not allow them to be vaccinated or place them at high risk. That is why the CDC has recommended that medical offices continue practicing the masking and physical distancing protocols.

We will continue to follow these guidelines until the pandemic is under greater control or if evidence-based science finds these procedures are no longer recommended. As soon as it is deemed safe for medical practices to roll-back Covid safety protocols, we will do so.

We appreciate you as our patient and hope the inconvenience is understood to be for the protection of all patients.

Front desk personnel will conduct screening for all patients and visitors. Patients who exhibit symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19 will be rescheduled. During patient encounters, the receptionist and clinical staff will all wear a face mask and eye protection. For everyone’s safety, we request all patients and visitors – even those who are fully vaccinated — to wear a face mask when they arrive for and throughout their visit. We also request patients to limit the number of visitors that accompany them and, if possible, for those visitors to wait in the car while the patient is treated. We are reducing common use items such as pens, paper, magazines, iPads and other items. Information regarding these procedures is also included within the appointment reminders sent to patients prior to their appointments.

To help all patients feel more comfortable while in our office, we will continue to practice social distancing protocols such as:

  • Spacing of seating in waiting rooms and in some sites providing a virtual waiting room where patients can wait in their car until they are ready to be seen
  • Reconfiguring work stations and patient and staff flow patterns throughout the office
  • Staggering our staffs’ work shifts and breaks

The safety of our patients and staff has always been our top priority. We thoroughly sanitize waiting areas and high-touch surfaces and our exam rooms are cleaned after each use. These cleaning protocols follow the CDC COVID-19 guidelines. We have also made hand sanitizer, paper tissues and trash cans readily available for patients and visitors.