At Tristate Arthritis and Rheumatology, we have been following guidelines from Governor Beshear, the Kentucky Medical Board, and the Centers for Disease Control in order to minimize the risk of COVID-19.
Keeping patients safe is our top priority, especially since we serve many at risk populations, including the immune compromised, the elderly, and those with chronic health problems. For the safety of our patients, Tristate Arthritis and Rheumatology has implemented a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for our employees, and 100% of our employees have been vaccinated. For the foreseeable future, the following guidelines are in place at Tri-State Arthritis and Rheumatology…
- Fever and COVID-19 screening.All patients entering the building…
- will have their temperature taken.
- will be screened for signs of infection, including fever, cough, congestion, shortness of breath, or new loss of taste or smell.
- will be screened for any known exposures to COVID-19.
- If a patient has had an infection with COVID-19, they will be required to wait three weeks before they can be seen in the office.
- While CDC guidelines for quarantine periods for vaccinated persons continue to rapidly change, our guidelines are based on doing the most possible to protect our vulnerable patient population.
- Virtual (TeleHealth) appointments are available for those patients who cannot be seen in person.
- Universal masking for all direct person to person contact.
- All patients are to wear at minimum surgical quality masks at all times. Surgical or higher quality masks have been shown to more effectively prevent the spread of COVID-19.
- If a patient does not have a surgical quality mask, one will be provided.
- (If a patient has brought with them a similar or higher quality mask, such as an N-95, they will be permitted to wear their own mask.)
- If a patient is unable to wear a mask for health reasons, a Virtual (TeleHealth) appointment will be provided in place of a in person visit.
- All employees at Tri-State Arthritis and Rheumatology are masked for all person-to-person contact.
- Virtual TeleHealth appointments instead of in-person visits are available for as long as the Centers for Medicare Services (CMS) and other health insurance providers allow virtual visits to substitute for in person appointments.
- We offer a HIPAA secure portal capable of a Video-conference visit via most smart phones.
- If interested, please ask our front desk schedulers for a Telemedicine appointment.
- Non-traditional waiting rooms.
- For those who need to wait in the building, social distancing measures are employed in the waiting room.
- For those who prefer, there is the option to wait in your car and you will be called when your exam room is available.
- No visitors.
- Except for rare exceptions of assisting vulnerable populations (for example a patient with dementia), patients are not permitted to bring visitors with them to their appointment.
- Visitors are not permitted to wait in the waiting room, and should wait in their car.
- Tri-State Arthritis and Rheumatology has employed enhanced sanitizing and disinfecting.
- Although sanitizing has always been part of our protocol, extra measures are taken to ensure exam rooms, table, chairs, and equipment are sanitized in between patients.
The above guidelines are essential for us to be able to provide care during this pandemic, and we ask for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Tri-State Arthritis and Rheumatology
*Guidelines from the Governor, the Kentucky Medical Board, and the Centers for Disease Control often change rapidly, and we will do our best to keep this post up to date. However, it is possible the guidelines have changed since this posting, and verbal conveyance of our guidelines at the office take precedence over this posting.
