Coronavirus COVID-19 UPDATE
To patients of Broadway Family Medicine,
We hope you and your families are all doing well and staying healthy.
We are writing to update you with our updated office policy in the current context of COVID-19. These recommendations are consistent with Public Health and Ontario Medical Association guidelines, which are meant to help keep everyone safe and healthy, and limit spread of COVID-19.
First and foremost, PLEASE DO NOT COME IN TO THE OFFICE:
IF YOU ARE SICK WITH AN UPPER RESPIRATORY ILLNESS (COUGH, COLD, FEVER)
IF YOU HAVE TRAVELED OUTSIDE OF ONTARIO IN THE LAST 14 DAYS
IF YOU ARE SICK OR HAVE TRAVELED, THE SAFEST THING TO DO IS STAY HOME AND CALL/EMAIL THE OFFICE.
Effective immediately, all in-office visits will be converted to telephone/telemedicine appointments. Patients will only be offered in person appointments if necessary and appropriate. As much as possible, we will be able to provide support to you over the phone.
FOR PATIENTS WHO ARE SICK:
We are not adequately equipped to safely assess patients with possible COVID-19 in our office. We will advise you over the phone if we think you require testing, and you will be referred to an Assessment Center:
(see map link ) -> Assessment Center Map
If you are sick or have traveled in the past 14 days, you should be in self-isolation. If you have been in contact with someone who is sick, you should self-monitor for symptoms. If you are currently healthy, you should:
practice good hand hygiene - wash hands and keep hands away from your face
implement social distancing measures - see document below
Please see attached documents: - FOR GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19 - FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SELF ISOLATE - FOR INSTRUCTIONS IF YOU ARE A CLOSE CONTACT OF SOMEONE IN SELF-ISOLATION - FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SELF MONITOR - FOR GUIDANCE REGARDING SOCIAL DISTANCING
For updated information about COVID-19 - Ontario Ministry of Health: https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus - Ontario Medical Association: https://www.virusfacts.ca/
For your information, these are the guidelines being provided to us from the Ontario Medical Association and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario:
Proposed Realignment of Services During Pandemic:
Postpone routine and non-urgent assessments (e.g. annual assessment screening programs and non-urgent, elective consults, elective surgeries*).
Encourage self-care options to those who do not have urgent health-care needs.
Temporarily limit certain preventative care interventions (referrals to programs and consultations).
Refer patients to pharmacists for most prescription renewals.
Controlled substances can be assessed through virtual care options whenever safely possible.
Postpone medical examinations for insurance/employment reasons.
Decision-makers should streamline processes to limit the completion of non-essential forms and other administrative tasks during this time, such as school or camp or back to work forms.
*Non urgent and/or elective surgery should be defined as: nothing that would have an impact on quality of care if delayed 4-6 weeks.
Thank you to all our patients for your trust, support and understanding during these challenging times. We feel strongly that these measures will help to ensure that all of us and our communities will get through this safely.
Take care,
Dr. Valerie Ha Dr. Jordana Kline Dr. Marla Munk Dr. Steven Rothman Dr. Carolyn Shedletzky