Please wear a mask when visiting our office

. Posted in News, Health, Coronavirus

Dear Patient,

The coronavirus pandemic presents us with a challenge unlike anything we’ve seen in our lifetimes. As expected, Americans are responding. I am encouraged by data that show our efforts to stop its spread are making a difference.

In order to keep the infection rate down, it’s important that we continue to stay home, practice social distancing, wash hands regularly, and wear a mask if you must leave your home.

At InterMed, we follow CDC guidelines and regularly look for ways to keep our patients and staff safe. Effective Monday, April 20, we are requiring that all patients and visitors entering our offices cover their nose and mouth. You can do this with a scarf, a homemade cloth mask, or your own surgical mask.

Masks have been shown to decrease the spread of coronavirus from infected people, even those who do not have symptoms. Because of this, if your nose and mouth are not covered, you will not be allowed to enter our offices.

We have a very limited supply of homemade cloth masks that patients have donated for this purpose. We will make these available to patients while they last, however, we strongly encourage you to bring your own covering.

As we move through this pandemic, I’m hopeful that InterMed will gradually reopen additional services in coming weeks. I’d like to share some of the steps we’ve implemented to protect patients who have an in-person appointment:

  • We introduced telehealth visits, which allow you to speak with a physician via computer or mobile device from home.
  • Our COVID Clinic, open 7 days a week for ill patients who should be seen in person, is separated from our other practice locations. This helps eliminate the risk of exposing patients to flu, COVID-19, or other respiratory illnesses when they come in for a sports injury or an appointment for a chronic condition.
  • Every patient and visitor entering our offices will have their temperature taken to ensure they don’t have a fever — the most common symptom of COVID-19.
  • All InterMed staff are wearing masks and we have increased cleaning and sanitizing efforts in our offices.

If there is a silver lining to this pandemic it’s that we’re in this together. I’m heartened by stories of people helping neighbors, children making drawings for house-bound grandparents, or signs posted on mailboxes thanking postal carriers.

Thank you for making a difference.

Stay safe and healthy,

Dan Loiselle, MD
Chief Medical Officer