Patient Guidelines

We are closely monitoring updates from the World Health Organization (WHO), the infection rate from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and virus tracking systems.

To help identify and treat patients while avoiding the spread of the disease, we are asking all patients to follow these guidelines when seeking care:

• If you feel ill and it is an emergency, call 911. Describe your symptoms and provide any information you have about recent international travel or contact with someone known to have COVID-19.
• If you feel ill and it is NOT an emergency, call your primary care or specialty care provider, or an urgent care center, and describe your symptoms over the phone before going to any of these locations. Be prepared to answer the following questions:
• Do you have a fever, a cough or shortness of breath?
• In the last 28 days, have you traveled outside of the continental United States?
• Have you traveled to China, Japan, South Korea, Italy or Iran?
• Have you had close contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus? (Close contact means having been within 6 feet of that person for an extended time, or being exposed to their cough or sneeze.)
• Have you been notified by a public health official that you have potentially been exposed to COVID-19?
• For more severe symptoms, such as higher fever and severe shortness of breath, you may be advised to go to a clinic or the emergency department.
• The day before any medical appointments, call the office. Be prepared to answer the above questions.
• If possible, please go alone to any appointments. Do not bring children, family members or friends unless you need assistance. Especially, do not bring anyone who has a cough, a fever or shortness of breath or is considered medically vulnerable.

This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest recommendations and best practices.