COVID-19, Our Practice & You.

During the coronavirus outbreak, we are dedicated to preserving the health and safety of our patients and staff. The practice remains open and we intend to continue seeing patients so long as it is permitted. We are committed to preventing the transmission of COVID-19 and other diseases in our office, so we are making some changes to maintain excellence in this regard. 

We will be seeing a lower volume of patients during the duration of the outbreak. This provides for better precautions against COVID-19 like screening people for symptoms upon arrival, minimizing the occupancy of waiting areas, and thoroughly disinfecting rooms, equipment, and surfaces between every patient.

Telehealth visits may be arranged through our office from this point forward but may not be appropriate for all concerns as in-person examination is a necessary aspect of many diagnoses.

"The World Health Organization lists the most common COVID-19 symptoms as fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention." – (WHO, “Q&A on coronaviruses (COVID-19)”, https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses#:~:text=symptoms accessed on 3/26/2020)

We do not treat patients with acute COVID-19 symptoms as the disease is outside of our specialty, but we encourage anyone who is concerned about their viral status to contact their primary care physician. Some symptoms of COVID-19 can resemble those of common ENT conditions, such as the loss of taste or smell. If you have experienced loss of smell or taste without any of the other symptoms detailed above, call our office to arrange a telehealth visit.

While caution should be employed during the COVID-19 outbreak, it should not come at the expense of proper health where possible. Minor ENT symptoms can occasionally indicate serious or life-threatening conditions. You should not delay addressing these concerns as the COVID-19 outbreak is expected to last several months, and such conditions could worsen without a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment. You cannot assume a delayed timeframe would be compatible with your health and safety without the clearance of a physician or a diagnostic plan.

Please continue to monitor your health beyond the scope of COVID-19 symptoms during this time. 

While in-person exams continue to be necessary to properly examine, diagnose and treat our patients, telehealth options are also available for our patients.