Last updated: April 22, 2020
Here at All About Women, we’ve had to make many changes in recent weeks in response to the ongoing and ever evolving coronavirus public health crises. We are currently not conducting annual preventative exams at this time.
Of course, all pregnant women still need to be seen regularly and we continue to care for our pregnant patients.
Additional safety measures we are taking:
- We have increased in-office cleaning 10-fold. In addition to our standard procedure of cleaning exam rooms after every patient, we now wipe down all parts of the exam room that could have been touched — including door jams, door handles, chair arms, robe hooks, you name it! Patient bathrooms are also wiped down every hour now instead of twice per day, and all surfaces are wiped with Clorox. In addition, the waiting room is wiped down several times per day. We are using Clorox-based solutions to mop the floors regularly.
- All of our staff wear masks all day to protect patients and each other. This includes administrative staff.
- All hallway weighing and any other tasks have been moved to exam rooms.
- With the exception of ultrasounds, no visitors are allowed into the office.
- We’ve removed some chairs from the waiting room to create better social distancing.
- Barriers have been placed in front of check-in and check-out counters so that patients and staff don’t get too close and maintain social distancing rules.
- All staff members who don’t need to be in-house have moved to working remotely.
- All staff members are practicing social distancing in the office as much as is possible.
- All in-office meetings have been turned into video meetings so as not to have too many people in 1 room at any given time.
- All staff members are instructed to self-monitor for any unusual symptoms and report to their manager if they don’t feel well.
- Every person who enters our office is asked to have their temperature taken. If anything is amiss, they are given a mask and the office is alerted.
- Special measures (entrance and exit, isolation, protective gear, etc.) are used for any patient presenting with possible signs of COVID-19 infection. These patients are brought in a back door and assigned to a pre-designated room so as not to infect other patients.
General advice to all patients:
✔ Follow social distancing measures and abide by local rules.
✔ Reschedule any appointments that are not medically critical.
✔ Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after any interaction out of the house and several times a day otherwise.
✔ Self-monitor for symptoms of fever and cough, and call your physician immediately if you think you have any symptoms.
✔ Use hand sanitizer if you can’t wash your hands.
Advice for pregnant women:
✔ Generally speaking, pregnant women are NOT at more risk of contracting the coronavirus compared to the general population.
✔ Currently, studies suggest that the infection does NOT appear to pass to the baby.
✔ Take the same precautions as anyone else (see above).
Last updated: March 25, 2020
Telemedicine appointments with All About Women doctors can be done either by phone or by video chat. Patients can request them when they call in. We are also offering telemedicine appointments to patients who check out and need a consultation in the next month. Lastly, we are offering telemedicine appointments to anyone who is currently on the schedule for an appointment that does not require an exam.
These appointments are subject to the same terms as others regarding insurance. They are covered by insurance subject to deductible and copays, just like a regular visit.
Currently, we are offering telemedicine appointments for the following services:
✔ Ultrasound Result Consult Appointments
✔ Lab Result Consult Appointments
✔ Some Birth Control Consults
✔ 1st Postpartum Appointments
Last updated: March 20, 2020
As women’s healthcare providers, our focus and commitment is to provide the best quality care to our patients. With that in mind, we are closely monitoring the outbreak of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.
Here at All About Women Obstetrics & Gynecology, the health of all our patients is always our top priority. We are here for you, even during a pandemic.
Here are a few of the steps we’re taking to take care of you:
- We are cancelling annual exams for the next 2 weeks (starting March 23rd). We will be rescheduling those appointments for later in the spring.
- We are screening all patients to identify those who have recently traveled and/or those who are having symptoms. If you are identified at risk, all non-essential appointments will be rescheduled for at least 30 days out. For essential appointments/procedures, your healthcare provider will provide further instructions. Please call in advance of your appointment.
- Staff members are receiving additional instruction and ongoing updates about COVID-19, hand hygiene and other safety measures to decrease the likelihood of contracting or transmitting the infection.
- We are sanitizing all work areas at least 3 times daily.
- Each exam room is sanitized following each patient visit.
If you are experiencing a fever, cough, or other flu-like symptoms, please call us or send us a message in your Patient Portal prior to your appointment so that we can determine the next step in your care.
If you have come into contact with someone known to have the coronavirus, you may also call the local Health Department at 1-(866) 779-6121 or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov. The center is available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
We also invite you to check out these informational infographics from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC):
- 10 ways to manage respiratory symptoms at home
- 5 facts about COVID-19
- COVID-19 symptoms and waiting room etiquette
- What to do if you are sick with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Patient Resources page from Florida Woman Care
We will continue to update you as we know more. Please reach out to us with any questions via phone or the patient portal secure messaging service. We are here for you!
In the meantime, wash your hands regularly, drink plenty of water, get lots of rest, and avoid large groups. Stay healthy!
Sincerely,
The All About Women team