At Newton Family Physicians, our first priority is your health.
During this uncertain time, we are closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and keeping up
with the recommendations and guidelines of local health officials and the CDC.
We have implemented a number of new procedures and we are constantly reassessing and adjusting our practices.
As of Tuesday, March 24, 2020 we are following the newest guidelines:
We are now in the MITIGATION phase of the public health strategy.
Now the goal is to reduce spread and exposure rather than test everyone.
Patients with possible COVID-19 and mild symptoms (fever and cough) are
asked to stay home and self-isolate for at least 7 days from the onset of
symptoms and until you are symptom free for 72 hours. We will do a telemedicine
visit if you aren’t sure to determine if you need to be seen.
If you have more severe symptoms (shortness of breath, chest tightness)
we may ask you to come in for an on-site visit.
We are asking those patients to use our side urgent care entrance only.
In order to limit time spent in close contact with other people,
we have closed our waiting room and have implemented smart phone check in.
When you make your appointment, you will get a text with a link.
After you arrive at the office, please click on this link to let us know you are here.
PLEASE STAY IN YOUR VEHICLE. You will get a text when your room is
ready and a nurse will meet you at the door to escort you into the building.
If we are running behind, the nurse will try to communicate with you while you wait via text.
We will be screening everyone upon entering the building by checking temperatures.
If you (or someone you are with) have a temperature over 100,
we will assist you in making a sick visit appointment to be seen as soon as possible
with our on call doctor and ask you to enter through the side urgent care entrance.
You will still wait in your car until your room is ready.
We are now offering virtual visits during regular office hours via telemedicine
for many types of appointments during the pandemic. Please call the office during regular office hours to schedule a telemedicine visit. You just need a computer or a smart phone. We can also do these visits with phone only if needed.
These visits allow us to provide the best care remotely with the patient communicating directly with a provider.
If you have a well visit or medicine recheck/refill appointment
scheduled in the next few weeks and would like to reschedule,
we are happy to refill your medications for 2 months.
You may also schedule a telemedicine visit.
When we interact with patients who could potentially have COVID-19,
we are using personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, gowns and face shields.
We are providing masks to all patients with fever and cough or respiratory symptoms.
We have enhanced our cleaning practices and we are disinfecting exam rooms, front desk areas, door knobs and waiting rooms regularly.
We encourage all of our patients to limit their exposure with good hygiene and practice social distancing in order to slow the spread of the virus and “flatten the curve.”
Please see the following trusted links for more information:
DHHS
CDC