What We're Doing To Help Flatten the Curve During COVID-19
Dear Community,
We are working hard to help flatten the curve and limit the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease). Here’s an update of all that Culmore Clinic has been doing during this crisis for our individual patients as well as public health and safety in general.
Protecting Patients and the Public
Beginning Tuesday 3/10/20, our Crisis Response Team enacted a screening area in the vestibule of The Clinic to take temperatures, look for symptoms of cough, runny nose, and compromised respiratory rates, as well as ask questions about travel in the last month. Those who presented with symptoms were asked to return home and a telemedical appointment was arranged. 61 patients were seen for appointments, four of which were telemedical appointments.
On 3/17 we moved all appointments to our telemedicine protocol with a bi-lingual (Spanish) provider on our staff. We will use our teleinterpretation protocol in other languages with current staff and volunteers as needed.
Any patient with cough, fever, runny nose, etc. is being instructed to stay home, and avoid contact with others.
Patients with heart conditions are being told to use the blood pressure monitors supplied by Culmore Clinic to measure their blood pressure. Those without a home BP monitor are instructed *not* to go to a public space such as a pharmacy or grocery store to measure their blood pressure to avoid accidentally spreading or coming in contact with COVID-19.
We are informing and advising patients of the recent CDC guidelines and edicts from the Governor of Virginia.
Supporting Patients in this Crisis
Our Nurse Practitioner for Population Health is reviewing our entire patient panel for patients who have immunocompromised conditions (Cancer, Lupus, etc.) or are on Immunosuppressant drugs (e.g. Prednisone). Those patients are being informed of their vulnerability and COVID-19’s potential impact on them. They are being instructed to practice social distancing and are given the most recent CDC guidelines as well as edicts from the Governor of Virginia.
Our nurses are continuing to find and send prescription coupons to patients whose medication is not available through our partners at NOVAScripts Central.
Our partners at NOVAScripts are offering no-cost medication and Culmore Clinic is making it available for pick-up (with limited social contact) once per week.
Our partners at Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center and Islamic Relief Services are donating hot meals and hygiene kits which we’re distributing during prescription pick-ups.
Culmore Clinic is founded on community. During this time of social distance, we are looking for ways to keep our volunteers, partners, patients, and staff connected in creative ways. We will be leaning on technology during this time, so please be sure to check our blog often, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for our e-newsletter if you have not yet. We’ll be sure to keep you informed and inspired during this trying time.
Please take care of yourselves and stay healthy.
Sincerely,
Anne-Lise Quinn
Executive Director
Culmore Clinic
anneliseq@culmoreclinic.org
