As the state begins to “reopen,” we are here to see you and take care of you. In Primary Care, we specialize in you…taking care of you as a whole. Our relationships are longstanding decades, with some of you and we know you inside and out. For many of our patients, the uniqueness of you means it is better to see you in person. According to Karen Brown, MD, medical director of Primary Care, some of the care that we can only provide in person includes wound checks, administering necessary vaccines and EKGs. Delaying checks on blood pressure and weight can have negative consequences. We do, however, continue to be available for you via video visit. Arnold DoRosario, MD, notes annual wellness visits and certain other routine visits can be completed by video through MyChart. Find additional information on how to prepare for an annual wellness visit via video.
Hospitals across Yale New Haven Health temporarily suspended all but emergent and urgent surgical procedures from March through May. Now, hospitals have put in place stringent infection prevention standards, consistent with those in place at all sites across Northeast Medical Group. Prior to surgery at any of our hospitals or hospital-owned ambulatory surgery centers, all patients are tested to rule out COVID-19. Physical distancing standards and very strict cleansing protocols are also in place at all sites. Northeast Medical Group surgeon Nabil Atweh, MD, reports that elective procedures are being performed to accommodate our patients who may have had to delay surgery. We have also reopened our surgery clinics to make sure we can provide appropriate follow-ups with our surgeons after procedures.
Screening colonoscopies are a very important preventive test in avoiding colon cancer, a common and serious cancer that rises in frequency in people over the age of 50. Northeast Medical Group gastroenterologist Greg Soloway, MD, highly encourages patients to resume screening tests that they may have postponed. All of our procedural areas are now open. We test all patients for COVID-19 prior to procedures to ensure the safety of all. As in our offices and in our hospital’s operative suites, all staff and clinicians use recommended Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and steps for careful cleansing and physical distancing are in place. Maintaining your heart health is more important than ever to protect you from becoming very sick, notes cardiologist Alon Ronen, MD. Blood pressure control and a healthy lifestyle play a key part in our protection, and patients that are currently being treated for heart and blood pressure issues should have their regular follow-up, making sure that blood work and medications are optimized. Many of our cardiac treatments can even be adjusted through a simple video visit.
While many pediatrics practices across Northeast Medical Group have remained open on a limited basis since March, they needed to significantly restrict their visits. Northeast Medical Group pediatrician Charles Esposito, MD, advises that it’s essential that kids come in for scheduled vaccinations, or we run the risk of decreased immunity to preventable diseases. It’s also important for kids with conditions such as asthma, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and depression, for example, to follow up regularly. He points out that there are some situations in which telemedicine continues to be a good choice, such as for medication checks. Like all specialties, pediatricians will continue to provide a mix of in-person care as well as care by video.
