Some Changes in Our Office due to the Coronavirus

As mental health professionals, we could not leave our patients behind and so we have decided to stay open and in full working order at our offices. Our office had to install procedures that would keep our staff and our patients safe as soon as late February.  Let us note that our staff and our doctors have always paid attention to procedures that would keep contamination from taking place at our office. Nevertheless, we have had to add some very important steps to our daily protocols in order to comply with state and city regulations and to make sure we add extra layers of protection in order to assure a safe and sanitary environment at our office.

Some of the new procedures are for our patients and some are for us. Here are some changes with some extra notes on what to expect if you are a patient at Neurosciences Medical Clinic here in Palmetto Bay during the pandemic:

1. All patients, staff and visitors MUST have their temperature taken upon arrival at our office. There are NO exceptions to this rule! We must make sure that none of our visitors have a high temperature. 
2. All visitors and patients MUST wear a mask or facial covering to their visit unless told to remove the mask by one of our doctors or staff due to a procedure. This will keep contamination to a minimum and will comply with Miami-Dade and the State of Florida regulations. 
3. Our staff will now wear extra facial covering including but not exclusive to masks, face shields, body gowns and glasses. This procedure will make sure our staff is protected and that they are not spreading the virus to our patients. We wash, disinfect and discard all used equipment after every patient interaction with our staff. 
4. Our staff has always been accustomed to washing their hands often due to being in the medical field, however, we MUST ask our patients to do the same. Please wash your hands before your visit, after your visit and when you get home to make sure your hands are clean and free from germs and contagious disease. In addition, we remind everyone to NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE throughout the day or during your visit.
5. Finally, our office has had to prescreen all patients the day before and at times on the day of their visit. If you are a patient with us you might receive a phone call or a text message asking you a few questions. If you are scheduled for a visit and experience symptoms like a cough, shortness of breath, a fever, lack of taste, lack of smell or sneezing with a sore throat, PLEASE call us first and ask us for advice before coming to our office. Our staff will be able to give you sound advice and tell you if you need to go to a hospital or if you need to see a doctor. 

These changes will be in place indefinitely at our office and might be tweaked but for the most part will remain in place at Neurosciences Medical Clinic. We ask that you log on to our social media pages and interact with us if you are home and have any questions. In addition, you can always call our office if you have any questions regarding medication or if you are experiencing mental health issues. With the right procedures in place and the help of our patients, our staff will continue to serve the Palmetto bay Community and continue to provide excellent care for our patients.