CNS Services during the Pandemic

As the novel coronavirus and its related illness, COVID-19, have spread across the United States and around the world, a variety of steps have been taken to minimize transmission of the infection. Within the healthcare system, the most significant of those steps have been interruption of certain types of in-office services and, in some cases, use of videoconference and/or telephone technology to provide care from a distance (“telehealth services”). However, as time has passed and people have experienced COVID-19-related disruptions in their daily lives, there have understandably been calls to restart activities that are important for the physical, mental, and economic wellbeing of individuals and society.

After careful and ongoing consideration of the needs of our patients, our responsibilities to our local, state, and national communities, and available options to protect those we serve and our team, CNS has chosen to restart in-office appointments and to use Zoom for Healthcare for HIPAA-compliant telehealth calls. Our doctors and staff will discuss these changes and their possible effects throughout the service process, and patients are invited to call us with questions at any time.

Briefly, those who want to be seen at our offices will be screened for higher-risk health problems, and patients who are appropriate for in-person visits will be asked about current illness symptoms two days before and at the start of each appointment. After arriving at the office, patients will be guided by their doctors to the consultation room, where face masks, distance and/or physical barriers, exhaust fans, and hand sanitizer will be used to minimize possible exposure to coronavirus or other infections. Some in-office services may involve use of videoconference equipment in nearby rooms to further reduce face-to-face contact. After the appointment, furniture, surfaces, and supplies will be thoroughly cleaned/disinfected and left undisturbed for the expected period of virus survival. Finally, our waiting room will be closed and other people (family, friends, etc.) will be asked to stay in their cars or in the area.

Because CNS relies on cell phone and Email communication for scheduling and appointment confirmation, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you follow the following procedures:

1. Give us an accurate phone number and/or Email address and check regularly for messages, especially as each appointment is coming up.
2. Set your phone to accept caller ID-blocked calls when each appointment is coming up. Our staff often makes confirmation calls from blocked numbers, and answers to those calls are necessary to keep scheduled appointments.
3. Be sure that your phone can accept new voice mails. If a confirmation call is not answered, we will try to leave a voice mail message. Answering that message is necessary to keep scheduled appointments.
4. Answer CNS messages as soon as possible.