COVID-19 Policies
Our Patient Safety Practices
Patient safety is one of our utmost priorities at AHS. Our staff has exercised diligent efforts to maximize safety measures for both patients and medical staff members since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. Many precautions have been taken to ensure patient and employee confidence upon entering our offices. Please be aware that the highest safety standards that are mandated by the Florida Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) have been implemented to the best of our ability.
All of our medical and office staff are fully vaccinated.
Remote Check-In: Patients, if they choose, may remotely check-in for all scheduled appointments outside of our offices for their convenience. Our Patient Portal messaging allows for the completion of paperwork prior to arrival, expedited service, and minimized wait time in our lobby.
OSHA Standards: Our office locations are consistently kept clean. We’ve taken extra measures to disinfect our office space with the latest in innovative technologies such as HEPA filters in our air handlers and cooling coils, in addition to our routine disinfecting in every examination room, and highly-touched surfaces, before and after every use. Throughout the day, we utilize EPA-approved disinfectants that are considered effective against coronavirus . Additionally, we have allocated additional time in between each exam to maximize social distancing and cleansing precautionary efforts.
Knowledgeable Staff: Our medical staff has been properly trained on infection prevention protocols which include comprehensive patient screening and the utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE) upon providing patient care. We are following CDC guidelines and precautions daily. Virtual visits are an option for our patients, when appropriate. We continue to recommend that anyone who believes they were exposed to the virus or have any known symptoms should be tested prior to any appointment with AHS. Symptoms may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms may include, but are not limited to: fever or chills; cough; shortness of breath; fatigue; muscle or body aches; headache; new loss of taste or smell; sore throat; congestion or runny nose; nausea or vomiting; or diarrhea. Again, of you have any such symptoms, please get tested for the virus before coming to any appointment with AHS. All staff members are monitored for signs and symptoms of coronavirus infection. If any staff member experiences symptoms, they are mandated to stay home and to get tested before returning for work. Any staff members who acquire the virus are appropriately quarantined per CDC guidelines before returning to work.
Continuous Monitoring: Our healthcare team meets multiple times per week to ensure safety protocols and satisfy all current local and national guidelines. We understand that guidelines are always changing, therefore we pride ourselves on keeping up to date with current changes issued by health and government officials.
Virtual Visits: Telehealth is available to all patients who prefer to remain at home to minimize the risk of viral transmission exposure. We strongly encourage patients to use this tool for both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cases for their convenience. A Telehealth/Virtual visit will not replace the need for an in-person visit with our providers for physical exam prior to making any arrangements for surgery.
We Kindly Request:
Face Masks
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For those patients at high risk, we request them to please wear an appropriate face mask to protect themselves and others. Examples include: surgical mask or cloth mask (please no bandannas, scarfs, neck gaiters, or clothing). If needed, an appropriate face covering will be provided as our supply allows. Face masks should cover both nose and mouth.
Social Distancing
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To keep all patients and our staff safe, we have taken steps for social distancing by spacing our waiting room chairs at least 6 feet apart from one another to maintain a safe distance from others. Please minimize overcrowding, if you have multiple people accompanying you, we may ask that some of them wait in the car or outside of our waiting area.
Please Sanitize
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practice the appropriate hand-washing techniques and use sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol, directly before and immediately after your appointment. For your safety and convenience, our office locations are equipped with appropriate hand sanitizing materials to minimize contamination and viral transmission.
