Collegiate Orthopaedics Coronavirus Protocols
Dear Patient:
Collegiate Orthopaedics is committed to ensuring the safety and health of our patients, families, employees, and visitors during the novel Coronavirus outbreak. Collegiate Orthopaedics will continue to follow and update these recommendations in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the New Jersey state mandated orders. We appreciate your cooperation as we continuously strive to provide the best orthopaedic care for you and your families. As a result, we will be implementing some new office polices effective immediately
All patients coming to our offices should self-screen at home prior to arriving. Any patient with the following symptoms will not be seen in our office:
New cough
Loss of taste or smell
muscle or body aches
New shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Within the past 14 days, you have been in close physical contact (6 feet or closer for a cumulative time of 15 minutes) with: Anyone who is known to have laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 or anyone who has symptoms consistent with COVID-19
You are currently isolating or quarantining because you may have been exposed to person with COVID-19
You are currently waiting on the results of a COVID-19 test
Fever or chills
Sore throat
All patients will be verbally screened for symptoms by a scheduler when calling to make an appointment.
We will be altering our schedules so that we spread out visits at certain times of the day to reduce the risk of exposure of illnesses.
All patients will be verbally screened upon arrival to our offices. If considered high risk, the patient will be will not be seen and rescheduled for a future appointment.
Patients are asked to limit to bringing only one companion with them, and if possible, should arrive alone.
For Patients Aged 80 or Older:
We believe it is safest for you to limit your time outside of your home and recommend that you limit your time outside the home & see about the possibility of getting vaccinated as soon as it is available to you. Where possible, please rely on healthy family and friends to help with shopping and to ensure you have adequate supplies of your medicines, prescriptions and otherwise.
For Patients Aged 60 or Older with Serious Underlying Illnesses:
If you are 60 or older and have serious underlying illnesses like COPD, diabetes and others, we also recommend that you limit your time outside the home & see about the possibility of getting vaccinated as soon as it is available to you.
For Healthy Patients Aged 60 or younger:
We will continue to offer office visits and certain elective procedures. If you have any cold or flu-like symptoms, you should contact your doctor’s office and call
We encourage all patients and visitors to take these everyday preventive actions:
Wear a mask at all times when not inside your home or when around people outside of your immediate family
Practice “social distancing” of six (6’) feet from others,
Avoid contact with those who are sick
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
Stay home when you are sick
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using cleaning sprays or wipes
Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer
Frequently wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
For more information, visit these resources:
United States Centers For Disease Control
Sincerely,
Dr. Robin Gehrmann
Collegiate Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine