As you are aware, the cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Mississippi continue to climb. We have some community spread in the metro area and we want to keep you up to date on our procedures in place to take care of our patients and families. We also hope to continue giving frequent updates on social media and by email to stay in touch in this constantly-evolving situation.
First and foremost, we want to do everything we can to take care of our patients. This means continuing routine wellness visits requiring immunizations and physically separating our wellness and sick visits. We (along with the American Academy of Pediatrics, CDC and MS Department of Health) encourage keeping scheduled wellness visits requiring vaccinations during this time. We are moving our wellness visits to the mornings and reserving our afternoons for sick patients, especially those with fever and respiratory symptoms. We are also following guidelines regarding cleaning exam rooms to make sure that we disinfect surfaces between visits. In an effort to minimize contact with other patients, we are effectively shutting down our waiting rooms. When you arrive for your appointment, you will remain in your car and call a check in number provided by your nurse. A medical assistant will retrieve you from your vehicle, escort you inside to get vitals and take you immediately to an exam room.
Following the recommendations of medical authorities, we are being creative in how we can best serve patients with minor illnesses. We have established a telehealth service that provides a secure audio/video connection by which we can “visit” remotely if appropriate. The CMG nurses are doing a great job giving instructions of how this platform works for families and can discuss the details when you call for a sick appointment. The doctor is able to have audio and visual connection with you and your child, prescribe medications if needed and develop a plan of care. This type of visit is not for everyone, but our nurses can determine by phone whether an in-office or telehealth visit is best when you call with a concern about your child.
We continue to remain open every day (seven days a week) to serve our patients. Our weekday After-Hours Clinic is available from 5:00-6:30 PM via telehealth only and this can be set up by calling our main clinic number (601-362-8776) during those times. The Weekend After-Hours Clinic continues to operate on its normal schedule, with phones opening at 8 AM Saturdays and Sundays and offers the option of telehealth visits as well. As always, a nurse triage line is available at all times when the clinic is closed.
We appreciate all of our patients and families and we are thankful for the opportunity to serve you during this extraordinary time.
-The Physicians of Children’s Medical Group
