COVID-19 Update: March 22, 2020

Here at Spectrum we are committed to your health and wellbeing and rest assured, we intend to stay online during this coronavirus outbreak.  Yet we must balance our patients’ medical needs with our duty to prevent transmission within our office space.

Our first step in managing this risk was to shift toward telephone encounters.  This intervention has been extremely successful in achieving our goal and we appreciate your flexibility during that transition.  Moving forward, in response to the escalating pandemic, our doors will be closed and all appointments will now be conducted by telephone. This includes appointments booked online.  During this encounter, if your doctor or nurse feels that your medical concern requires a physical examination a plan will be established.

For non-urgent medical concerns, we ask that you delay contacting the clinic so that we may focus on those who are most in need of care.  Similarly, avoid going for non-critical bloodwork – including HIV viral loads for those who are HIV positive and on a stable medication regimen.  This will take pressure off of St. Paul’s hospital laboratory so they can prioritize COVID-19 testing.  In turn, St. Paul’s hospital pharmacy will refill your antiretroviral prescription or your PrEP prescription even without current bloodwork for now.  Given that our staff will be working remotely, all antiretrovirals must be picked up at St. Paul’s hospital.  Patients participating in clinical trials will be contacted with a plan for obtaining medication.

For up to date information on COVID-19, we trust http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19.  Here you will find current recommendations on social distancing, testing, and treatment guidelines.  If you have symptoms of COVID-19 such as cough, fever, or new shortness of breath contact us and we will provide telephone advice.  Alternatively, visit https://covid19.thrive.health  for self-assessment and guidance.

The team at Spectrum Health sincerely appreciates your understanding as we rapidly respond to COVID-19.  Our phone lines will remain open from 9-5, Monday to Friday with our on-call doctor available by phone after hours.  Stay tuned to our website (http://spectrum-health.net/) for information on video conferencing which we hope to have available shortly.  Though it may seem overwhelming right now, we will get through this together.  In the meantime, please seriously consider how you can limit the spread of this virus through strict social distancing, frequent handwashing, and supporting those who are sick and isolated.