Hey Innova friends! We still have COVID-19 tests pending in Madison Co and no truly confirmed positive cases yet. We’re just one week in to having the ability to test so that is not surprising. It’s 8:30 pm and I’m just wrapping up my day as are many of my team. Here’s a few things I want you to know:

1) Keep practicing social distancing. Just because we don’t have positives yet in our county, does not mean you can loosen up on this. Please. Stay. Home. If we all do this well over the next several weeks, it will make a difference in what our community endures and what our hospitals and healthcare team here can handle. This is very real, please do it.

2) To assist with social distancing, we are offering phone visits/telehealth in lieu of our well visits and sometimes to help triage the volume of sick visits we have. Many insurances are making exceptions right now to have this at least partially covered for you. My team will be calling you in advance of your appointment to offer you this option. If you would like to have a telehealth visit with our providers, you can send us a portal message or call to request that. Please keep in mind that if you cancel and want to reschedule when we are past the worst of COVID-19, we aren’t scheduling those appointments yet because we don’t know when that will be. I can guarantee we’ll have significant back log and a delay in availability of those appointments although we will do our best. If you don’t want to come into the office and can use a telehealth visit right now, do so. If we tell you you really should keep your appointment and come in, we really mean it.

2) We are doing our best to take care of all of you but we are busy! Our call volume and portal messages are higher than normal and our responses may be more delayed than normal. Please don’t continue to call or send the same portal message if you haven’t heard from us in our usual promptness. We are having to prioritize and we will get back with you!

3) COVID-19 testing supplies are limited everywhere in the state. There are many people working on solutions for this. We have access to tests at Innova and are using them. However, we are being wise about who we test and it simply cannot be everyone that wants a test. If we tell you that you do not need to be tested, it doesn’t mean we don’t care about knowing if you have COVID-19. It means we’re making tough decisions for all our patients to use our resources wisely based on recommendations from the CDC.

4) If you put on a face mask in the waiting room and are wondering if you can take it off once you get to your exam room, no you can’t.

5) This is stressful. Our guests and patients are stressed. My team is stressed. But, they are working hard to take care of you. I’ve had many messages from patients today just telling us they appreciate us and are praying for us. This is why I love Innova – best patients and team ever!