Cary Healthcare Associates COVID-19 Protocol

To our patients and families,

As the news regarding the spread of COVID-19 continues to evolve, we want to make you and your families informed of the diligent steps we are taking to ensure the safety or our patients, staff, and community. We have been adapting as new information becomes available in order to continue to provide safe and effective care.

While we routinely practice infection control measures to minimize the variety of infections that can be transmitted during this season, we are taking extra precautions to prevent the transmission of coronavirus. We can assure you that we will continue to follow the CDC recommendations for the assessment, evaluation, and management of our patients. As your primary care provider, we will work to make sure that we stay on the front lines of your medical care and that you will receive the same excellent healthcare that you are accustomed to. To maintain this, we ask that you follow these instructions and if necessary, work with us to safely evaluate your potential risk and need for evaluation and management.

The CDC continues to recommended you practice frequent hand washing and avoidance of touching your eyes, nose, and mouth as much as possible. If you have mild to moderate respiratory symptoms, the CDC recommends that you stay home and practice "distancing" yourself from others, especially those at higher risk.

If you have concerns about infection, please call us. Our staff is trained to assess your symptoms and will work with our providers to determine the need for you to come in to be evaluated. Starting Monday March 16, we will be implementing a "drive through" sick clinic for those deemed to warrant further evaluation and testing. This will minimize patients' and staff's risk of exposure to a variety of infections while conveniently allowing those who are not well to seek treatment.

While we will continue to work with this protocol as our staff and schedules allow, we want you to know that we will only be able to test or recommend testing for those who are deemed at risk of coronavirus including:

1. Fever, cough, and trouble breathing in someone who has had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient within 14 days of symptom onset. Close contact is defined as exposure that lasted more than 10 minutes and within 6 feet of contact; or 2. Fever and signs of respiratory illness in patients who we have tested negative for influenza. We will not provide testing to asymptomatic persons per CDC recommendations.

We understand that many of you may have questions and concerns. More information can be obtained at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. North Carolina also has a COVID-19 helpline at 1-866-462-3821.

Please know that in addition to these COVID-19 protocols, we are continuing to see our patients as scheduled. However, because of COVID-19, we are receiving a high volume of calls and messages. We are responding to portal messages and requests as quickly as we can. We thank you for your patience and kindness during this time. If you have emergent needs or questions, please call our office directly at 919-233-6000.

Sincerely,

Cary Healthcare Associates

Thank you,

Tammy Smith
Manager
Cary Healthcare Associates