Covid Policy

Managing Operations During Covid-19 Pandemic: 

William J Littman MD PC, during Covid-19 Pandemic, we strive to optimize use of Telehealth to provide optimal care to all patients for their safety and to lower the risks of exposure to Covid-19.

If you are asked to come in to the office for an appointment, you are to advise the scheduler or receptionist of any symptoms you may have, any exposure to someone who has tested positive for Covid-19 and you must wear a mask covering both your nose and mouth before entering the building.

According to the CDC, Telehealth services should be optimized, when available and appropriate. The federal government has made telehealth services easier to implement and access. CDC considers that telehealth could be used to deliver the following services:

• Screen patients who may have symptoms of COVID-19 and refer as appropriate.
• Provide urgent care for non-COVID-19 conditions, identify higher acuity care needs, and refer patients as appropriate.
• Access primary care providers and specialists, including mental and behavioral health care providers, for chronic health conditions and medication management.
• Monitor clinical signs of certain medical conditions remotely (like blood pressure and blood glucose levels).
• Engage in case management for patients who have difficulty accessing care, including those who live in rural settings, older adults, or those with limited mobility.
• Follow-up with patients after they are discharged from the hospital.
• Deliver advance care planning and counseling to patients and caregivers to document preferences if a life-threatening event or medical crisis occurs.
• Provide non-emergent care to residents in long-term care facilities.

• Provide education and training for HCP through peer-to-peer professional medical consultations (inpatient or outpatient) that is not locally available, particularly in rural areas.
• Tips for using telehealth services to screen and care for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19
• Instruct patients who think they may have COVID-19 to use available advice lines, patient portals, or on-line self-assessment tools or to call and speak to an office/clinic staff rather than coming in person.
• Identify staff to conduct telephone triage for patients quickly.
• Determine algorithms to identify which patients can be managed by telephone and advised to stay home, and which patients will need to be sent for emergency care, come for in-person visits, or follow up with a lab for COVID-19 diagnostic testing (or other testing services).
• Instruct patients with symptoms of COVID-19 to call before they leave home so staff can be prepared to care for them when they arrive.
• Manage mildly ill patients at home
• When possible, manage mildly ill patients with COVID-19 at home.
• Assess the patient’s ability to safely self-isolate and monitor their symptoms at home and assess the risk of the virus spreading to others in the patient’s home environment.
• Provide clear instructions to caregivers and people who are sick regarding home care, including when and how to access the healthcare system for in-person care or urgent/emergent conditions.
• Identify staff to monitor patients at home with daily check-ins using telephone calls, texts, patient portals, or other means, if possible.