HEALTH
Port St. Lucie Magazine 15
Port St. Lucie Medical Report
started scheduling office appointments again.
“Masks are required for both patients and staff. Patients are
prescreened for symptoms associated with COVID by phone
the day before their appointment and again before entering
the building on the day of their appointment,” Porth said.
“Patients’ temperatures are also taken at the front desk before
being seen. Finally, proper hand washing and sanitizing practices
are carried out along with frequent sanitization of office
equipment throughout the day.”
SAFETY FIRST
Porth, like most medical practitioners, realizes that these
new safety protocols are the standard of care. Practices
throughout the county are finding their own way to carry
out appointments during the pandemic, but general safety
precautions are fairly similar across the board.
“During the month of lockdown, I did not offer telehealth
appointments,” Dr. Shamsher Singh said. “We did not see
patients. Many of which are considered at risk.”
Presently, Singh who is a dermatologist, advises his more
elderly, at-risk patients to stay home unless it is an absolute
emergency. These types of precautions have been observed
in most all medical facilities and are helping to keep patients
from contracting or spreading the virus to others.
“We have masks, hand sanitizers and infrared thermometers.
A glass partition was installed at the check-in window,”
Singh said. “All chairs, door handles are wiped with Lysol
wipes twice a day.”
Because many people are erring more on the side of caution,
medical facilities are noticing a decrease in appointments
made. >>
ANTHONY INSWASTY
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lindsey Porth, a nurse practitioner specializing
in rheumatology, was able to treat all of her patients at her office
in St. Lucie West. THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
WHEN MASKS GENERALLY WERE NOT IN USE.
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