A message for our SHHA Community
January 03, 2022
To our South Huron Hospital Association Community:
2021 has come to an end, but unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has
not. Specifically, the Omicron variant is impacting our families,
schools, work and the way healthcare is delivered.
At the Family Practice Clinic and Walk-in Clinic, we are asking for your
assistance to help us deliver the best and safest care possible - either in
person or virtually.
We understand that many in-person visits to a doctor have been put off for the
past two years. At the South Huron Medical Centre, we have continued to
see patients in person throughout the pandemic. We know that you prefer to
see your doctor in person rather than on the telephone. At this
time, we have implemented a policy that permits in person visits for all
patients who are double vaccinated, do not have any covid-19 symptoms, and are
not awaiting results of a COVID-19 PCR test or have not been told by a doctor,
health unit or border services agent to isolate. If you do not meet all
of these criteria, a virtual appointment will be arranged.
When you come to the Medical Centre, you will be asked to provide your proof of
double vaccination, wear a surgical mask, and pass the screening
questions. As patients, we are used to providing our proof of vaccination
as we are often required to do so in other places. If a patient does not
have proof of vaccination, you will be offered a virtual visit first. In
this way, you will still receive the healthcare you require. When the
doctor assesses you on the phone, s/he will know if you need to continue to be
seen in person or not. To clarify, you may still end up seeing the physician
in person but this decision will be based on an initial virtual
visit.
Please note that this policy is
NOT permanent and will be relaxed once the level of COVID-19 in our community
reaches a point that it does not threaten the capacity of our emergency
department and hospital ward.
Please also remember, the screeners and registration staff are here to help you
and want to make sure you have access to the care you need in the most
efficient way possible under these difficult circumstances. They will
work with you in a professional manner to get the answers to your questions and
the best advice for the care you need.
With this in mind, we wish you the best for the New Year and thank you for
helping us navigate the ever-changing conditions of Covid-19 to provide you
with safe access to healthcare.