Important Updates
We Are a COVID-19 Safe Environment
May 22, 2020
Now that elective surgeries have resumed, Dr. Andrew Caputo shares how Orthopedic Associates is a COVID-19 safe environment. This includes mandatory COVID-19 testing prior to surgery. Watch the video below to learn more.
Elective Surgery Has Resumed
May 20, 2020
Dr. Pietro Memmo discusses how Orthopedic Associates of Hartford is back up and running. He shares that all offices are open, urgent care is available 7 days a week, and Telemedicine visits are still available. Most importantly, he discusses how elective surgeries are once again underway and the many protocols to keep our patients safe.
What to Do If Your Orthopedic Surgery Is Postponed
The COVID-19 pandemic has required that the country take protective measures to prevent the spread of the disease by canceling surgeries that are not urgent or life-threatening. Many orthopedic procedures fall into this category.
Click below to read a helpful article provided by OrthoInfo.Org and the Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. It discusses several common orthopedic problems, along with some frequently recommended nonsurgical treatments. If you are already doing some of these treatments, you can continue on with them until your surgery is rescheduled.
We Are Here for You!
Our team is ready to provide you with orthopedic care in the safest possible manner.
In-Person Visits
We are taking every precaution to keep you safe including pre-screenings and safety measures at arrival. In-office visits are reserved for people who need to be seen for acute issues or require immediate care. When you call our office, we can guide you on whether an office visit is the best plan. Our office hours are now 9am-3pm.
If you have an injury that needs attention and can’t wait, our walk-in urgent care is open in Farmington and Glastonbury from 4:30pm-8pm on weekdays and from 9am-1pm on weekends.
Visits by Video Conference
We now offer video conferencing where you can speak to your surgeon face-to-face, describe your symptoms, and ask questions. In some cases, this may allow you to show a picture or live-stream of a problem—such as a swollen joint or a wound. We can adjust medication, provide recommendations for home exercises, and determine if you need to be seen.
Often, a video conference call may be enough to help you get by for an orthopedic problem until you can see us in the office or reschedule your surgery. Most insurance is now covering telemedicine visits.
To schedule a visit, call your provider’s office, request a visit on oahct.com, or call the main Orthopedic Associates number: (860) 549-3210.
Statement from the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association regarding Elective Surgery and COVID-19
With the growing concern that hospitals may be overwhelmed by a surging number of patients with COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that some inpatient surgeries be shifted to outpatient settings, when feasible. However, there has been conflicting guidance about elective surgeries that indicates additional guidance is warranted.
The Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) has consulted with clinical experts in our community and the consensus position is that ASCs can continue to provide safe surgical care for patients whose condition cannot wait until hospitals return to normal operations. As a critical component of the healthcare system, we are keenly aware of how our actions can materially impact the health of the communities that we serve and recommend the following guidelines for the continuation of urgent/needed care in our ASCs:
- Keeping facilities open for elective urgent surgeries
- Assessing and optimizing patients’ medical and social risk factors for planned surgeries, and postponing cases where indicated, including:
- reassessing and reprioritizing all currently scheduled cases and postponing based on the current and projected COVID-19 cases in the facility and the surrounding area and when doing so will not result in significant medical deterioration or materially impact the patient’s prognosis, morbidity or treatment plan
- Acknowledging that every patient encounter is unique and postponement decisions must represent a joint decision between the treating clinician and the patient
- Implementing rigorous screening for patients and visitors prior to entering the facility
- Maintaining a safe environment for patients, employees, and visitors, including adherence to social distancing recommendations
- Implementing enhanced cleaning as directed by CDC guidelines
- Working within the capacity of the supply chain to ensure that hospitals have priority for necessary equipment/supplies
- Collaborating with hospitals and health systems to coordinate care based on each community’s individual needs
ASCs can serve as alternative settings that provide surgical care for those patients who would suffer from a delay, while allowing our local hospital partners to create the incremental capacity needed during these dynamic times. As the pandemic progresses, we will continue to assess our approach, in coordination with experts throughout the healthcare system, to best serve the needs of patients and communities.
The ASC community stands ready to work with federal officials, state and local governments, and all our colleagues in the healthcare system to provide needed care during these challenging times.
Symptoms of COVID-19
