March 16 COVID-19 Message

COVID-19 Message to Patients and our Hawthorn Community

March 16th, 2020

In response to the intense and continually changing situation around the current COVID19 pandemic, we will be making some necessary changes to the way our office runs. This is to continue to serve our patients in this time of need while keeping everyone safe and doing our best to prevent the spread of the virus.

Please be aware that we may have reduced hours for our staff at this time and the best means of communication with the doctors will be through the hawthorn app and our online patient portal. If you need information on setting that up, see the information at the end of this document.

If you have symptoms or think you may have been exposed, visit the CDC website here

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html

OFFICE VISITS & CONSULT OPTIONS:

At this time we will be offering the option of telemedicine consults in the place of your office visits. We highly encourage you to utilize this option. We hope the insurance companies will meet the needs of its members and cover these consults but until we know more details, we will be collecting a $50 deposit and billing the visit to your insurance. If your insurance covers the visit, $50 will be applied to your account as a credit to be used on future visits, towards your balance, for supplements, copays etc.

We will also be offering e-message consults to patients. These are to be done directly through the patient portal (not private emails). These are not covered by insurance. The pricing for these consults will vary according to the nature of the message and complexity of the issue discussed. More details on this will be outlined in the fee schedule at the end of this document.

If you are out of work due to the current situation and in need of financial assistance or special accommodations, see the attached form with more information about how we can still provide care.

For hands on therapies like acupuncture and physical medicine we will remain open for now but encourage you to stay home if you have any symptoms or have come in contact with someone who has. This is not to spread fear, but to lower the rate of transmission. Being a clinic with sick patients coming in everyday, we always adhere to high medical standards of cleanliness, but advanced protocols are also now in place: minimizing visits per hour and points of contact (checking out online, ordering supplement refills in advance, not sharing pens, no toys or books in the waiting room etc). Patients with acute illnesses of any nature, will be seen only during specific office hours that are closed to the general public.

ORDERING SUPPLEMENTS AND APOTHECARY ITEM REFILLS

Our apothecary will stay open for medicine pick up, making tinctures, teas, remedies etc but we ask you to order in advance for these items. The BEST way to do this is to enable your patient portal.

Then send your doctor a message with the supplement or item you would like to refill. Once the doctor sees the request, an invoice will be created and sent to you. You will receive an email notification and the invoice will show up in your patient portal under the billing tab. You can then very easily pay the invoice online. The doctor will then make it and send you a message stating it is ready for pick up.

PHONE ORDERS and paying via credit card BEFORE you come in to pick it up is also an option.

We are asking for no walk-in supplement pick ups at this time. This is to ensure less office traffic, shorter duration of time in the office if you do come in and that we have the staff available to meet your needs. We do have shipping options as well.

POSTPONED EVENTS At this time we will be postponing and rescheduling:

→ Spring Cleanse until late April or early May.

→ Community Acupuncture scheduled for March 28th will be cancelled.

→ New Moon Yoga Nidra Shared Space Acupuncture will be rescheduled.

ONLINE VIDEOS

We will be posting facebook videos and support for immune support, prevention and anxiety management tools you can utilize in your home and with your families. These will be donation based, we will release more details on this via our facebook page.

A note on using Natural therapies for the treatment or prevention of COVID 19:

Due to the acute nature of the spread of this illness, there are no naturopathic or alternative FDA or CDC approved therapies. If you are sick, you must seek medical care as described in the CDC link above. Our natural medicines are not ever intended to be interpreted as a singular cure or your only preventative strategy for this virus. We utilize natural medicines that generally support you as an individual, promote healthy immune function or have classically been used to prevent illnesses of this nature (including those that are known to target enveloped viruses). However; social distancing, hand washing and being vigilant about symptoms are the number one way to help reduce the spread and severe nature of this virus.

We thank you for your patience and understanding while we transition to these changes and those to come in the next few weeks as the situation develops. We are privileged to be a part of your support team in times of need like this and are working hard to do what we can to help support you, your families and the community as whole.

We understand how scary this may feel for some. Know that it affects everyone- as individuals, families, businesses, community and humanity as a whole. It is a call to slow down, reflect on what we value as health, prioritize and lean into your community and bonds, even if you can not physically be in the same room. Do art, do home projects you have been procrastinating, read something totally for fun, take care of your body, rest, engage in deep conversations, cook real food as medicine for you and your families etc. LAUGH. Stress stunts your immune system so even if you are scared, do not dwell or live in these emotions. Turn the TV off. Do a puzzle. Stay away from crowds but still get outside- sunlight and fresh air are good for your mental health, physical body and just so happens to help kill viruses.

Remember to support the community’s small businesses in ways you can and focus on the good in the world. As the situation continues to develop, we will update and respond to the challenges that arise the best we can. Refer to our old newsletters for starting tips on immune and antiviral support, foods and healthy lifestyle tips. Keep an eye on our social media feeds for more information, constructive action steps and at home tools for supporting yourself, boosting vitality and managing anxiety. (past newsletters available on our website here: https://hawthornholistichealth.com/hawthorn-herald )

Additional Pertinent Information

ONLINE PORTAL & APP SET UP

At the time of your first visit, you were sent an email to set up your patient portal. You can look through your old emails for this or contact our office and we will resend one.

https://phr.charmtracker.com/

Our HAWTHORN APP is live on both itunes and android and can be downloaded for free in your app store.

E-message Consult Fee Schedule

Prices vary based on the complexity of case and the doctor’s time spent to develop a plan and answer.

PROBLEM FOCUSED:

Simple messages, one question.

$20

DETAILED:

Moderately Complex: Messages in place of a simple follow up visit, checking in on existing conditions and treatment plans.

$45

COMPLEX:

Comprehensive messages that include review and explanation of bloodwork, imaging or alternative testing and specialty labs. New treatment plan, medicines and naturopathic counseling strategies.

$70

[for existing patient only ]

TeleMedicine

These visits will be conducted online via our HIPAA safe medical software utilizing ZOOM. You will get an email with a link that will prompt you through joining the meeting. You can start this process 30 min before the scheduled time to get set up properly.

It can be done on your computer or through the ZOOM app on your phone. Headphones with a microphone are recommended for the best sound. Create your account (using the email you have given us as your contact email) before your appointment for a seamless start. This will be a video chat where we can speak face to face and display labs as we discuss them.

Hawthorn Holistic Health Acute Circumstances Financial Need Agreement

If you are in need of financial assistance in response to the COVID19 employment changes, please fill out the following and send it in to our office.

I testify that I am in need of financial assistance due to the changes in my employment status or my children’s schooling in response to the COVID19 pandemic.

Select your payment option: I agree to