Revised 03/25/2020
Mercer Island Dermatology is closely monitoring and evaluating the ever-changing status of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic that is impacting both our local community and the world at large.
We want to assure all of our patients that we are committed to protecting the safety and well-being of all those who place their trust in us. During these challenging times we are adapting and adopting new measures to continue to help care for our patients and our community. Please stay safe and be well.
Washington State "Stay Home, Stay Healthy"
Governor Inslee issued an order requiring WA residents to "Stay Home, Stay Healthy" starting Wednesday, March 25, 2020. Under this order, healthcare facilities such as Mercer Island Dermatology are deemed “essential businesses”. Our office will remain open to serve patients with medical and surgical dermatology needs.
Senior Hours
We will begin offering Senior Hours for patients 60 years of age and older. Senior Hours will begin during the first hour of the regularly scheduled clinic open time to allow for senior patients to be seen at the beginning of the day when the office has been freshly sanitized.
Telehealth Visits
The diagnosis and treatment of many dermatologic conditions from acne and rashes to eczema, psoriasis and more can be accomplished through Telehealth visits on your home computer, laptop, iPad, or iPhone. We will be offering Telehealth visits starting Thursday 3/26/2020 via our electronic record system EMA by Modernizing Medicine. Call the Front Office Staff to create a Telehealth Appointment. An email will then be sent with Telehealth visit instructions, a hyperlink, practice EMA website, username, and password. On a home computer or laptop with video and audio capabilities, please use the most updated Chrome or Firefox to log onto the EMA Patient Portal. On an iPhone or iPad, log on and access using the Pocket Patient App found via the hyperlink. Please log in 5 minutes before the expected visit. Provider will initiate the Telehealth Visit during the allotted appointment time. Android phone functionality is expected in one week. Telehealth is a great alternative for patients with higher risk factors for COVID-19 (coronavirus) to access necessary care without coming into our office. We recommend patients contact their insurance to see if they have coverage for Telehealth. If for some reason the Telehealth visit is not covered, the typical fee is between $50 to $75.
Patient screening, check-in procedures and social distancing
When you make your appointment, we will ask you additional CDC recommended screening questions. Have you had recent travel to China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain or been in contact with someone with recent travel and is sick? Have you been in contact with someone known to have COVID-19 (coronavirus)? Do you have symptoms of Fever, Cough, Shortness of Breath, Runny Nose, Sore Throat, Body Aches? When you check in at our front desk, you will again be asked additional screening questions. You will have the option of waiting in your car and receiving a call when an exam room is ready for you. Throughout your visit, you will notice that we are practicing social distancing in our common areas. Please limit visit guests to one family member or friend. We are also removing shared items such as magazines in our waiting and exam rooms.
Keeping our clinic clean
Sanitizing our clinic is always top of mind for our staff. However, we are being extra sensitive during this time. We are wiping down surfaces more frequently and you will also notice many hand sanitizers and handwashing opportunities in common areas and treatment rooms. We are taking extra precautions behind the scenes too. Our staff has stocked up on extra cleaning supplies during supply shortages.
Staff safety measures
Patients should feel safe knowing that all staff members who are sick or have suspected COVID-19 (coronavirus) exposure are staying at home. Our staff has increased the use of gloves and protective gear. We also have suspended visits from all outside vendors and pharmaceutical representatives.
Re-scheduling for patients not feeling well
If you become sick or have had a fever, cough or shortness of breath within the past 14 days, we ask that you reschedule your appointment. You can reschedule an appointment anytime with the online Patient Portal or calling (206) 236-3030. We also may need to shift patients’ appointments for streamlining office flow. Thank you for understanding if we contact you to reschedule or move your appointment.
Ongoing awareness and health safety are core to our operation
Our mission is built around providing excellence in healthcare. As part of that, as members of the medical community, we stay informed of public health developments through updates from the World Health Organization, the CDC, King County Department of Health, and with regular briefings from members of the medical community at local hospitals such as Swedish, Overlake and Evergreen.
Thank you for your cooperation
We sincerely appreciate your cooperation in joining us to guard the health and safety of our patients and staff. We hope that you have extra confidence in Mercer Island Dermatology as we expand our Telehealth services and safety measures during this time. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask any of our providers or staff via our Patient Portal Link from our website www.miderm.com or calling 206-236-3030.
