It’s Time to Get Back to the Doctor
Among the endless things different about 2020, there has been a massive decrease in the number of non-urgent health care services. The biggest reductions have been physicians’ office visits, preventive care, dental care, non-urgent procedures and cardiac care.*
Now that we are more than seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s time to talk to your providers about getting back to your regular care schedule. Wellness visits, vaccinations, age-appropriate screenings, dental cleanings and basic health maintenance, can all be done with relatively low risk. In fact, the risk of putting it off may be much greater than the risk of going.
Health care providers are taking a number of precautions to help keep you safe while you receive routine care, including:
- Offering telemedicine services, when appropriate
- Screening patients for fever, COVID-exposure history, and other signs of infection
- Checking visitors in from the car and having forms completed online before arriving to minimize waiting room exposure
- Mask and social distancing requirements for patients
- Mask, gloves, and other appropriate personal protective equipment requirements for health care providers
- Diligent cleaning/sanitization procedures
You can take care of yourself without jeopardizing your safety—so don’t delay. Encourage children and elders to do the same. And don’t forget to get your flu shot!
* Based on data from Willis Towers Watson
