Take Stock of What Non Urgent Services You’re Prepared to Offer—and Let the Community Know

As we’ve told you, many patients concerned about exposing themselves to others who may have contracted COVID-19 have steered clear of healthcare facilities for acute but minor complaints, and certainly for preventive health visits. At some point that practice will exact a toll on our collective health, however. An urgent care provider at Upper Valley Urgent Care in El Paso, TX told television station KFOX-14 exactly that recently, at the same time sharing a valuable lesson with the public and promoting Upper Valley as a location where the clinical team is looking at the big picture. Physician assistant David Tiller was quoted in a news report noting that “waiting weeks or months” for health screenings or to follow up on chronic conditions like diabetes is dangerous. At the same time, of course, he noted that Upper Valley is likely to be able to see patients with those needs more quickly than primary care physicians or specialists who are just now starting to address backlogs in patient demand. What not-so-urgent concerns are you able to address? Make sure you let patients know on your website and social media platforms.