COVID-19 Update

update: june 19, 2020 3:00 pm

In an effort to meet the orthopedic needs in our community, OrthoCarolina began increasing access to our clinics on Monday, May 4, 2020. As an essential business, the decision to increase access to care is based on careful consideration and understanding of the needs of the orthopedic and physical therapy patients in the communities we serve. We understand that orthopedic conditions are not put on hold during a pandemic, and we appreciate your patience as we navigate solutions to provide the same world-class care you’ve come to know in the safest way possible.

As we begin to welcome more patients back into our clinics, safety remains our top priority. As you prepare for your upcoming appointment, know that OrthoCarolina continues to implement rigorous disinfecting measures between visits in all of our clinics. We have taken the necessary steps to ensure compliance with social distancing recommendations throughout each patient visit. Although your appointment may look different, you can rest easy knowing you are still receiving the same, unmatched orthopedic and physical therapy care.

To provide the safest environment for our patients and providers, we have implemented the following measures:

• Both providers and patients are required to wear a mask or face covering over their nose and mouth prior to entering an OrthoCarolina facility
• Additional screening questions when scheduling
• Screening checkpoints and temperature checks for patients, caregivers, and staff before entering the clinic
• Limited to only one (1) essential caretaker per patient (parent of a minor OR those requiring mental or physical assistance), a mask is required.
• Reducing the volume of patients seen at each clinic
• Reconfiguring waiting rooms and check-in/out areas to comply with social-distancing guidelines
• Providing Telemedicine and Virtual urgent care (weekend only) video visits for patients
  

We commit to improving the lives of all we serve, by providing premier patient care and compassionate, personalized service, and we look forward to increasing our ability to continue to serve the Carolinas in the coming weeks.

update: april 20, 2020 at 7:30 AM

OrthoCarolina will begin Limited Access operations on Monday, April 20, 2020.  We appreciate your patience as we prepare our clinics for this transition. Limited Access operations allow appointments for non-urgent cases for patients at low risk for COVID-19.  OrthoCarolina will also continue to see urgent cases. To provide the safest environment for our patients and providers, we have implemented the following measures: 

• Additional screening questions when scheduling 
• Screening checkpoints and temperature checks for patients and staff before entering the clinic 
• Limiting visitors to only one (1) essential caretaker per patient 
• Reducing the volume of patients seen at each clinic 
• Reconfiguring waiting rooms and check-in/out areas to comply with social-distancing guidelines 
• Providing Telemedicine video visits for patients
• Providing Virtual urgent care (weekend only) video visits for patients
  

The health and safety of our patients and staff is our top priority. As we navigate this crisis together, we are working diligently to care for our patients while protecting each other to the best of our abilities. We are closely monitoring this situation and will continue to update you as changes develop. 

UPDATE: MARCH 31, 2020 AT 9:05 AM 

OrthoCarolina was informed this morning that a doctor at the Foot and Ankle Institute at 2001 Vail Ave., in Charlotte, NC has tested positive for COVID- 19. The provider was last in the office 10 days prior to the positive test. We are still open and we are seeing patients. We are following all the CDC recommended precautions and we are screening both staff and patients. The provider is doing well now.

UPDATE: MARCH 25, 2020 AT 1:46 PM

OrthoCarolina is now offering Telemedicine (video visits) to our patients. Telemedicine allows our healthcare providers an additional way to evaluate, diagnose and develop treatment plans with a patient using technology, such as video chat and smartphones, without the need for an in-person visit. Telemedicine video visits allow our team to interview and complete a limited exam to increase accessible care options for our patients and to provide an innovative and convenient way for patients to interact with a physician or physical therapist.

Call your local office directly to schedule a video visit with your provider or physical therapist. Read more about how Telemedicine works.

update: March 25, 2020 at 8:31 AM

Mecklenburg County has issued a stay-at-home order, effective 8 a.m. Thursday, March 26^th through April 16^th. As an essential business, OrthoCarolina will remain open throughout this time, and patients are still permitted to travel to  and from their appointments.

Update: march 19, 2020 at 1:15 pm

Due to the current pandemic, OrthoCarolina has made the difficult decision to move to critical access care and will re-evaluate this decision every two weeks. At this time we are scheduling all non-urgent appointments on April 1, 2020 or after. 

Rescheduling these appointments will minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 among patients, visitors and healthcare providers. It also allows us to conserve critical resources and create capacity for those in urgent need. 

If you are a patient who feels you have an urgent need, we will forward along your request to the care team to assess ​and will follow-up with you in a timely manner.

If you have questions about your upcoming appointment, please contact your local office directly. 

Update: March 18, 2020 at 2:15 pm

In an effort to comply with social distancing recommendations, all OrthoCarolina Urgent Care locations will be closed indefinitely effective as of Wednesday, March 18, 2020. If you have a medical emergency, please dial 911. 

We recognize the significant impact of this decision and appreciate your understanding as we support efforts to minimize contact among individuals.

Update: March 17, 2020 at 10:55 AM

OrthoCarolina was informed Tuesday, March 17, 2020 that one of our physicians tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19. The physician, who is a fellow at OrthoCarolina’s Hip & Knee Center in Mercy Hospital at 2001 Vail Ave., in Charlotte, NC, is recovering at home in quarantine.

At OrthoCarolina, the safety and wellbeing of our patients, team members and the communities we serve is paramount. In response to our providers’ confirmed exposure to the COVID-19 virus, we have proceeded with the utmost caution. All employees who have been in close proximity to this physician are quarantining at home in accordance with public health recommendations while the clinic is sanitized and disinfected.

As of this time, OrthoCarolina’s Hip & Knee Center is closed until further notice. 

We are committed to delivering the highest quality of care and are continuing to monitor this situation. 

As we learn more over time, we will update orthocarolina.com/coronavirus with the most up-to-date information. For any media inquiries, please contact Blair Primis, Sr. Vice President of Marketing & Talent Management for OrthoCarolina at blair.primis@orthocarolina.com.

The health and safety of the communities we serve are of the utmost importance to OrthoCarolina.

OrthoCarolina leadership and the Emergency Operations Team are staying apprised of recommendations from international, federal and local agencies regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19), and we will keep this webpage updated with information as it pertains to our patients, visitors, and team members.

At OrthoCarolina, there is no higher priority than ensuring our patients’ safety and peace of mind. With all of the news alerts about the coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to assure you that OrthoCarolina is closely monitoring the situation and has put procedures in place that follow the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines to ensure the safety of our patients, staff and providers. 

To ensure that we can continue to provide top-level care to patients, we have implemented the following: 

• We are urging patients to follow CDC guidelines and to self-quarantine if they’ve traveled to a high-risk country or New York City in the last 14 days. If patients have traveled to one of the high-risk countries or New York City in the last 14 days or are in close contact with someone who has and they’re experiencing a fever, sore throat and/or cough, we are rescheduling their appointment. Patients who meet the above CDC guidelines and are in the post-operative period will be contacted by a member of their provider’s team to determine the best course of action such as phone consultation or virtual visit.
• Additionally, if a patient presents at a site with COVID-19 like symptoms and meets the travel criteria identified by the CDC, we are rescheduling these patients until they have been cleared from COVID-19. Patients will be encouraged to call their referring provider for the next steps. 
• OrthoCarolina has enhanced our cleaning practices to include disinfecting waiting rooms and front desk areas, hourly. Exam rooms, Physical Therapy areas, equipment and other direct patient care areas will be cleaned after each patient visit.
• OrthoCarolina Providers and Team Members who meet any of the CDC exposure guidelines above will be required to follow the CDC guidelines for testing and quarantine as identified above.
• OrthoCarolina Providers and Team Members have been strongly encouraged to postpone international travel until further notice, and non-essential business travel domestic or otherwise has been eliminated.
• OrthoCarolina is encouraging patients to limit the number of visitors they bring to an appointment to one person.
• OrthoCarolina has eliminated the entrance of all non-essential vendors to the clinics.
• OrthoCarolina has posted COVID-19 resource materials throughout our clinics and offices and on our website at Orthocarolina.com. In addition, OrthoCarolina will communicate appointment-related updates through our patient portal and appointment reminder system.
  

To protect yourself, you can:

• Clean your hands often, preferably with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
• Avoid close contact with someone who is sick; has traveled to one of CDC designated level 2 or 3 countries, or has been diagnosed positive with the coronavirus.
• Stay home if you are sick or have been exposed.
• Cover coughs and sneezes;
• Clean and disinfect surfaces that people touch frequently.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that you reschedule your appointment if you have any of these symptoms:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Should the need arise, please contact our office and we will work with you to reschedule your upcoming appointment.

Seek Medical Advice if you:

• Develop Symptoms
• Have been in close contact with a person known to have coronavirus
• If you live in or have recently been in an area with an ongoing spread of coronavirus

Resources:

• For More information: CDC.GOV/COVID19-SYMPTOMS
• NC Coronavirus hotline – 866-462-3821
• SC Centers for Disease Control – 800-232-4636