Information on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Centers for Disease Control:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
​
Illinois Department of Public Health:
http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus
December 6, 2020
​
GOOD NEWS! We now have capabilities for COVID-19 rapid testing!
Just in time for the influenza season, we have acquired combination COVID-19 / Influenza A+B rapid test capabilities.
We are in the process of completing construction on our specialized negative-pressure “sick bay” to see ill patients in person. In the meantime, we will utilize the following protocol for evaluating and testing patients:
1. Patients should call the office to schedule a telemedicine appointment for evaluation.
Phone: 630-305-0010 --- HMFM telemedicine web link: https://www.hmfm.org/telemedicine
2. During your telemedicine appointment, Dr. Rozner, John Paul Dehler, PA or Amy Reeb, NP will review your symptoms, your past medical history, your chronic conditions, your medications, and other factors which could impact a potential COVID-19 illness. He/she will provide recommendations for treatment and send prescriptions to your pharmacy, if appropriate.
3. The provider will schedule a time for you to be tested IN YOUR CAR.
4. When you arrive at our facility, instead of parking in the spaces directly in front of the building, park around the corner in the spaces on the North side of the building. Call the front desk and provide your vehicle information (i.e. color, model).
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
5. We will be out in full PPE as soon as possible. Please WEAR YOUR MASK until directed to lower it. The provider will come out to your car to collect the nasopharyngeal samples.
6. We will call you with results in roughly an hour of the rapid test sample collection.
We are excited to be able to provide this service to our existing patients. Please note that we cannot perform COVID-19 rapid test services to people who are not existing Hobson Meadows Family Medicine patients at this time.
​
May 30, 2020
​
Dear Patients,
​
As the state enters Phase 3 of reopening, our office has established guidelines for in-person office visits. In an effort to protect our patients and staff, we will continue to utilize telemedicine services as appropriate. If you are not comfortable coming to the office, we encourage you to schedule a telemedicine visit. We are also utilizing telemedicine visits to triage ALL sick patients.
We ask that when you call the office to schedule your appointment, you update your address, telephone numbers, and insurance information with the receptionist. We request that you e-mail the front and back of your insurance card and driver's license to staff@hmfm.org, and bring your completed patient forms as indicated by the receptionist with you.
​
When you arrive for an in-person visit, please call the office and provide your model and color of your vehicle. Once your room is ready, the nurse will come out to your car and get you. We ask that you come to your appointment alone, unless you need a caregiver / family member to assist you. In accordance with the IDPH, patients over the age of two MUST wear a mask / face covering. Please wear your mask / face covering during your entire visit and only remove it if asked to do so by your provider. If you do not have a mask, please let us know when you arrive, and we will provide one for you. (The mask must cover your nose and mouth. For guidance on wearing a mask, please see CDC guidelines on "How to safely wear and take off face coverings")
​
As part of our safety measures, we will continue to have providers utilize telemedicine visits to decrease the number of people present in the office at a given time. We are also staggering patient appointment times and increasing spacing between appointments to allow for cleaning. All exam rooms are cleaned with an EPA-approved cleaning solution between patients. All common areas and frequently touched surfaces (e.g. door handles, faucets, etc) are cleaned in accordance with the IPDH guidelines.
​
All patients will be screened prior to their visit. We appreciate your patience as we implement these changes. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the office at 630-305-0010.
​
Sincerely,
Kristin Beringer, Office Manager
Robert Rozner, HMFM President
​
March 18, 2020
Dear Patients,
​
Hobson Meadows Family Medicine is following the most recent developments and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) with respect to the management of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The COVID-19 virus is genetically very similar to the original SARS virus that infected China in 2002 and the MERS virus that spread through the Middle East in 2017. All of these viruses are in the Coronavirus family of viruses. Other Coronaviruses are known causes of the common cold. Several behaviors of this virus make it particularly troubling. The first is that it can cause a much more serious pneumonia than lesser strains. This is particularly dangerous to anyone with underlying lung disease, including smokers and those with impaired immune systems. The second troubling aspect is that a newly infected individual may not have symptoms for 2-7 days; however, during this early phase they can still transmit the virus to other people. Thirdly, many infected individuals have very mild symptoms that are mistaken for influenza or the common cold, so they are less likely to be careful about transmitting it to other people. Fourthly, we still do not have the wide availability for testing for the infection. An fifth, we have no effective treatment.
Until an effective vaccine or antiviral medication is developed, we are all mostly on the defensive against this virus. Over the last several days, our office has implemented the ability to have video televisits. Telemedicine is covered by most major insurance carriers and Medicare while we are battling COVID-19. We initially worked to provide telemedicine with the intent to screen any of our patients who have respiratory symptoms and to request testing should it be necessary. However, telemedicine capability is also useful for asymptomatic patients who are at increased risk of contracting the virus and need medical follow up, without taking the change of further exposing them to potentially sick people. For basic guidelines, see below:
​
-
If you are sick, whether you think you have COVID-19 or not --- CALL US. We will triage your symptoms, set up a televisit and arrange for testing, if warranted under current guidelines.
-
If you are over age 65 or have any chronic illnesses and are in need of routine care, call to set up a televisit.
-
If you need medical care and are currently quarantined, call to set up a televisit.
​
Of course, our office will remain open for those patients at low risk for routine medical care, physicals, and medication refills. Our phlebotomist is still on duty. As always, we have 24-hour on call telephone coverage to serve your urgent needs.
​
I want to repeat: IF YOU HAVE RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS (FEVER, COUGH, COLD, OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH), CALL US SO WE CAN HELP DIRECT YOUR CARE. This will provide you guidance without potentially spreading Coronavirus to our other patients, staff and providers.
​
This situation is not ideal, but together we can get through it!
​
Sincerely,
Dr. Bob
​