What used to be good customer service is now unsafe service – A message from Dr. Forney

Our country has made incredible efforts to contain Covid 19 and every one of us has made sacrifices to ensure the safety of our community.   From handshakes to hugs, actions we took for granted have been eliminated for the greater good.

Here at Dermatology Affiliates, we have worked really hard to make sure we can take care of our patients in a safe and caring environment.  We have always tried to give every patient excellent service as well as outstanding medical care.  But, as we contemplated the changes we needed to make to ensure everyone’s safety, we realized that accommodations we used to make for good service were not going to be possible in today’s environment.

Magazines, brochures, product testers, and samples of medications are gone!  We don’t draw blood any more.  

Your appointment window is very limited because we cannot have people seated in the lobby for extended periods of time.  Please come IN to the office 5 minutes before your appointment time.  If you are late, we will not be able to “work you in”.  We have to reschedule you.

Your patient portal MUST be completed the day before your appointment or your appointment will be canceled.  If you are having trouble with it, please call us well ahead of your appointment and we will talk you through it.  You cannot come in the office and complete the portal in the lobby because we cannot have people seated there for extended time.

We will collect balances due and copays at check-in.  If you are paying cash, we do not make change so if you don’t have exact change, we will put the excess on your account as a credit.  The terminal for the credit/debit card has a unopened alcohol pad by it, so you can clean it before you touch it.  Checks will be put in an envelope and left on counter

No companions in the building unless the patient is a minor or needs a helper for mental or physical disabilities.  If someone comes with you, they have to stay in the car, not in the lobby, so children and spouses cannot come in the building and wait in the lobby or be in the exam room with you.

Masks are required to be on AT ALL TIMES. The doctor or PA will move the mask for the exam as needed.  

You must sanitize your hands when you come in so no gloves may be worn in our office.  If you come in wearing gloves from outside we will ask you to throw them away before you sanitize your hands.  

Paper is virtually eliminated.  When you come in, we will take your temperature and ask you to write it down with your own pen, along with answers to 5 questions.  If your temp registers above 100.4 or you cannot answer “No” to all 5 questions, we will ask you to reschedule.  If you don’t have your own pen, we will give you a disposable pencil.  We will take a picture of you with the paper so we document that you were here (no sign-in sheet) and that you met the criteria to come in.  We will photograph your insurance documents and photo ID if you have not texted them to us ahead of time.

After your visit, we will email your check-out documents, so you don’t have to stop at check-out unless you are buying a product or paying for non-covered services.

If there is anything else we can do, for your safety, please let us know.  Thanks for your support in keeping us all safe.

The 5 questions:

• Have you been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID19?
• Are you experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat?
• Have you had a fever in the last 48 hours?
• Have you had a new loss of taste or smell?
• Have you had vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours?