Whether it’s time for your checkup, you’ve noticed a concerning symptom or you have a condition that needs monitoring, it’s important to have a primary care physician. At AdventHealth Medical Group, our board-certified family medicine and primary care physicians and staff focus on treating the whole person — not just your symptoms — to champion your health and well-being throughout your lifetime.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have avoided going to your doctor’s office. We certainly understand your worry and concern. But medical care that requires an in-office visit can only wait so long.
“People are potentially placing their health at risk by having health problems overlooked or ignored,” says Jerry Bishop, MD, an AdventHealth Medical Group physician specializing in Family Medicine.
To help you stay healthy and receive the medical attention you deserve, we encourage you to make an appointment for an office-based visit. We’re here for you, and your safety is our top priority. To keep you and your family safe, we’ve made some important changes.
New Safety Measures at Your Primary Care Appointments
When you come to the doctor’s office for your primary care appointments, here’s what you can expect.
Mandatory temperature checks at doctor’s office entrances.
We’re keeping you safe by checking everyone’s temperature upon arrival. All patients and visitors at a primary care or internal medicine facility will have their temperature taken before they can enter. That’s because most people who have symptoms of coronavirus develop a fever, according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC).
Separate care areas.
To minimize everyone’s exposure to coronavirus, we’ve set up designated care areas for patients who have symptoms of COVID-19.
Masks for everyone.
The CDCurges everyone to wear face coverings in public to help slow the spread of coronavirus. To support this important safety step, you will be given a mask to wear when you enter the facility. We are requiring all patients and guests in our facilities to wear masks.
Rest assured that all health care providers and staff will also be wearing safety equipment, when appropriate. We have plenty of personal protective equipment like masks and gloves for our health care providers.
Social distancing throughout the facility.
We’ve redesigned our waiting rooms to help you better practice social distancing. You may see covers on chairs that say “Thank you for leaving this seat empty. We’re social distancing to keep you safe.” You may also see stickers on the floor that say “Here’s your spot. Thank you for social distancing” to help you stand 6 feet away from other patients when you’re waiting in line.
We are limiting the number of people in each facility at all times. To minimize your contact with others, you may also be able to check in and wait for your appointment in your car.
Keeping in Touch with Your Primary Care Physician
One thing that will never change is our dedication to providing you with individualized and compassionate whole-person care. We encourage you to stay in touch with your primary care provider. Between office visits, you can easily talk with your physician virtually about the care you need. You may even be able to have a video visit with your physician.
During a telemedicine visit, you and your health care provider can decide together when it’s best for you to come in for care. Your doctor can offer guidance on concerns you may have about your symptoms and any needed screenings and vaccines.
In addition to telemedicine and in-office appointments, our providers, in many cases, offer online appointment scheduling, extended hours and same-day appointments to meet your busy schedule.
“We continue to strive to provide the best care possible, as we have always done, and we are doing so in the safest way possible,” says Dr. Bishop.
Do You Need a New Doctor?
Men and women age 18 and older should have a primary care physician who can provide consistent care throughout their lifetime. If you don’t have one, use our online physician finder to find options near you. Our board-certified primary care and internal medicine physicians specialize in wellness and preventive health, diagnostic dilemmas, chronic disorders, infectious disease, complex health conditions, travel medicine, elder care and other non-emergency services.
A chronic condition is a top reason people visit a primary care physician, according to the CDC. But you don’t need to have an illness to visit your doctor. Preventive health screenings can help save lives by detecting conditions in their earliest stages, before symptoms appear.
During office visits, your primary care provider may discuss preventive screening tests and encourage you to get the tests that are appropriate for you. Routine screening tests play an important role at every age. Your doctor will provide personalized recommendations for health screenings based on knowledge of your family medical history and values.
It’s all part of our dedication to your physical, emotional and spiritual well-being and safety. Whether you have a health concern or need a preventive screening, we’re here for you virtually and in person. Visit your primary care physician today.
Get in QuickER. Get Out Faster.
Sometimes, life has its own plans. If an emergency occurs, you need a hospital you can count on. At AdventHealth Zephyrhills, our compassionate ER specialists are on call all day every day to respond to any emergency in our community.
With our online reservation tool InQuicker, you can choose your ER treatment time for non-life or limb-threatening emergencies. Our ER experts will be waiting for your arrival.
