Telluride Medical Center: “5 Ways We’re Keeping You Safe!”

05 Jun Telluride Medical Center: “5 Ways We’re Keeping You Safe!”

For updates on corona in the Telluride region, go to tellmed.org/coronavirus. And for San Miguel County updates, go here. The following is an important note from the Telluride Medical Center.

As we usher in our summer season, we join and welcome you — whether you’ve never left, just coming back or are visiting — in navigating the new landscape before us. COVID-19 is changing the way we do nearly everything in our lives, in our homes, workplaces, and diverse playgrounds.

The Telluride Regional Medical Center’s priority continues to be to address the community’s healthcare needs safely and professionally. Strategies to develop and implement creative solutions during this pandemic are working. If you should find you or your loved one in need of medical care this season, we are here for you!

And here’s what we’re actively doing to support our patients and community with an extra dose of safety in every aspect of our primary and emergency care services:

From the moment of contact as a patient at the Telluride Regional Medical Center, you will experience new methods of vigilance to best assess and address your healthcare needs. It begins with your first call.

Nurse-Phone Triage

Our nurses will help you determine your best course of action: whether it’s a visit to our Emergency Department, a secure telehealth visit or an in-clinic appointment with a provider — or — if you can treat yourself at home.

Virtual Waiting Room

If you do visit our clinic, you will see we have created a “virtual” waiting room to help you avoid unnecessary contact with others.

Outdoor Respiratory Clinic

Patients with respiratory symptoms will be seen either outdoors in our respiratory stations or in one of our negative air flow exam rooms to help ensure patient and provider safety.

Expanded COVID-19 Testing

We continue to research and pursue COVID-19 testing options, and we are fortunate to have sufficient access to the tests we need.

We are presently using two kinds of PCR tests (nasal swabs and spit tests), which screen for active disease. Additionally, there are two types of antibody tests available to us. One we send out for results; the other is a rapid, finger-prick blood antibody test, which has FDA approval under (EUA) Emergency Use Authorization.

We’ll continue share information as we expand summer plans for COVID-19 testing at our clinic.

Telehealth

We’ve expanded our telehealth program so we can see many patients virtually. Telehealth is ideal for consultations, medication refills and new prescriptions, or behavioral health issues such as anxiety, sleep or depression. We’ve received excellent feedback that this is a valuable option for many people. Learn more…

Every area of access and every step of every process will continue to be regularly reviewed to ensure we are consistent in best practices, and we are doing our part to keep the community safe.

We are also grateful to everyone who continues to “do your part.” It’s working!

We are encouraging everyone to continue with best practices throughout the summer, which includes:

Know Before You Go

Be sure to know the latest public health orders, and fire restrictions.

Also, a reminder to be safe when recreating outdoors. Choose places or trails less frequently traveled, or go at a time with fewer crowds, such as early in the morning.

And of course, the golden rules: Wear a face mask, maintain physical distancing, limit group sizes to no more than 10 people, continue good hygienic practices— including frequent hand-washing, and avoiding touching your face.

If we each do our part, we can continue to move forward and shine once again.

We wish you all a happy, sunny, and healthy summer season. And please know that should you or your family need us, we are here for you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

Sharon Grundy, MD | Primary Care Director

Diana Koelliker, MD | Emergency Care Director

Karen Winkelmann | CEO