We Are Up & Running in a COVID-19 Safe Environment

Office Guidelines

Updated December 30, 2021

The health and safety of our patients, visitors, employees and physicians is our highest priority. Effective December 30, 2021, we are not allowing children, companions or family members to attend patient appointments at any of our patient offices or urgent care centers unless medically necessary.

EXCEPTIONS: If you are a patient in need of ambulatory/transition assistance to and from your appointment, each patient will be allowed one companion during their office visit. If the patient is under 18 years of age, one parent or one qualified guardian will be allowed. We thank you for your understanding and effort to keep our space a safe place for all.

Please note that all patients, those accompanying patients and staff must wear masks in all our offices at all times.

All offices are open and have resumed regular business hours.

Office Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Urgent Care: Mon-Fri. 4:30 pm – 8:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

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Ongoing Safety Procedures to Keep Everyone Safe

We have adjusted our office policies to reduce the possible spread of coronavirus. These policies apply to our patients, staff, and physicians.

• All patients will be screened prior to visits. Click here for the screening questionnaire
• Masks are required.
• Enhanced cleaning procedures will be used across all facilities.
• Social distancing is required in the waiting areas.
• Patients undergoing surgery or a procedure will require a COVID-19 test.
• Patients will be asked to reschedule appointments if they or someone that they’ve been in contact with exhibit signs of coronavirus or have been confirmed positive within the last 14 days.
• Patients are encouraged to wash their hands before and after their visit or use an alcohol-based sanitizer.

Elective surgery has resumed

We continue to do elective surgeries in our Surgery Centers. We have implemented numerous safety procedures so we can provide the highest quality care while minimizing the spread of COVID-19. This includes testing all patients for COVID-19 prior to any scheduled surgery or procedure. Only patients who have a negative test result and have been quarantined since the test will be allowed to proceed. We also are limited staff in operating rooms and spacing out surgeries to ensure a safe environment.

Click here for a short video showing one patient’s experience.

We continue to offer Telemedicine

Telemedicine is a medical appointment where your provider can perform your medical visit remotely through HIPAA-compliant video conferencing tools. You can use your desktop, platform, or smartphone to meet face-to-face with your provider, as long as you have a camera and microphone accessibility. We continue to offer this option at this time if a person does not require a face to face visit. Telemedicine is a good solution for routine appointments where face to face visit is not required. It can also help bridge the gap for patients facing more urgent issues but are not recommended to leave home. Many insurance providers now cover telemedicine visits but it is a good idea to confirm with your provider.

Acute issues should not be overlooked

There are certain types of issues that cannot wait or be addressed by phone. We strongly encourage patients to call our office to be seen. These include:

• Acute infection
• Acute trauma that would worsen without surgery
• Uncontrolled pain that would otherwise require a hospital admission
• A condition where prognosis would significantly worsen if treatment or surgery was delayed

In these cases, it is extremely important to contact our office so we can advise you on next steps. We offer same day appointments during business hours. Call (860) 244-8888.

Walk-in Urgent Care is available 7 days a week

Walk-in urgent care in Farmington and Glastonbury 7 days a week from 4:30pm-8pm on weekdays and from 9am-1pm on weekends. Walk-in urgent care is recommended for breaks, sprains, strains, dislocations, and other acute issues.

We strongly encourage no visitors unless you are with an adolescent, someone who needs assistance, or there is a language barrier.

For the safety of our staff and other patients, we will not admit individuals who meet the following criteria: fever, cough, nausea/diarrhea, or those who have been exposed to COVID-19 within the past 14 days.

If you need to be seen during business hours, we still offer same-day visits for injuries. Call 860-244-8888.

Keep up with your Physical Therapy

We are committed to helping people stay active and as pain-free as possible during this time. Our Physical Therapists are seeing patients in the office. We also have put together a wide variety of information to guide you on exercises that can be done at home to alleviate pain, strengthen core areas, or keep you active. This includes written instructions with pictures, as well as videos. Click here to see home exercises.

It is important to discuss your exercise plan with your provider before initiating any exercises.

It is important to stay active – even while keeping social distance

Keeping active and staying motivated at home can be a challenge and it may mean that you need to get creative. Staying active is important for both mental and physical health so it’s important to modify your activities and develop new routines. Social distancing means maintaining a physical distance between yourself and others of at least six feet to avoid spreading or catching coronavirus, however as long as you maintain that distance, being outdoors where there’s adequate space is incredibly beneficial.

Exercise routines can be found online and on-demand and virtual workouts can be a good way to involve your social circle. As long as you follow your doctor’s instructions, staying active in the world of social distancing can be achievable. If you have any questions, please contact your doctor’s office.   

Do your part to prevent the spread of coronavirus

Stay informed! As the current coronavirus outbreak continues to evolve, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been closely monitoring and providing recommendations. Orthopedic Associates of Hartford, our Urgent Care Centers, MRI, Surgery Centers, and affiliated Physical Therapy follow these guidelines. Visit the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov for the latest updates.

Precautions that you can take include:

• Wear a mask when in public areas.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or if not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Maintain social distance with people and avoid contact with anyone who is sick.
• Avoid shaking hands and touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze and wash your hands afterward.

Thank you for partnering with us

We appreciate your patience, flexibility, and willingness to comply with our safety standards. We are committed to delivering the highest quality orthopedic care in the safest manner. We are in this together!