March 19, 2020
Dear Clients,
At Longmeadow Animal Hospital, the health and safety of our clients, staff members, their families, and our community are our top priority. We are diligently monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and closely watching official information from health authorities as it relates to our community. Unless dictated by the local health authorities and as our hospital staff remains healthy, our hospital will remain open.
Diligence in practicing preventative measures, including excellent personal hygiene, is the best way to prevent the spread of communicable diseases and illnesses. Our staff members are monitoring themselves and family members for whom they provide care for signs and symptoms of illness and will stay home as necessary to prevent spreading illnesses to others.
Additionally, if you, a member of your family, or someone with whom you have come into close contact with, are sick and showing respiratory signs that could be associated with the flu or Coronavirus, we respectfully request that you please STAY AT HOME, unless it is an urgent need or emergency and someone else can bring your pet. We will be happy to reschedule your appointment once you have been cleared by your medical care provider to prevent the spread of illness.
Per CDC recommendations we ask that everyone self-monitor and alert us if appointment rescheduling is indicated to ensure we do not perpetuate the spread of infection. We currently have a thorough process for the disinfection and cleaning of our entire facility including animal and human common areas. We have placed sanitizer in the lobby and there is soap in our restrooms. We have also instituted a “no handshake” policy in our hospital.
This is a difficult time with COVID-19 and, for the safety of everyone, we are making some changes to our current client check-ins and appointments. In order to continue offering our services and to keep within the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines regarding the transmission of COVID-19, we are making the following changes to our client protocol today and lasting for as long as the recommendations are in place.
**Effective Immediately: March 18, 2020 — COVID-19 LAH Client Protocol
We have evaluated our current processes and have made a few adjustments in order to facilitate the practice of Social Distancing. For persons that are not sick and would like to bring their pet in, we are OPEN!! Please choose which group you fall into, high-risk vs. ‘average risk’, and follow the directions below:
For HIGH-RISK INDIVIDUALS (persons who are 65 yrs. of age or older, have cancer, have hypertension, have lung disease, have diabetes, have heart disease, have another condition that compromises the immune system, are taking medication that suppresses the immune system) or those individuals who want to be extra cautious, we ask that you do the following:
Prior to your appointment, for those who have access to a computer and printer, please contact us ([email protected] or call (301) 733-8400) and we will email you our client questionnaire. We request all clients, both new and ‘old’, do this so that we can obtain the information needed to adhere to our adjusted workflow.
We are asking our high-risk pet owners not to enter the building, in order to maintain appropriate social distancing and keep you as safe as possible.
When you arrive for your appointment, please call our office ((301) 733-8400) to alert our team that you have arrived and what type of vehicle you are in. We will then check your pet into the hospital (via computer). Please remain in your vehicle and our staff will come to you, retrieve your pet and bring your pet into the hospital for their appointment when the doctor and/or assistant are ready for them.
We ask that you remain on-site in your vehicle during your pet’s appointment so that you are immediately available should we have any questions and in order to return your pet as quickly as possible to reduce the pet’s stress.
If any additional information is needed prior to performing our diagnostics, or any additional tests are needed beyond the examination, a team member or doctor will contact you via phone.
Once your pet has been fully evaluated, the doctor will contact you – via phone – to go over their findings, recommendations and answer any questions you may have. Your call will then be transferred to a receptionist that will collect payment via credit card over the phone.
Our staff will then return your pet to you in your vehicle and review any necessary discharge instructions.
‘AVERAGE RISK’ INDIVIDUALS (all those people that do not fall into the high-risk category):
If you are not a member of the high-risk group and would like to be with your pet during his or her examination, please do the following.
Prior to your appointment, for those who have access to a computer and printer, please contact us ([email protected] or call 301-733-8400) and we will email you our client questionnaire. We request all clients, both new and ‘old’, do this so that we can obtain the information needed to adhere to our adjusted workflow.
When you arrive for your appointment, please leave your pet(s) in your vehicle and call our office or ‘pop in’ to the waiting room to alert our team you have arrived and what type of vehicle you are in.
We will then ‘check your pet into the hospital’ via computer and a staff member will come to retrieve you and your pet when we have an open and clean exam. room ready for you. We are asking all clients to wait in their vehicles prior to appointments in order to avoid people gathering in our waiting room.
The Doctor and/or Veterinary Assistant will then review your check-in details and proceed with your appointment as always.
Please limit to only ONE person accompanying your pet into the building. It is safest, if possible, to leave children at home.
Please know that we are doing our best to remain COVID-free in order to be here to care for your furry family members!
Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support! It is our sincere wish at LAH that you, your family, your friends, and all in our community remain safe and healthy. By working together, we will get through this!!
We strive to offer the same great service while minimizing risk for all parties. As this situation remains dynamic, we will continue to provide updates if there are any additional changes to our daily operations. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Your LAH Veterinary Staff
