COVID-19
Friday, June 12th 2020
We are dedicated in continuing our efforts to reduce the viral load within our community.
We will continue to offer teletherapy services for all patients for as long as insurance allows. If you are already participating in teletherapy, we encourage you to continue with this platform. If you have not tried teletherapy and would like to do so, please contact our office at 512-900-7934 and our patient care coordinators will assist you.
In-Home Therapy Sessions will be offered starting June 15th, 2020 with the following screening and safety precautions. A limited number of appointments may be available due to the fact that not all therapists will be offering in-home therapy sessions at this time. If your assigned Therapist is not currently offering in-home visits, you may be offered an alternate Therapist.
The following screening questions will be asked, prior to each in-home visit. Each treating therapist will also have to respond NO to all of the following questions before offering in-home sessions.
- Does the patient and/or caregiver show signs or symptoms of fever, a respiratory infection, such as cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat? (Temperature will be checked upon arrival at your home and reading must be at 99.5F or below (without the use of fever-reducing medication)
- Has the patient and/or caregiver had Contact in the last 14 days with someone who has a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, is under investigation for COVID-19, or is ill with respiratory illness?
- Has the patient and/or caregiver been hospitalized within the previous 14 days?
- Has the patient and/or caregiver traveled by air within the previous 14 days?
Safety Precautions:
- Limit the number of individuals present in the space where the sessions take place to one caregiver, the patient, treating therapist, and nurse (if applicable).
- Sessions that can take place outdoors are encouraged. The caregiver must be present.
- Therapists and patients will wash hands or utilize hand sanitizer at the beginning and end of each session.
- Therapists will wear a surgical mask at all times unless the mask impedes the therapy session (ie. addressing speech sounds).
- In situations where a surgical mask impedes the therapy session, therapists may use a combination of a clear mask or face shield.
- All parents/caregivers are requested to wear a cloth face covering during the therapy session.
- Children ages two and above who are able to tolerate a mask and take it off independently are encouraged to wear one, unless it interferes with therapy (ie. speech sounds).
- In instances where your child does not tolerate a mask, therapists may add extra precautions such as protective eyewear or face shield.
- During feeding therapy or other aerosol-generating procedures, therapists will follow ASHA and CDC guidelines by wearing an N95 mask, protective eyewear, and gloves.
- Supplies brought into the home will be limited to testing materials and VitalStim Units. All materials brought into the home will be sanitized before and after each use.
- Caregivers are not required to sign the therapist’s computer at this time.