Do you prefer to communicate by text? E-mail? Secure messaging? Phone? We can do all of those! Want telehealth? We have you covered!
We recently changed our phone system to a complete communication system designed specifically for healthcare. Because of this, we have more options to communicate with you. I WANT you to get in touch with me for all of you healthcare needs (don’t call me if you need toilet paper, I can’t help with that!).
1. Secure messaging – This is going to be one of the BEST ways to stay in touch. PLEASE download this app! I am using it for COVID-19 screening already! We value your privacy, so the Spruce Health app is secure and HIPAA compliant Through this app, we can message just like texting but in a secure way. The app is easy to install and use and only requires your name and cell phone number to get in. No memorizing password required (Hallelujah!!).
DOWNLOAD THE SPRUCE APP NOW!
2. Regular Texting – Many of you have asked for this, so we now have it. In order to use regular texting, it is VERY important that you understand that there is no possible way for me to ensure the privacy of regular text messages. If you value the convenience of SMS (or prefer to use SMS to using data on your phone), you can use this but we will ask that you give us explicit consent to communicate this way. We need to follow the law and we don’t want to be responsible for the security of technology we can’t control!
TEXT NUMBER IS THE SAME AS OUR OFFICE NUMBER – (931) 644-0262
3. E-mail – If you prefer e-mail, we have that as well but the same warnings apply as do for texting. We don’t have secure e-mail and if you want a secure option, see #1.
HELLO@SEASONSFAMILYMEDICINE.SPRUCECARE.COM
4. Phone – As always, you can call us – No changes there! We have been experiencing higher call volume and may not be able to get to the phone as quickly as usual, so PLEASE leave a message. PLEASE do not just call repeatedly as this slows us down in answering calls and getting in touch with people. We are very careful to always call people back if they leave a message (although it helps a lot if you tell us who you are!) During the COVID-19 crisis, we may need to be seeing patients dressed in protective gear, we may be seeing patients outside — anything is possible. We can’t answer the phone while doing those things, but we will call you back. The most common reason patients don’t get a quick answer to a message is that they don’t answer when we call back and their voicemail is either full or not set up.
5. TELEHEALTH is available NOW!! If you want to have your visit via telehealth, please let us know. This is all done through the Spruce App, so download that today so that you are ready if you need a telehealth visit. I have been planning to start offering this for a while but the insurance coverage was murky at best. As of last week Medicare is now covering telehealth and it looks like just about every payer is as well. Considering the risk of in-person visits, I encourage anyone that can to have their visit via telehealth if possible. Obviously, there are some things we can’t do over video, but there is a lot that can be done very effectively this way. Give it a try and stay home!
Please contact me FIRST. Urgent cares and ERs are going to be overwhelmed and full of sick people and their germs. Even on evenings and weekends I am available for urgent needs and I would prefer to either answer a quick question or do a telehealth visit than to have you go to an ER or urgent care and risk further disease exposure. I can’t promise to always do this, but if I am available (my weekends belong to my family first), I have been known to come in on a weekend to suture a laceration or to see a patient that I have to see in person to take care of. I can also help you if you aren’t sure if you need to go to the ER or if it is something we can take care of at home. So, please, call/text/message me!
In uncertain times, you are not alone. We are here for you!