COVID-19 Updates

Update 04-23-20

Dear Patients and Families,

Thank you for your patience as we all work through the Covid-19 shutdown and Governor Lee’s hold on non-essential or elective surgeries. I have news to share, and I want to keep you informed of our current plans for the reopening of these elective surgeries in our region.  The number of Covid-19 cases has remained exceedingly low in our area, and for that we are all thankful.  Governor Lee’s original mandate to postpone the non-essential surgeries expires April 30^th .

As it stands now, all major hospitals and surgery centers in the Knoxville area have agreed to start back with elective (or “non-essential”) cases starting May 4^th.  I have checked, and all of our facilities have ample supply of PPE to keep us safe and going.

If you would like to schedule surgery, please call (865)251-3036, and speak to Beverly.  She will work to get you scheduled as soon as possible.

Some, but not all,  hospitals will require a negative Covid-19 test be performed within 72 hrs of the surgery.  That means for Monday cases, the patient will have to have a test on Friday or Saturday.  For Tuesday cases they will have to have a test Saturday or Monday.  Our facilities have a test with a 45 minute turnaround.  If you are asked to have that, we will facilitate making this as seamless and easy as possible for you.

Finally, as of today, the Turkey Creek Medical Center is requiring that every individual entering the building have a face covering whether a formal mask, a scarf, or bandana.  You will have to have one to enter and exit the building.

If you have specific concerns or want to schedule an appointment, please call (865)251-3030 and let us know.  We are here to help you.  Thank you again for your patience and cooperation as we continue to work through the slow time and prepare for the reopening.

 

David Hovis, M.D., President

OrthoKnox, PLLC

Fourth Update 04-09-20

Dear OrthoKnox patients and families,

I want to take a moment to update you on Covid-19 related changes that pertain to your health and care at OrthoKnox.  On April 8^th Governor Bill Lee signed another order that directs the performing of non-essential surgeries for the state of Tennessee.  In effect, he extended the “hold” on non-essential surgeries until April 30^th.  Therefore it will be the month of May before these elective-type surgeries will be available across the state of Tennessee.  We know how this impacts your plans and hopes for rapid treatment and relief of pain.  We commit to you that we will work with you on scheduling surgeries as soon as we possibly can, and we will work to relieve your symptoms in the meantime.

To that end, we are available Mon-Fri to schedule a telemedicine visit to discuss your options, both for rescheduling surgery as well as offering  different nonoperative treatments.  In many cases, an injection is a possibility to relieve pain.  There are multiple types of injections that may be considered, and a discussion with the OrthoKnox team on which one is most appropriate for you is important.

Physical Therapy can also relieve symptoms in many cases.  We continue to offer a full service of physical therapy appointments and modalities as well as the option for telemedicine therapy visits.

Finally, there are a few cases where the symptoms are progressing and the problem becomes one where surgery is now deemed essential.  In these cases, it is possible to go forward with the surgery.  A reevaluation would be required to determine that.

We will continue to keep you updated on changes that pertain to your care at OrthoKnox.  If your symptoms are increasing, please let us know so that we can offer appropriate options.

Caring for you,

David Hovis, M.D., President

OrthoKnox, PLLC

 

Third Update 03-26-20

Dear patients and families,

OrthoKnox and our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinic remain open Monday-Friday 7am-6pm and Saturday 9am-1pm. Our staff continues to disinfect and maintain the cleanliness of the office utilizing best practices recommended by the CDC.

We are also offering telemedicine appointments for any patient who is unable to attend a scheduled appointment at the office due to symptoms or infection, as well as any patient who is concerned about being exposed to Covid-19. While we can offer excellent care via telemedicine , there are certain physical limitations that could require a future one-on-one visit with a provider. Please call (865)251-3030 or visit https://www.orthoknox.com/make-appointment/ to schedule.

Please note that you will need to enter Turkey Creek Medical Center at the west entrance of the hospital (closest to Walmart) until 6pm and thru the ER after 6pm. Please be prepared for a brief screening upon entry consisting of temperature check, symptom check, and travel history.

Regarding elective surgeries: to remain in compliance with the CDC and state, elective surgeries are being rescheduled. Our surgery scheduler will contact you as soon as we are able to begin scheduling surgeries.

Feel free to contact our office if you have specific needs or questions at 865-251-3030.

Thank you and we look forward to serving your orthopedic needs.

Second Update - 03-20-20

Dear patients and families,

At OrthoKnox, the health and well-being of our patients is not only our first priority, but it is also our sole reason for being in business. For this reason, I want to personally update you on our efforts to continue providing you and your family the superior level of care you have come to expect in the cleanest and safest environment available during these trying times. As of this writing, there has only been one case of Covid-19 reported in Knox County, and the risk of infection in our community is still low. However, as we are expecting that number to increase, we are taking the following safeguards at OrthoKnox to ensure your protection:

1. We have always endeavored to provide a clean office environment for our patients, which includes cleaning the exam rooms between each patient. Currently, these efforts have been redoubled with an even more thorough cleaning between patients, and our entire office being sanitized on a nightly basis to guard against disease transmission in our system.

2. If any member of the care team at OrthoKnox reports flu-like symptoms, that individual will not report to work until testing negative for Covid-19 and the resolution of symptoms. They will receive full paid time off during their absence.

3. If any patient has symptoms of fever, cough, or shortness of breath, we ask that you seek treatment and testing for these symptoms first and reschedule appointments at OrthoKnox until cleared by primary care. If needed, we will gladly assist you in finding the best source of treatment available for your flu-like symptoms.

4. For patients who have flu-like symptoms, and thus cannot attend scheduled appointments, we are providing virtual telemedicine appointments online via FaceTime, Skype, or Google Duo with one of our providers. These must be scheduled through the office like any other appointment. We ask that only patients with known Covid-19 exposure or symptoms request these virtual appointments in order to avoid overwhelming that system.

5. Inevitably, there will be patients with Covid-19 or flu-like symptoms who have an orthopaedic emergency or urgent problem that requires direct treatment regardless of other symptoms. These patients will receive the same thorough treatment as all other OrthoKnox patients. Appropriate isolation measures will be taken to ensure they receive the highest level care, while protecting others from disease transmission.

At OrthoKnox we are very optimistic about the future and in the ability of our nation and community to pull-together to prevent the spread of disease. We commit to doing our utmost to protect you and your family. We look forward to seeing you soon.

W. David Hovis, M.D., President
OrthoKnox, PLLC
10810 Parkside Drive, Suite 209
Knoxville, TN 37934
Phone: 865-251-3030
Fax: 865-966-0191