If you have an Appointment booked with us
Face to Face Appointments
Any patient scheduled for a face to face appointment must adhere to the following requirements.
- If you are symptomatic with even the mildest of COVID-19 like symptoms, you must not attend for a face to face appointment. These symptoms commonly include:
- fever
- coughing
- sore throat
- shortness of breath
But can also include:
-
- runny nose or congestion
- headache or fatigue
- muscle or joint pains
- nausea or loss of appetite
- diarrhoea or vomiting
- temporary loss of smell or altered sense of taste
COVID-19 symptoms are similar to some common illnesses, such as colds and flu, or allergies.
- If you have had a recent COVID-19 infection, confirmed on either PCR or Rapid Antigen Test, you should not attend for a face to face appointment for 7 days after the test date. Your appointment will either need to be rescheduled or converted to Telehealth, if clinically appropriate.
For face to face appointments we also require that all persons attending:
- We encourage you to attend your appointment alone where possible.
- Sanitise your hands on entry, and at any other time requested by practice staff;
- Stay 1.5m away from other people at all times, including staff;
- Follow the instructions by staff at all times. This may include asking you to sit in certain areas inside the practice, wait outside or in your car until your practitioner is ready, or to enter/exit via certain doors.
Telehealth Appointments
We are able to continue to offer you certain Medicare rebated Telehealth services for your booked appointment, where clinically appropriate and subject to Medicare requirements. If you are unsure, please telephone us to find out.
Advice for Patients
If you are pregnant: You should continue to take good care of your health as normal, and continue with your regular visits to your Alana Obstetrician, unless we advise you otherwise. If any of the above applies to you, or you develop respiratory symptoms or fever, please telephone your Alana Obstetrician on 02 9009 5255.
The Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has released information for pregnant and breastfeeding women and their families. You can read this information here.
Pregnant women of any age are considered a priority group for COVID vaccination.
If you need to go into hospital: Please contact the hospital directly regarding their rules or instructions and any other COVID-19 related requirements prior to your admission.
Precautions we are taking
To continue providing medical care to our patients, Alana is implementing all of the recommendations to aid in minimising the spread of COVID-19. These include:
- Compliance with all public health orders – as well as any other precautions deemed necessary to protect staff, patients and visitors against COVID-19;
- Vaccination of all staff – all staff working at Alana Healthcare are fully vaccinated against COVID-19;
- Enhanced infection control measures – including increased barrier protections, physical distancing, regular disinfection of the practice in general as well as disinfection of consulting rooms and high touch surfaces in-between patients;
- Transferring eligible appointments to Telehealth – any patient who does not have to physically attend the practice will be transferred to Telehealth instead, if appropriate;
- Spacing of appointments – appointments will be spaced when necessary to help observe physical distancing requirements and minimise exposure between patients;
- Reducing surface exposure – we have removed all unnecessary items from reception and waiting rooms, including ornaments and magazines. We will take information verbally, where possible, instead of requiring completion of forms, unless it is a consent form;
Other measures will be implemented as required, on the advice from health authorities and as deemed necessary by the Medical Directors of Alana.
Precautions you can take
There are simple established precautions that you can take. These include:
- Get vaccinated. The Australian Government is providing free COVID-19 vaccination to every person living in Australia. More information and registration information is available here.
- Get your vaccination booster. If you have already received your two doses of an approved vaccine, you should get your booster shot as soon as you become eligible.
- Wear a mask when in public places or when physical distancing is not possible;
- Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands regularly with alcohol based hand rub or soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after going to the toilet and before eating food;
- Practice physical distancing. Where possible, keep 1.5 metres away from other people, especially those who have a respiratory illness;
- Practice good cough/sneeze etiquette by covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing or cough or sneeze into the crook of your elbow, and encourage others to do the same. Dispose of tissues immediately and wash your hands afterwards;
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unclean hands;
- Stay at home if you are even mildly unwell, and limit your movements outside the home in general; and
- Follow the advice of health and infection control experts.
We all have a responsibility to take all available measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Remember, if you are feeling concerned, the team at Alana are just a phone call away.