COVID-19: Safety is Our First Priority
Ensuring Your Safety During the COVID-19 Pandemic
At Northwest Orthopaedic Specialists, our mission is to consistently deliver excellence in orthopedic care. To effectively do that, the health and safety of our patients, as well as our providers and staff, has always been a top priority. For people and businesses everywhere, the COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the need to take extra precautions to ensure everyone remains healthy. Here at NWOS, we took preemptive steps from the beginning of the pandemic to add additional measures to our high standard of care to ensure our clinics and surgery center are consistently the healthiest and safest place to receive orthopedic care.
If in need of urgent orthopedic care, patients can walk-in (no appointment necessary) to any of our three Orthopaedic Express Clinics — in the Spokane Valley, on the South Hill, or North Division at the Y. In addition to taking every precaution to prevent COVID exposure, NWOS also has the benefit of only treating orthopedic patients. Unlike a general urgent care clinic or hospital emergency room, NWOS doesn’t treat COVID patients, so NWOS patients feel more secure and comfortable knowing they are not being exposed to those seeking COVID treatment.
When you visit any NWOS clinic or The Orthopaedic Surgery Center, you will see us following strict precautions to keep everyone healthy and safe, including:
- COVID screening for all patients, guests, providers, and staff before allowing them to enter any clinics or the surgery center — including a temperature check and questions about potential COVID symptoms and contact.
- Limiting the number of people allowed in our waiting rooms to reduce capacity and maintain social distancing guidelines.
- Asking any visitors accompanying a patent wait in their vehicle.
- Requiring masks always be worn by patients, guests, providers, and staff.
- Helping patients and staff maintain six feet of separation whenever possible.
- Requiring a negative COVID test before surgeries that require intubation.
- Rescheduling appointments for any patients presenting with symptoms related to COVID-19, or those in contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive.
- Requiring all NWOS employees to stay home if they present any symptoms potentially related to COVID-19 or if they were in contact with anyone who tested positive for COVID-19.
- Frequently disinfecting high-touch surfaces in all NWOS clinics and the surgery center.
- Reminding NWOS staff and patients to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer frequently.
The COVID-19 pandemic is severe with potential long-term health consequences. Because of the dedication of our staff and with your help, NWOS will continue to be a safe place for everyone as we work together to lessen exposure to this unprecedented virus. Thank you in advance for following these COVID-reduction initiatives to help keep everyone safe and healthy.
For more information about the virus locally, you can visit the WA Department of Health site or the Spokane Regional Health District site.