With 2021 stage 4 Covid-19 restrictions now in place, urgent Allied Health appointments are still permitted. This is defined as:
‘To provide services that prevent a significant change/deterioration in functional independence necessitating escalation of care (e.g. a requirement for specialist input/review, an increase in care needs and /or alternate accommodation, avoiding a hospital admission or emergency department presentation).
The reality is most hand injuries seen at Hands on Hands Physio are acute and reduce the person’s ability to function independently. However, if you are progressing in your rehab, no longer deteriorating or in significant pain, and improving with exercises then face to face consultations are not necessary. In simple terms:
Essential clients
All acute injuries: fractures / dislocations / amputations / soft tissue sprains / nerve compression / trigger fingers / crush injuries / burns / tendinopathies
Injuries resulting in significant pain
Injuries resulting in loss of function including difficulty working
Injuries requiring a protective splint, wound care, and protected mobilisation
Post-operative Hand and Upper Limb clients e.g. tendon and nerve lacerations, replantation, fractures
Non-essential clients
Chronic hand and wrist arthritis without significant pain or loss of function
Patients injuries > 3 months ago, who are already improving, no longer in significant pain or loss of function
Telehealth
The Chief Officer Allied Health DHHS Victoria directives are: ‘There are no restrictions on the delivery of Allied Health services via Telehealth. We would encourage private practitioners to consider using telehealth where at all possible so that patients/ clients can continue to benefit from their Allied Health services’.
We appreciate the level of anxiety and concern regarding attending consultations at Guardian Medical Centre. But please be assured the Medical Centre and Hands on Hands Physio take infection control procedures extremely seriously.
Infection control
- Every patient is screened at the front desk / on phone for Covid-19 symptoms and close contact risks and are re-referred if posing a risk.
- Many consultations of highly vulnerable patients i.e. people over 70, people with respiratory or chronic diseases, people with autoimmune problems, are conducted over the phone/ via Telehealth if possible.
- Stringent cleaning / sanitation methods are now in place in treatment & waiting rooms between every patient contact.
- Social distancing is practiced in both reception area and all consultation rooms.
- Patients are advised to ring on arrival then wait in the car or outside the Centre until the clinician is ready, to avoid sitting in either reception or Allied Health waiting areas.
- Social distancing laws – the treatment room allows a distance of over 1.5 meters between therapist and patient for the subjective assessment. Please note no other relatives are permitted in the room unless they are the parent of a minor or someone acting as an interpreter.
- Masks are now mandatory and both therapist and patient are expected to wear these for the whole treatment session. Therapists are currently wearing N95 masks and eye protection via either goggles or face shield.
- Both patient and therapist hands are sanitized at the beginning and end of treatment.
Guardian Medical Showgrounds
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Servicing : Maribyrnong, Flemington, Moonee Ponds, Footscray, West Footscray, North Melbourne, Carlton, Carlton North, Brunswick, West Brunswick, East Brunswick, Parkville, Keilor, Keilor East, Essendon, Coburg, Coburg North, Yarraville, Pascoe Vale, Newport, Seddon, Maidstone, Braybrook, Kingsville, Williamstown, Melbourne
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