COVID-19 Update May 2020
Dear Patients and Your Families,
Finally, we are getting the team back together after we have been separated in order to be mobilized to care for patients in the fight against COVID-19. My team and I will be proceeding with patient care. We have been doing many Telemedicine visits with pre-operative and post-operative patients as well as for non-surgical patients. We will start seeing patients in the practice on May 19th. Our first surgery will be on May 27th and we are fully booked for June and most of July, part of August. We can readily find additional surgical slots for families in need.
The following are some of the protocols put in place. I can assure you that our team and the entire Mount Sinai organization are and will do everything possible to prevent exposure to COVID-19. During office hours, there will only be one patient seen at a time, we will not have multiple patients in exam rooms at any given time. Patients and their families will be asked about symptoms of COVID and if they are symptomatic, they will be tested and not be seen. Only one parent can come in with the patient in order to minimize exposure for anyone. We can do FaceTime for a second parent who might want to be part of the discussion. I have done that frequently throughout my career. All patients and family members and staff will wear a mask at all times. The rooms and facilities are frequently being cleaned over and over and over again. Telemedicine or E-consults will remain a good option for all families before and after surgery but we will need to see preoperative patients at least one time prior to surgery.
All surgical patients will be tested at Mount Sinai within two days prior to surgery, only one parent will be allowed to stay at the hospital and with their child after surgery at a time. The parent will have to wear a mask throughout the hospital stay. The facilities have been cleaned, sterilized, inspected and are constantly being cleaned. Patients will not be roomed anywhere near a COVID + patient.
I can very much appreciate the families’ and patients’ concerns. Let me assure all that Mount Sinai Hospital is a world-class institution. I was personally involved in the care of COVID patients several weeks ago, the hospital teams have amongst the most experience with this disease than any other hospital in the United States. The protocols have been developed and refined with the highest level of expertise. I am proud to say, thousands of lives were saved at Mount Sinai Hospital during this pandemic. My patients and their families will, as always, be the highest priority of my team and I and the hospital staff are looking forward to welcoming and caring for them. We will be available 24-7 to ensure a safe and comfortable experience.
Stay well, be healthy, and let us all have a renewed appreciation for all the blessings we have in life.
My best to all,
Baron Lonner. M.D.
Chief of Minimally Invasive Scoliosis Surgery
Mount Sinai Hospital