Fighting Covid-19
Be Well's Continued Response to COVID-19
Baxter, our official canine Be Well Medical Center greeter and Mascot, turns 11 years old Friday, May 22, 2020. He's been a valuable and dedicated employee since 2009. Each year, his birthday picture on Facebook receives many posts from patients. Last year, Dr. Benson donated $2.00 to the Detroit Dog Rescue Society for every Baxter Birthday shout out to his picture post. He's doing it again this year. Please visit Facebook.com/bewellmedicalcenter between now and Sunday, wish Baxter Happy Birthday, and Dr. B will make a $2 donation!
|
May 21, 2020: Be Well now has the Abbott ID Now test kits to get COVID-19 viral PCR results in a matter of minutes. We believe we are the only primary care office in the state with this capability. These tests are performed in our office. Our availability of these rapid tests is limited, so we will use this rapid test only when the situation demands it. Otherwise, we will order the COVID-19 test to Biotech Laboratory and get the results in one day. We now have a COVID-19 antibody test that that we are satisfied with regards to accuracy. We also get these results in one day. Read more about testing, Baxter's birthday fundraiser and more.
May 13, 2020: How we are settling into our new normal — we will get through this! Read more info about COVID-19, Patience, Compassion, Gentility, Kindness, and Smiles! and more. May 6, 2020: We are seeing patients at the office and by telemedical visits every day. Read more about antibody testing, prevention, treatments, ways to be healthier, safer and kinder to yourself and others. April 29, 2020: There has been much discussion surrounding testing for SARS-CoV-2, which is the virus we commonly refer to as COVID-19. We want to make sure that the different types of testing are clear to you. Read more about testing, how we are helping patients deal with stress and other health issues, additional Covid-19 symptoms, our staff heroes, and more. |
April 22, 2020: Another week goes by, as we seem to settle into this COVID-19 pandemic. Like 9/11, things may never be the same once this has passed. Dr. Benson: “AIDS will be resolved one day, I’m confident of this, but society will always face epidemics to replace it.” Read more and learn about Dr. B's theory of the Mathematics of Disease
April 15, 2020: We are here for you and again seeing patients in the office. We are also back to accepting new patients. We continue to do “drive-by” COVID testing for our patients only. We are treating those who are mild to moderately infected and referring to our specialists those requiring more intensive care. Those patients potentially infectious will be screened by a health care provider before entering the office. If you do come to our office, we request you bring a facial cover and maintain a 6-feet distance from others whenever possible. Everyone entering the building, including our staff, will have their temperature taken at the front door. Read more
April 8, 2020: Don’t delay in reaching out to us as we have been very creative and able to handle most concerns remotely. We're now accepting new patients for telemedical visits as our situation has stabilized. Read more
April 1, 2020: The COVID-19 crisis is surreal and has made me think back to the similarities from the 1980’s AIDS epidemic. I was a brand-new young doctor at the time. Caring for HIV patients since 1980 has influenced my life in so many ways. It made me a better physician. Perhaps COVID-19 will do the same for others. Read more about telemedical visits and “drive by” COVID-19, our in-office influenza testing platform and new equipment that will be able to provide 15 minutes point-of-care COVID results.
March 26, 2020: You can also schedule your own telemedical visit without calling using our downloadable app HEALOW at Patient Portal. READ MORE about drive-by testing, self-quarantining and more
April 15, 2020: We are here for you and again seeing patients in the office. We are also back to accepting new patients. We continue to do “drive-by” COVID testing for our patients only. We are treating those who are mild to moderately infected and referring to our specialists those requiring more intensive care. Those patients potentially infectious will be screened by a health care provider before entering the office. If you do come to our office, we request you bring a facial cover and maintain a 6-feet distance from others whenever possible. Everyone entering the building, including our staff, will have their temperature taken at the front door. Read more
April 8, 2020: Don’t delay in reaching out to us as we have been very creative and able to handle most concerns remotely. We're now accepting new patients for telemedical visits as our situation has stabilized. Read more
April 1, 2020: The COVID-19 crisis is surreal and has made me think back to the similarities from the 1980’s AIDS epidemic. I was a brand-new young doctor at the time. Caring for HIV patients since 1980 has influenced my life in so many ways. It made me a better physician. Perhaps COVID-19 will do the same for others. Read more about telemedical visits and “drive by” COVID-19, our in-office influenza testing platform and new equipment that will be able to provide 15 minutes point-of-care COVID results.
March 26, 2020: You can also schedule your own telemedical visit without calling using our downloadable app HEALOW at Patient Portal. READ MORE about drive-by testing, self-quarantining and more
March 23, 2020: Most insurances are covering telemedical visits, although there is a possibility you may be charged for them. We are refilling most medications without requiring you to come to the office. Routine refills should go through your pharmacist to us electronically. Read more
Please scroll down to read more. Please click here to read the full report from Dr. Benson
Please scroll down to read more. Please click here to read the full report from Dr. Benson
Be Well Medical Center
1964 11 Mile Road • Berkley, MI 48072
(248) 544-9300
drpaulbenson@doctorbewell.com • www.doctorbewell.com
1964 11 Mile Road • Berkley, MI 48072
(248) 544-9300
drpaulbenson@doctorbewell.com • www.doctorbewell.com
OUR GUIDANCE & RESPONSE FOR COVID-19
March 16, 2020
Taking care of our patients is at
the center of everything we do.
We value the trust you place in us every day.
We take this responsibility seriously,
so I want to share with you
some of the steps we are taking for you and
our Be Well Medical team.
To download this page as a pdf click here
Taking care of our patients is at
the center of everything we do.
We value the trust you place in us every day.
We take this responsibility seriously,
so I want to share with you
some of the steps we are taking for you and
our Be Well Medical team.
To download this page as a pdf click here
- In addition to sanitizing exam rooms in between each patient, we are sanitizing all countertops, knobs, bathrooms, keyboards, and other frequently touched surfaces every other hour or more often as we see fit. This include the phlebotomy lab and pharmacy.
- Because every patient encounter is unique, individual care decisions require independent medical judgement. We ask all patients with symptoms of the flu or uncertainty of a viral infection, to let us know before coming to the office. We may be asking you to enter our office through a private entrance in the back of the building and avoid using the reception room. We might place you in a negative air pressure exam room to minimize exposure to others.
- Our telephone call volume is tremendous. We are requesting if you need to talk to a Provider, try to schedule a telemedical visit using our Healow portal or call the receptionist to assist you with this. We are designating a Provider to be available quickly for telemedical visits. This method can reduce unnecessary visits to the office and we are pleased to offer you this virtual care. Also, for routine refill requests, please go through your pharmacy to request this electronically. Reducing telephone traffic will help us tremendously to better serve you.
- Masks are available to those who require it.
- Deferral of routine medical visits and wellness exams should be considered for patients with any chronic condition or being over the age of 60. Due to uncertainty, this includes individuals living with HIV.
Use good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19
and other respiratory diseases
- Learn about the signs and symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Not everyone requires testing for this virus.
- The first line of defense is to stay healthy. You can boost your immune system by eating nutritiously, exercising, and getting enough sleep. Please refer to our podcast on “Why We Sleep” to discover sleep’s benefits that can be found on our website www.doctorbewell.com
- Supplements such as multiple vitamins, turmeric, CBD, or Riboceine may be of benefit to boost your immune system. There may also be some benefit from reducing carbohydrates.
- STAY HOME IF YOU ARE SICK, and advise others to do the same.
- Communicate and reinforce best practices for covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.Avoid large gatherings.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Communicate and reinforce best practices for washing hands. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and warm water are not available.You can make your own by using 2 parts 99% rubbing alcohol with 1part gel.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces (computers, keyboards, desks, etc.). You can make your own disinfectant using ¾ cup of household bleach to 1 gallon of water.
- Implement social distancing measures as feasible, it’s not a good time to meet people found on social media. Substitute elbow taps or winks for handshakes.
Now is not the time to panic. A public health nurse friend of ours provided me with the following link that puts COVID-19 in perspective. It is https://youtu.be/6dDD2tHWWnU. We encourage you to monitor the CDC website https://www.cdc.gov for additional information as this rapidly developing public health matter changes.
The entire staff of the Be Well Medical Center is centered around enriching lives and keeping our community healthy.
Thank you for your continued trust.
Paul Benson, D.O.