COVID-19 Niagara Dermatology Notice/What you need to know. COVID-19

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Updated IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING COVID-19:

On September 6, 2021, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the designation of COVID-19 as an airborne infectious disease under the New York HERO Act. This designation requires all employers to implement workplace safety plans which include creation of an employee Safety Committee and adoption of “reasonable” safety measures in accordance with CDC and NYS guidance.  Under the auspices of this Committee and with the realization that we have responsibilities as healthcare providers, Niagara Dermatology Associates LLC has adopted measures to limit airborne agent exposure to our employees and patients:

COVID symptom screening:

• employees will need to attest daily that they are symptom-free

• patients will be screened for COVID symptoms at check-in

Vaccination status screening: 

• all employees at Niagara Dermatology Associates LLC are vaccinated against COVID as a condition for employment

• patients will be screened for vaccination status when placed in rooms so as not to violate their privacy

Engineering controls:

• sanitation stations are available at all employee and patient entry sites

• all patient care rooms are provided with auxiliary ventilation measures

• our East Amherst office has ultraviolet decontamination lighting in each patient care room

Administrative controls:

• temporary postponement of select elective cosmetic procedures involving 15 minute exposures to patients with an unmasked face

• this applies to unvaccinated patients who have not had previously documented COVID

• examples include filler, Dysport or laser procedures around the mouth but may also apply to removal of benign lesions in this area

15 March, 2020

This is an unsettling time for the whole world and we are in uncharted waters, but we want to assure everyone that comes into our office, staff and patient’s alike, that Niagara Dermatology Associates, are taking steps to provide a healthy and safe environment for everyone who walks through our door.

The physician owners continue to monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, staying abreast of new medical research regarding COVID-19, and are actively following the guidelines and recommendations coming down from the World Health Organizations (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and state and local municipalities as well.  Our usual guidelines including universal precautions, frequent hand washing/cleaning, and frequent sanitizing of all patient areas as well as social distancing are being employed.  We will be asking patient’s to clean their hands as well upon entering the office and our usual, friendly handshake will be suspended temporarily.  You will notice that we have removed magazines, coffee and water from the waiting room as well as some of the seating to ensure your safety.  If you have a cell phone you may wait in your car until we have a room available and we can contact you (after check-in). 

In addition to the vigorous cleaning of our hands and patient care areas, we are adopting other measures to protect the health of our staff and patient’s.  We are aware that this disease is spread is from person-to-person, so we now have adopted several enhanced safety measures to decrease the risk of exposure to you and the community and they include the following:

• We ask that if you are not feeling well for whatever reason that you remain in the comfort of your own home and we ask our staff to do the same. 
• We ask that you cancel or postpone your appointment if you or anyone in your household have been exposed to COVID-19 or the flu/colds, or have travelled outside the area or attended any large gatherings in the past two weeks.  We will waive all cancellation fees.
• All staff travel or attendance at large gatherings is prohibited.  If you chose to do so, you will not be allowed to return to work for two weeks to keep you and everyone at the office safe. 

Currently, the office is open and fully operational and we remain committed to maintaining open communication with everyone and ultimately to provide good care to our patient’s and a safe working environment to our loyal employees as this is our ultimate goal.  We thank you for your patience and understanding as we all try to get through this difficult situation and together we can. 

Thank You,

Drs. Craig Miller and Anne Ramsdell