INFO and UPDATES Related to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

June 1, 2020    

Due to the presence of coronavirus in the community, I still am not seeing patients in my office.  I do not have a definite time in mind for when I will open my office for patient visits—it may be sometime in the summer.   I am very sorry about not being available to help you hands-on for now.  In the meanwhile, I have formalized my Telehealth availability.

TELEHEALTH

What Telehealth Can Offer:  I have found that through Telehealth I can often make or clarify a diagnosis; discuss treatment options; provide advice and instruction on self-treatment methods; suggest referrals for care; answer questions; and provide medical counseling and support.  (That is, I can do much of what I do in the office that is not hands-on.)

How Telehealth Will Function:  When you want to be in touch with me, leave a message on my office voicemail at 503-232-4780 and let me know what is happening for you.  I will return your call and we can decide together whether to schedule a Telehealth session or whether the issue is a straightforward situation that I can simply address in that phone call.  Telehealth sessions can occur either through on-line video or by phone.  Most commonly these sessions will last for 15 to 30 minutes.  [My answering service is also still available as a way to reach me—but they are not scheduling.]

Telehealth Payment and Billing Policies:  During the COVID crisis, Telehealth is generally being reimbursed the same as an office visit.  The two most common levels of office visits that I code for have charges of $60 and $80.  The coding is determined by the complexity of the service and/or the time spent.   As always, consideration will be given for financial hardships.

Medicare: We will bill Medicare as we usually do according to Medicare regulations—and you will have co-pays as you usually do.

Commercial Insurance: Until the office is up and running again, we will ask that you pay for the medical service and we will provide you with a bill to submit to your insurance for re-imbursement.

Financial Hardship: If you are experiencing a financial hardship and cannot afford to pay fully for the services you need, then please discuss this with the doctor. 

Informed Consent:  Regulations require that you give your informed consent for a Telehealth visit.  This can be done verbally or in writing.  While Telehealth visits can provide much in the way of care, there are limitations compared to an in-person visit.  See the full informed consent form here.

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PREVENTATIVE and SUPPORTIVE CARE

NOTE: These approaches are NOT intended to replace needed medical care.

: An Osteopathic Home Treatment for the Lymphatics :

Osteopathy uses a number of hands-on treatments for assisting lymphatic flow. One that I often teach to patients is called the “Pedal Pump”. Here is a YouTube video from one of the osteopathic schools, Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine.

One thing I would say differently from the video is that I find it often takes a minute or two to get the most benefit. You can do this daily or a couple of times a day.

: Acupressure :

Another helpful home treatment approach is using acupressure. It is beyond the scope of this website to prescribe specific points to use—and many different protocols can be found on the internet.

If you are seeking out areas to work on for system support, common points for effecting overall movement and flow in the body include:

Large Intestine (LI) 4;

Stomach (ST) 36;

Liver (LV) 3;

Bladder (UB) 40;

Spleen (SP) 6.

For the lungs you could consider trying Lung (LU) 1 and Stomach (ST) 14.

One description for how to work with an acupuncture point on yourself or someone else is to “Rub with firm pressure, feeling for muscle tightness or soreness. You can do just one side, or both sides… Use enough pressure to connect with the tightness or soreness. Hold for 1-2 minutes as you breathe slowly and deeply.”

Thank you for taking time to tend to yourself and your loved ones during this critical time. Please feel free to communicate as needed. We will take this day by day. Let’s all strive to support our health now, for the future.

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