Important Changes at Providence Community Health Centers

March 25, 2020

Dear Patients & Families,

The Providence Community Health Centers (PCHC) remain available for all your healthcare concerns and needs throughout the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. In order to do that, we have made important changes to the way that we provide care to you. These changes are for your safety, the safety of our staff and our community, and are only temporary. As always, your PCHC clinic is available to answer your questions. 

 

Effective Immediately

We Offer Telemedicine:
Telemedicine is a service that allows you to talk with a provider using your telephone. If you have medical concerns and would like to speak with one of our providers, please call us. We can offer telephone visits for many minor medical complaints and behavioral health services.

Currently, PCHC is using telephone-only services to provide telemedicine to our patients. Soon we will also be able to provide telemedicine services that allow you to videoconference with your provider using your computer, smartphone or tablet.

Sick Appointments:
If you are feeling sick, please call us as soon as possible so that we can assist you. A PCHC staff member will be available to assess you and offer you advice and/or treatment.

PCHC providers will use telemedicine visits to provide care to you if you are feeling sick. If we determine that an in-person visit is needed, we will schedule an appointment for you at one of our clinics.

For your safety, please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Adult Physicals & Follow-up Appointments:
Temporarily, we have suspended general physical exams. However, we are glad to schedule a telemedicine visit to help you manage many chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, or high blood pressure. Telemedicine visits are also available for many common problems such as coughs, sore throats, allergies, earaches, rashes, and minor injuries. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or worried, you are not alone. Please call us so we can arrange care for you with one of our providers or counselors.

For your safety please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Pediatric & Teen Physicals and Follow-up Appointments:
Healthy children up to two years of age may schedule routine physicals for immunizations. Children and teens can schedule a telemedicine visits to discuss preventive health issues as well as many types of problems such as coughs, sore throats, allergies, earaches, rashes, and minor injuries. Additional services available by telemedicine include behavioral health counseling and reproductive health counseling. Please call us so we can arrange care for you with one of our providers or counselors.

For your safety please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Women’s Health Appointments:
We are committed to maintaining the health of our pregnant patients while receiving care at PCHC facilities. In- person visits with an OB-GYN are scheduled during special hours. Please call us to schedule your appointment. If you have questions or problems about any other women’s health issue, we can schedule a telemedicine visit. Please call us so we can arrange care for you with one of our providers.

For your safety please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Behavioral Health Appointments:
This is a stressful time. Worry can magnify feelings of anxiety and depression. Many people have worsening symptoms such as insomnia, headaches and body aches. You are not alone! Please call us as soon as possible so we can arrange a telemedicine visit with one of our counselors.

For your safety please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Dental Services
Temporarily we have suspended routine dental services and are available for emergency services only at the Prairie Avenue Dental Clinic. If you have an urgent issue, please call us and we will determine if you need to be seen.

For your safety please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Optometry Services
Temporarily we have suspended routine optometry services and are available for emergency services only at the Prairie Avenue Optometry Clinic. If you have an urgent issue, please call us and we will determine if you need to be seen.

For your safety please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Podiatry Services
Temporarily we have suspended routine podiatry services and are available for emergency services only at the Prairie Avenue Podiatry Clinic. If you have an urgent issue, please call us and we will determine if you need to be seen.

For your safety please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Laboratory Services
Laboratory services continue at each our Capitol Hill, Central, Chafee, Olneyville, Prairie Avenue, and Randall Square clinics. We recommend you complete lab work only if you were recently directed by your PCHC provider and it is considered critical to your health.

For your safety please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Imaging Services:
Temporarily, Advanced Radiology has suspended imaging services (e.g. X-rays, etc.) at our clinics. If your PCHC provider determines that you need imaging services, you will be referred to an off-site location.

General Clinic Information:
We have made some other important changes to our clinics and clinic hours:

• The North Main Street clinic is closed until further notice; patients are being seen at our Randall Square clinic.
• The Met School clinic is closed until further notice.
• Express at Olneyville Health Center is closed until further notice; patients are being seen at our Express at Prairie Avenue clinic.
• All other PCHC clinics will be open Monday through Friday between 8am and 5pm.
  
  Please DO NOT walk into any of our clinics without a scheduled appointment.

Thank you for your flexibility during this challenging time and thank you for trusting PCHC with your health care needs. We will always provide you with the best medical care, in the safest possible way!

Sincerely,
The Providence Community Health Centers Team