How is Grange Physio Operating During COVID-19?

Our Clinic is continually adapting to the latest information available regarding how we can safely provide our healthcare service for all our clients. We understand that pain and disability do not take a rest, but we must respect the COVID-19 impact on our people (patients and staff) and understand that it is no longer business as usual.

The Hon Greg Hunt, the Federal Minister for Health has confirmed that ALL allied health businesses can continue working and are encouraged to do so.  In addition, he has indicated that they are now developing full allied health telehealth options within the week for allied health along with all other health and medical services. This will be part of a staged plan. “Face to face services for many remain vital so where possible, we encourage you to continue. I thank you for your courage, dedication and care”, the Minister said.

We will continue to monitor this changing situation closely and will provide you with advice and guidance as it becomes available.

COVID-19 It’s Business As Unusual

We are aiming to maintain “business as unusual” approach with heightened hygiene and new consultation options, including  Online TeleHealth Physiotherapy Consultations for our clients while minimising COVID-19 transmission.

We are continually monitoring and adjusting our work parameters as this situation evolves, but rest assured, we are keeping the health interests of our patients and staff at the forefront.

No Reported COVID-19

While our sympathies and support go out to the families and friends who have contracted COVID-19, to our knowledge, we have no known cases that affect a member of our staff or patient community. We’d also like to keep it that way, so thank you for minimising virus transmission actions, which is the current priority.

COVID-19 Symptoms? What To Do?

Here is a quick synopsis of COVID-19 symptoms and what actions you should take.

  • All staff or patients who have a fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, sore throat, or feel fatigued should self-isolate until your GP clears you. Self-isolation includes NOT attending Grange Physiotherapy or other face-to-face locations.
  • Shortness of breath?You should be phoning 000 for advice. The combination of fever and shortness of breath appears to be the most likely symptoms that differentiate between COVID-19 and the flu.
  • Fever is something you can measure at home with a thermometer. It is associated with COVID-19, the flu and other infections. Temperature is not generally associated with the common cold. If you have a fever, contact your GP. Grange Physiotherapy will not be seeing patients with a fever in a face-to-face consultation. Even if you don’t have COVID-19 or Influenza, you are fighting an infection and should be resting at home. Consider our TeleHealth Online Physio Appointment
  • Fatigue typically means your health is under stress. Please call your GP.
  • Cough or sore throats? GPs have informed us that over 99% of coughs and sore throats are related to the seasonal increase in common cold. If associated with a fever, or if in doubt, please call your GP.
  • The good news is that the vast majority of you will not have COVID-19. Less than 1% of currently COVID-19 tested Australians have tested positive.  However, now is a time to be cautious. If you have any symptoms, you should be calling your GP for advice and only attend face-to-face appointments if cleared by them.
  • Apply the current recommendations of self-isolationsocial distancing and good hygiene.

If your GP is unavailable, please call the Coronavirus Health Information Line: 1800 020 080 or 13HEALTH.

What Appointment Options Do You Now Have?

With the escalation in social distancing and changing landscape in the wake of the virus, we are implementing several changes to the way we practice to minimise the health risk for our staff and patients.

In simple terms, we now have three main options:

  1. Asymptomatic Face-to-Face In-Clinic Consultations (see below for restrictions).
  2. TeleHealth Online Physiotherapy Consultations (Best Non-Face-to-Face Option)
  3. Pre-Approved Home Visits (see below for restrictions)

In-Clinic Consultations

We Are Keeping Our Clinics a COVID19-Free Zone!

  • We will not be seeing patients with a fever in a face-to-face consultation.  Consider a TeleHealth Online Physio Appointment.
  • All patients are requested to use the hand sanitiser provided in reception on arrival.
  • If you have a cough, we will ask you to wear a facemask.
  • In-clinic appointments will be available to healthy asymptomatic or GP-approved patients.
  • Patients will be able to phone check-in and then either wait in their car or outside the clinic for their appointment. Our receptionist will call you when the previous consultation has finished avoiding unnecessary reception congregation.
  • All patients are welcome to bring their own towel and pillow to appointments to lay over the bed, but this is not mandatory.

TeleHealth Physiotherapy Appointments

Increased TeleHealth Physio Consultations Availability

TeleHealth Physio Consultations have been shown with research to be very effective for many conditions.  Our TeleHealth service will be increased and will be available to new patients, rather than just our existing patients. Online consultations will be at a reduced rate to our regular face-to-face consultations during the COVID-19 period. The primary aim of TeleHealth is to assess, advise, prescribe exercises and monitor patient’s progress. We understand that pain and disability do not rest during this COVID-19 period, so we will do our best to keep access to our health service in the safest and most effective means.

TeleHealth Physiotherapy Information  and bookings.

Home Visits

Home Visits will be increased during the COVID-19 period but only for a patient who has GP clearance for home visits. Home visit patients will be pre-screened via a phone call and advised to check with their GP if their health profile poses a risk.

There will be no call-out surcharge for high-risk >70 years or other high-risk health issues, during this COVID-19 period. Please call us if you seek a home visit on 9592 2059

Online Group Exercise

We will be offering group mat work online and are in the process of rolling this out. This will enable you to continue your training in the comfort of wherever you are and keep you on track both mentally and physically.   Please phone our Office on 9592 2059 to schedule your group session/s with us.

Clinic Hygiene

We aim to keep our clinics a COVID-19 Safe Zone.

Principally we have established high-end infection control policies to keep our clinics a “COVID-19 Safe Zone” for the safety of our people (staff and patients).

  • We have refreshed our infection control protocols for all staff to maintain impeccable hygiene practices.
  • We will be requesting the same infection-control practices from any persons (patients and others) who enters our clinic.
  • Staff and patients will continue to adhere to strict hand washing and sanitising
  • Equipment and surfaces cleaned regularly.
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is available.

Keep Safe & Healthy Yourself.

While we understand that COVID-19 does require everyone’s vigilance, we can safely get through this period if we all do the right thing.  All of our staff have undertaken COVID-19 Infection Control Training.

We wish you all the best of health during this challenging period. We are all in this together, and we are  happy to play our part in minimising the virus transmission, keeping our staff and clients healthy, while assisting them during this “business as unusual” period.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us.

Many thanks for your continued support.

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