Important Announcement Regarding COVID-19

Murfreesboro Medical Clinic • Apr 09, 2020

UPDATED April 8, 2020


As of April 8th Governor Bill Lee has extended the initial executive order that applies to surgical procedures being performed in the state. MMC’s SurgiCenter will continue to follow this order and will only be performing a select number of urgent surgical procedures until April 30th. Patients are encouraged to contact their physician for any questions regarding upcoming procedures.


UPDATED April 6, 2020

MMC Now Offering Telehealth Visits During COVID-19 Crisis

Murfreesboro Medical Clinic (MMC) is now offering telehealth visits to patients during this time of crisis. MMC’s top priority is the health and safety of its patients, visitors and staff. Patients who have upcoming appointments or who need to be seen by their primary or specialty care provider are encouraged to contact their provider’s office to see if their visit is appropriate for a telehealth visit. 

During a telehealth visit, the patient and provider communicate via video chat. Telehealth visits allow patients to receive effective, quality care without leaving home by using a smartphone, tablet or computer with a webcam. These visits are private and confidential and are now covered by insurance (will be billed as a regular visit). 


MMC Family Medicine Physician, Dr. Zane Cooke, shares why telehealth visits have been a priority for MMC in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. “Telehealth is a unique opportunity to meet patients where they are and deliver care to their home.” Dr. Cooke continues to say, “It allows the physician to reach more patients and avoid unnecessary exposure to the illness, which ultimately gives patients increased peace of mind.”


Not every type of appointment will be appropriate for a telehealth visit. Any patient who would like to inquire about a telehealth visit is encouraged to contact their provider’s office via the MMC and Me Patient Portal or call the department directly.

Patients with questions about telehealth visits at MMC are encouraged to visit www.mmclinic.com/telehealth.


UPDATED March 26, 2020

MMC Will Offer Limited, Drive-Through Testing Starting Thursday, March 26th

Starting Thursday, March 26, 2020 Murfreesboro Medical Clinic will provide on-site, drive-through, testing for COVID-19. Drive-through testing will be located in the south parking lot at MMC’s main location on 1272 Garrison Drive and will be open Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 3:00pm.


In our community,there has been confusion around the difference between screening and testing.

  • Screening is a questionnaire to evaluate symptoms and risk of exposure.
  • Testing is the actual swab used to collect the sample, which is then sent off to a laboratory.


PLEASE NOTE,NOT EVERYONE WILL BE TESTED.


Until testing kits become readily available, MMC will only be testing those who have been screened and referred by the Rutherford County Health Department or local physicians.

In order to be tested on-site at MMC, patients must follow the instructions below.

  • Patients MUST be screened by the following and have a referral to be tested:

o  To be screened by the Rutherford County Health Department please call, (615) 898-7880.

o  At this time only a handful of local provider offices will be able to refer patients to MMC for testing. This is subject to change.

  • Once patients have been screened and referred for testing, they will receive a text message with registration information that must be completed in order to be tested.


General Public who have not been screened and do not have a referral will not be allowed to enter the drive-through line.

The public will only need to be screened and/or possibly tested if they are symptomatic and exposed to a person known to have tested positive COVID-19.


Screening questions include:

  1. Fever
  2. New Dry Cough
  3. Shortness of breath
  4. Exposure to a person known to have tested positive for COVID-19, not speculated, only confirmed to be positive
  5. Has returned from international travel or a cruise within the last 2 weeks



Once patients are tested, they are to immediately head home and self-isolate until notified of their test results. MMC will be calling with test results as they are received.The current turnaround time is 5-7 days. This is subject to change dependent upon volume.

“My team has been working tirelessly over the past two and a half weeks to assemble a coalition of partners to provide this needed service for our community,” says Dr. Nicholas Coté, Family Medicine Physician and MMC Board President.“Rutherford County is my home, where my family and friends live, it is very personal and important to me to ensure that my organization is taking all measures possible to ensure the health and welfare of my community.”


MMC’s Drive-through testing would not be possible without a coalition of partners who are supporting this effort. 

Rutherford County Health Department 

Tennessee Department of Health

Murfreesboro City Police

Quest Laboratory

Genetworx Laboratory

The testing site will be accessible off of Carl Adams Drive from Kennedy Drive.There will be no access to Carl Adams Drive from Garrison Drive.


UPDATED March 25, 2020

What you need to know about COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus)


In our community, there have been many questions regarding COVID-19 screening verses testing. Accordingly, Murfreesboro Medical Clinic and Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital, in conjunction with the Rutherford County Health Department, wanted to provide you with the following information and guidelines. 

Screening and testing are different


Screening is defined as answering a series of questions about active symptoms, travel history and possible exposure to a person known to have tested positive for COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus).  There could also be a brief physical exam involved.

After screening, patients will only be recommended for testing if they meet the criteria recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Tennessee Department of Health. 


The main symptoms of COVID-19 are a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. COVID-19 symptoms are very similar to influenza (the flu) or the common cold. This is why it is required for a medical professional to determine if testing for COVID-19 is necessary. Additionally, it may be necessary for the patient to be tested for the flu or strep throat.


Testing is defined as the actual swab to the patient’s nose. The sample will be collected by a medical professional in full PPE (personal protective equipment – mask, gown, protective eye wear, face shield, etc.).This is for the safety of the medical professional and other patients. Once patients are tested they will be required to go home andself-isolate until notified of their test result, negative or positive, which could take 5-7 days. 


Results are delivered to the medical provider that collected the sample. The laboratory and the medical provider will contact you with your results and instructions.  Do not call for results, both Negative and Positive test results will be called to you by the medical provider that collected the sample. 


Those who don’t meet testing criteria and those who are tested are encouraged to stay home and continue to follow the recommended CDC preventions such as covering coughs and sneezes in your sleeve;not sharing household items such as glasses, dishes and bed linens; cleaning frequently-touched surfaces, like doorknobs and counters; and vigorously washing hands with soap and water frequently. People in these categories should also monitor their symptoms and call their healthcare provider if symptoms worsen or seek emergency care if symptoms become life threatening. 


What if I don’t have symptoms but want to be tested?


When you call your primary care physician or the Rutherford County Health Department, you will first be evaluated to determine whether an in-person assessment is needed and if testing should be done.  Most people do not need a test, particularly those with no symptoms.  If you start to develop symptoms, please call the screening number below at that time. Remember to call before you go!

Additionally, if an immediate family member of yours or someone with whom you have close personal contact on a regular basis is diagnosed with COVID-19, you should remain in self-isolation up to 14 days as there is the possibility that you may contract and transmit the virus. 


Is there a treatment?


In the event you test positive for COVID-19, there are no treatments currently available to treat or prevent COVID-19, but several are under investigation. The best thing that you can do is (similar to treatments for the flu) is remain isolated while also addressing the underlying symptoms.  If you have heard of treatments through social media, friends, family or unaccredited online sources, please ignore and do not take any medication that is not prescribed to you by a licensed, medical professional.


Where Do I Get Answers for My Questions?


People who have concerns about their health should first call their regular health care providers. For Rutherford County residents who have questions, please call your local health department Monday –Friday 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at 615-898-7880.  Also, the state hotline number is available daily seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. at 833-556-2476 or 877-857-2945.


What Can the Public Do at this Time?


Follow public health guidance:  Social distancing, stay home if you are sick, and practice good hand and cough/sneeze hygiene.

Patients Privacy Rights and Communicable Disease

Because of patient privacy rights that we are required to protect, we won’t be able to discuss where cases are or where they worked. However, all close contacts during the infectious period of each positive case will be directly contacted by the health department.  Please know that if you have come into close contact with a case the health department will be in touch with you and they will protect your privacy as well. 


UPDATED March 24, 2020


In compliance with Executive Order 18, signed by Governor Bill Lee on Monday, March 23rd, Murfreesboro Medical Clinic’s SurgiCenter will only be performing a select number of surgical procedures until April 13th. This executive order prohibits elective surgeries in an effort to preserve PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).For those select cases that will be performed, MMC’s SurgiCenter is dedicated to providing quality and compassionate care to all patients. Patients are encouraged to contact their physician for any questions regarding upcoming procedures.


UPDATED March 22, 2020


See below changes to MMC Pediatrics department starting Monday, March 23rd. These changes are being put in place to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 to patients, parents, staff and doctors. 

  1. All well-child visits(check-ups), will be in the morning. All currently scheduled afternoon well-child visits will be rescheduled. Staff will be calling parents to reschedule.
  2. All sick visits will be scheduled in the afternoon. MMC Pediatrics is asking all parents to respect this policy. This will help to ensure that our providers are able to take care of both well and sick patients.
  3. Only 2 MMC pediatricians will be rounding at St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital nursery each week. It is likely that you will not see your child’s pediatrician at the hospital but patients will be able to schedule follow up appointments with their pediatrician. 
  4. It is encouraged to only have one parent/visitor per child at any visit. All nonessential visitors are encouraged to wait outside of the building or at home.
  5. When entering the clinic, staff and providers may be seen wearing a mask. This is out of an abundance of caution and in an effort to protect our patients and staff.


These changes will be in effect until further notice. Please understand this is a fluid situation and our team of physicians and administration is working tirelessly to protect our patients,staff, doctors and community.

Your Child’s Health is Our Mission.


UPDATED March 20, 2020 


As mentioned in the statement released yesterday, MMC is currently screening all patients and visitors as they arrive for any appointment by asking a short questionnaire and evaluating symptoms. From there, it will be determined if COVID-19 testing is warranted. Resources for testing are extremely limited. As a result, we are only testing those who meet the criteria recommended by the CDC. 


Additionally, MMC’s Internal &Family Medicine and Pediatrics Departments are separating sick and well patients into separate waiting areas to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19. MMC’s departments are taking measures to offer more telehealth visits and are modifying the amount of time spent in the waiting areas when possible. Patients should contact their provider (via MMC & Me Online Patient Portal or call) to discuss potential telehealth visits. 

MMC will not be testing for any potential COVID-19 cases over this weekend (3/21 & 3/22). MMC’s Internal and Family Medicine Walk-In Clinic located at 1272 Garrison Drive will be CLOSED Saturday, March 21, 2020. For acute illnesses, please visit one of the MMC Now Family Walk-In Clinics. For a full list of services, hours and locations, visit mmcnow.com. 


UPDATED March 19, 2020


Murfreesboro Medical Clinic is dedicated to the well-being of our well and sick patients. We are working tirelessly to stay current with updates from the Tennessee Department of Health and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus). Currently, we are continuing appointments as normal, however, we are working to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by taking the following steps:

  • Currently, we are not routinely testing potential cases of COVID-19. As of today, we are asking all patients and visitors a short questionnaire and evaluating symptoms. From there we will evaluate if COVID-19 testing is necessary. Resources for testing are extremely limited. As a result we are only testing those who meet the criteria recommended by the CDC. Our hope is that in the coming weeks we will be able to provide more broad-based testing to our patients and community.
  • If patients or visitors are symptomatic when they arrive at the clinic for any appointment, lab work or imaging, they will be issued and required to wear a mask at all times. When entering our clinic, staff may be seen wearing a mask. This is a measure put in place to protect our patients and staff.
  • We ask that patients refrain from bringing any nonessential visitors to our clinic. This is for the safety of our patients and staff.
  • Patients who are in a higher risk category – age 70 and up, or immunocompromised (weakened immune system) – and have previously scheduled appointments or procedures are encouraged to contact their provider (via MMC & Me Online PatientPortal or call) to discuss potential alternative options.
  • MMC is working to rapidly implement telemedicine capabilities. As of today, we have limited capacity to conduct some types of appointments through telemedicine (videoconferencing). Please contact your provider to see if they are able to conduct video visits. This will hopefully be more widespread in the coming days. Note, this will be considered an official visit with your provider.


Other Information/Links           

       


  Tips to keep illness from spreading


  • Practice proper hand washing 
  • Cover your cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. Then wash hands.
  • Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Stay away from people who are sick.
  • Stay home if you are sick and contact your primary care provider for further instructions.
  • Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces regularly.
  • Practice Social Distancing 
  • Leave home only for essential reasons. Thereby limiting your exposure to others and their exposure to you.



UPDATED March 10, 2020


In compliance with CDC recommendations for minimizing possible exposure to COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) Murfreesboro Medical Clinic asks patients to review the following:


If you have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 (novel Coronavirus)

OR

If you are experiencing fever, cough AND shortness of breath AND have recently traveled to CHINA, ITALY, IRAN, SOUTH KOREA or JAPAN,


PLEASE DO NOT ENTER ANY MMC LOCATIONS.


Instead,

CALL the Tennessee Department of Health at 877-857-2945,

CALL your primary care provider for guidance, or

GO directly to your local hospital’s Emergency Department only if you are experiencing a medical emergency.

*Based on CDC (Centers for Disease Control) guidance dated March 5, 2020.


Much like most clinics in the country, Murfreesboro Medical Clinic, does not currently have the means to test, treat, or isolate potential cases of COVID-19(novel coronavirus).

We will continue to update as guidance is released from the CDC and Tennessee Department of Health.

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