Update from Monday March 23rd
As a new week begins, it's hard to believe how much has changed in the last 7 days. With Premier Doug Ford's announcement today, and Health Minister Patty Hajdu's speech yesterday the reality of COVID-19 is starting to sink in. I hope you are staying healthy, safe and doing as well as possible given our current situation.
Here's an update about what I've been working on behind the scenes at Root Physiotherapy over the past week:
I will remain closed for in-person appointments until April 6th. However, it is very likely that this will need to be extended.
I am listening to our health experts and regulatory bodies, and will make a decision closer to April 6th about exactly how I plan to proceed. Watch your inbox for updates.
For now, all appointments booked after April 6th will remain booked as is, but I have suspended any further online booking of in-person appointments at this time.
Until we can meet again in clinic, I will be offering telehealth or virtual physiotherapy appointments.
These will be conducted using a video conference call platform similar to Skype or Zoom.
I have chosen the Janeapp telehealth platform for these appointments. Janeapp is the online system I currently use and you've become familiar with already for booking your appointments, getting appointment reminders and receiving your receipts. I hope that by sticking with Jane, it will be the most secure, streamlined and user-friendly option for all of us.
I am taking the time to set this up in a sustainable way, so that virtual appointments will continue to be an option well into the future, until COVID-19 is over and beyond.
The Janeapp telehealth platform should be fully launched and ready for booking by the end of this week.
As soon as it is, I will send out another email with details about how to book, what to expect from a telehealth / virtual appointment and more information about how to pay online and submit these appointments to your health benefits provider.
In the meantime:
Call me: 519-757-7668
I am happy to do phone or email check-ins, free to charge, to listen to updates about your injury or condition, answer questions, provide reassurance, keep you on track with your exercises, or just to give you some ideas for stretches to do to stay moving now that we're mostly confined to our homes.
Once we are ready for virtual appointments to begin, I will be offering a complimentary 30-minute Virtual Rehab Discovery Call to everyone who would like one. This will be another opportunity for a check-in, with video, and an opportunity to see how telerehab works before booking more virtual appointments.
Other resources:
I have started a Root Physiotherapy Blog on my website, where I will be posting resources and tips to support your health during these next weeks and months of social distancing. Feel free to send me ideas or topics that you would like me to address if you like!
Thank you to all for your messages and patience as things continue to change and evolve. I will continue to send you updates, when appropriate, in the next days and weeks. I know all of our inboxes are overflowing right now.
As always, I am here for you, just from a distance for now. Be in touch.
Sincerely,
Sarah